Sha’Carri Richardson storms to 100m win in Doha’s Diamond League opener

Sha’Carri Richardson left her rivals in the dust as the American streaked to 100m victory in the first Diamond League meeting of the season in Doha.

Richardson, who was expected to be one of the biggest draws at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before she accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for cannabis, set a meet record with a time of 10.76 seconds.

The 23-year-old beat Jamaica’s world 200m champion Shericka Jackson (10.85) while Briton Dina Asher-Smith was third (10.98) in a field that featured five Americans on the start line.

“I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace. All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it,” Richardson said. “Like I said it before, I had to be kicked out from another 100m race, so I had to do my best no matter what. Peace, love and life.”

Asher Smith, who won the world 200m title in Doha in 2019, said she was happy with her third-placed finish. “The whole point about my season is to race against the best and I did that tonight. I am really happy with my race, third place is a good start and the time is decent,” she said.

In the men’s 200m, American Fred Kerley stormed to victory in lane seven, clocking 19.92sec, using his long strides to his advantage in the final 40 metres. The American, who won the silver in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympics, reeled in compatriot and Tokyo 200m silver medallist Kenneth Bednarek (20.11) who finished second while Canadian Aaron Brown (20.20) was third.

“I was comfortable, but I know I still got work to do. The most important was to win and I did,” Kerley said. “I was happy with the competition, it was a good one, the guys gave me a fight.”

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