Elaine Thompson-Herah proclaimed she was “literally where I need to be” after winning the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic with the second-fastest time in the world this year.
Meanwhile, the outspoken Sha’Carri Richardson didn’t say a word despite proving she’s still a force to be reckoned with in the sprints.
Thompson-Herah, who won three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games for Jamaica, crossed the finish line first with a time of 10.79 seconds. Only compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who clocked 10.67 earlier this month, has gone faster, although Thompson-Herah, who has struggled with Achilles and shoulder injuries, was nowhere near the blistering 10.54 she ran last year at this meet.
Fraser-Pryce opted to run the 200, which she won in 22.41 seconds, a time which ranks No. 15 this season.
”I crossed the line healthy; I don’t care about the time,” said Thompson-Herah.
The conditions also weren’t optimal. “The rain was falling, it was a little cold,” she said. “Never cared about that. I just came out here to execute.”
Thompson-Herah added that she just needs to “fix a few more things,” and is expected to be the favorite to win her first individual world title in July at the World Athletics Championships on the same track in Eugene, Oregon. She is the two-time Olympic champ in both the 100 and 200.
For Richardson, the controversial Team USA runner who missed the Olympic Games after testing positive for marijuana, the race was vindication. She served a one-month suspension last season, then was ninth in the Pre Classic in her comeback race. This season she skipped two major meets in which she was entered and ran only 11.27 and 11.37 in her first two races.
On Friday afternoon Richardson tweeted, “If you’re running at Pre, make sure to make time to hang out in the hotel because they’re not allowed to call if you had to take a drug test. So the only way to be notified is if you’re in your room or somewhere in the hotel.” She also noted that officials can “come at any time” outside the athletes’ testing window, although a commenter pointed out that 24 hours before the race is considered “in-competition” testing.
And then early Saturday, an interview with Richardson’s former partner, Janeek Brown of Jamaica, was posted on Instagram in which she admitted that she was “abusive once that there is physical evidence of” and said she was “trying to move on.” She also called Richardson a “chickenhead.”
Richardson had revealed the abuse on social media.
At the starting line, Richardson wore a decorative headband — or tiara — and her hair extensions formed a long mane that reached to mid-thigh.”I just wonder, ‘Where is her head? How does she rebound?” asked NBC commentator Sanya Richards-Ross.
She rebounded by running so fast the tiara flew off. Richardson was second with a time of 10.92, pipping Shericka Jackson, the Olympic bronze medalist, at the tape. Jackson was also credited with 10.92 and they are tied for sixth on the world list, alongside U.S. collegiate runner Abby Steiner.
Although this was Richardson’s first sub-11 second 100 since she won the Olympic Trials, she did not speak to reporters after the race.
The men’s 100 was also redemption for Trayvon Bromell of the United States. He had the world-leading time of 9.76 seconds last year and won the U.S. Olympic Trials, then faltered at the Games and did not reach the final.
Bromell was a late entrant, replacing Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy, who withdrew with a slight injury. Last week in Birmingham, England at another Diamond League event, Bromell false-started and was disqualified.
This time, he got a good start and celebrated early while still holding off a top-notch field. Bromell’s time was 9.93 seconds, .01 off his best this season.
Fred Kerley, the Olympic silver medalist, was second in 9.98, followed by world champion Christian Coleman in 10.04 and world 200 champion Noah Lyles in 10.05. Because of Coleman’s win in Doha three years ago, he will have a bye to the World Championships and Team USA can enter four athletes in the event.
”For me it was personal, not against anybody in the race, but mostly for myself to show people like `Man, I’m here to compete just like everybody else.’ I don’t train to lose,” said Bromell. “So when people complain and things like `Is he going to show up in a big race?’ This year I’m worried only about myself. I don’t care what the naysayers say.”
Michael Norman has also had his share of critics. The top Team USA 400-meter runner, he has yet to win a world or Olympic individual medal. Norman was fifth in Tokyo behind teammate Michael Cherry, who was fourth.
On Saturday, Norman roared to the lead in the final 200 meters to break the meet record held by the legendary Michael Johnson. Norman’s time of 43.60 seconds is the fastest in the world this year and he defeated Kirani James of Grenada, the three-time Olympic medalist, who came in at 44.02.
”If it’s comfortable it’s too easy,” Norman said. “In the weight room, on the track, if I feel too comfortable … I’m not working hard enough.”
Despite the late withdrawal of Olympic champion Athing Mu, who contracted COVID-19, the women’s 800 was still a thrilling race. Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain posted the world-leading time of 1:57.72 followed by Ajee Wilson of the United States in 1:58.06. Wilson is the world indoor champion at 800 meters.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, the Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters, won the Bowerman Mile with a time of 3:49.76, while Faith Kipyegon broke her own meet record in the 1,500 in 3:52.59.
Brazilian Alison Dos Santos, the bronze medalist in Tokyo, won the men’s 400 hurdles in 47.23, the leading time in the world this season. Rai Benjamin, the Olympic silver medalist from the U.S., withdrew from the meet and world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway was never entered.
Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi ran 12:50.05 in the men’s 5,000, breaking Mo Farah’s record by 16 seconds. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser won the shot put with a world-leading mark of 23.02 meters (75-6 ¼) while sitting out his final attempt because the ring was so slick in the rain. He also mostly used a static stance instead of a full wind-up, which could be a harbinger of extending his own world record in the future.
”That’s the farthest I’ve ever thrown with my static start,” Crouser said. He added that his full throw usually gives him another foot and a half.