SAINT-DENIS, France — Sha’Carri Richardson’s golden moment has arrived.
Denied a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo three years ago because of a suspension, blocked from the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter dash earlier in these Paris Olympics, the former LSU sprinter finally reached the top step on the podium Friday night as she anchored the United States’ victorious women’s 4×100-meter relay team at the Stade de France.
The Americans won with a time of 41.78 seconds. Great Britain got the silver medal with a time of 41.85 and Germany took the bronze (41.97).
It’s the United States’ 17th medal in this event all-time and 12th gold.
Richardson was the favorite in the 100 entering Paris and one of the most recognizable athletes in these Olympic games. Pop singer Adele stopped her concert in Munich, Germany, to show the women’s 100 final on giant video boards in the concert hall.
But a slow start kept her from catching up with gold medalist Julien Alfred of St. Lucia. That left the 4×100 to make Richardson’s golden dreams come true.
The Americans had to overcome a close call in the qualifying heats Wednesday just to reach the final. Gabby Thomas, the 200-meter gold medalist, appeared to take off early on her baton handoff from Twanisha Terry, nearly running out of the exchange zone and leaving the U.S. trailing Germany by the time Richardson got the baton for the anchor leg.
Richardson sped past Germany’s Rebekka Haase with a split time of 9.99 seconds to win the heat and put the USA back in the final.
There was more drama in the final. Like for the women’s 100 final, rain started to fall on the track just before the race. And this time the exchange between Thomas and Richardson was the issue, with the former LSU All-American having to look back to find the baton before taking off.
