By Chris Chavez
July 16, 2023
U.S. 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson won the Silesia Diamond League women’s 100m over Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson.
Here’s what you need to know:
– Richardson ran 10.76s to win by .02s and improved to 2–0 against Jackson on the year. Richardson is the second-fastest woman over 100m this year with a 10.71 personal best from last week’s U.S. Outdoor Championships. She is undefeated in the five 100m finals that she has contested this season.
– Jackson got off to a strong start but was caught by Richardson’s closing speed in the final meters of the race. Jackson won the Jamaican national title with a 10.65s victory in Kingston last weekend. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carmelita Jeter and Marion Jones have run faster in history.
What she said after the race:
Richardson (via Diamond League Flash Quotes): “It was an amazing race, I am really having fun. The 10.76 - I love the time. I put a great race together. This was a great competition, it was amazing. I executed correctly. I love the atmosphere here. I wish we could replicate this to the US – all the energy, all the love from the audience. I was satisfied with my race altogether.
"As for the World Championships - I know what I want to achieve, but I am not going to say it. I wrote it down for myself. "
Before our nationals, I told the other athletes: "Let’s unite. Let’s get together." It is time for us athletes to take responsibility for ourselves. We, athletes, should have our own union. We want to take it back into our own hands. It has not yet been released or founded, but you will know when we speak out.”
Our Take:
It’s easy to get excited about Richardson as a gold medal favorite given that she’s unbeaten and showcased fantastic top-end speed. Even without the best start, she maintained her composure and managed to run down Jackson. Two years ago, that wasn’t the case once the likes of Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah or Jackson got away with her from the start. She’s playing to her strengths with patience and her backend speed. If she improves upon her start in the next 40 days, she’s going to be dangerous in Budapest.
Jamaicans aren’t hitting the panic button yet but it’s not looking great. Fraser-Pryce hasn’t run a 100m race this season. Thompson-Herah has a season’s best of 11.06s and finished 5th in the Jamaican championships. Jackson is their best shot right now. Jamaica is hoping Jackson runs back a similar script as Fraser-Pryce’s 2019 season when she finished 7th in 11.39s at the Prefontaine Classic and then worked her way back to win gold at the World Championships in Doha. The only problem with that is Pre was in May and the World Championships were in late September. There isn’t that much time this go around. – Chris Chavez
They both ran under 10.8. They’re both sharp and fit right now. It’s just exactly what you want to see right now as a fan of the sport. They’re racing frequently. No one is running well at the expense of someone else. There’s only one top 100m runner who remains undefeated this season and it’s Richardson. That’s going to be interesting as we get closer to the World Championships. – David Melly
Big win by Sha’Carri to come out and run like this in Poland after an emotional U.S. championship. Immediately showed that the fitness is real. It’s one thing to beat the other Americans. It’s another when you’re beating the Jamaicans. I did appreciate that Sha’Carri and Shericka acknowledged each other after the race a little bit with a small hug. It was game respects game. I think at this point they both know that this is just the preview of Worlds. Sha’Carri is excited and happy but she’s not showboating. Worlds is the unfinished business that she has to attend to. Her start was not great. We initially had Marie-Josee Ta Lou on the start line for this one before withdrawing and she’s someone that we don’t want to sleep on when we discuss medal contenders. But we have to wait and see where she falls within the bigger picture. – Kyle Merber
We have been this saying all year – THE LADIES AIN’T DUCKING FROM THE SMOKE THIS YEAR! Both ladies are some of the best female sprinters in history and they have the stats to prove it. With Sha’Carri displayed immense speed while Shericka uses pure strength to her advantage. As an American – all biases included – I’ve got Sha’Carri at the front of my mind for gold in Budapest. Shericka won’t give up easily as she showed today. It’ll be a fight to the finish as always. – Katelyn Hutchison
I’m so happy to see Sha'Carri handling business on the track! Some people counted her out, but all season she has not only shown up…She’s shown out! I think Sha'Carri can see a gold medal in the 100, but she’ll have to get her start together. Shericka has displayed her fitness and power this season in both the 100 and 200.
For Sha'Carri to come from behind with a poor start to take the win in 10.76 is great! The 100m final in Budapest is going to come down to who not only has the dog in them but the discipline. I’d like to see Sha'Carri not just win a final the same day she has a prelim but also post an equal to or faster time.
One thing the Jamaicans know how to do is produce in a final. If Sha'Carri can maintain composure and execute the final in Budapest as she does in the semi-finals, the rest of the short sprinters will be thanking her for helping us have four spots in the 2025 world championships. – Jasmine Todd
What’s Next:
Jackson will head to the Monaco Diamond League on Friday to compete in the women’s 200m against U.S. champion Gabby Thomas. Last weekend, Thomas ran 21.86 in the 200m semifinal at the U.S. Championships to briefly take over the world lead. Moments later, Jackson ran 21.71 to win the Jamaican national title. Thomas reclaimed it with a 21.60 personal best to win the U.S. title. This will be their first head-to-head of the season.
Richardson is slated to run the London Diamond League on July 23 against Jackson and 2022 world championship bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith.
Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.
