The US Olympic Trials have seen a lot of action in a variety of categories. However, something unexpected happened in the women’s 200-meter sprint finals: Gabby Thomas won the race swiftly with a 21.81, but fan favorite Sha’Carri Richardson was cut short of qualifying for the Olympics with a fourth-place finish, according to Track & Field Gazette on X.
The 100-meter world champion previously demonstrated her superiority in the same category, but she also maintained her immaculate form in the 200 meters. Richardson blazed through the heats and semi-finals, setting up a final confrontation, but the field was competitive.
Going into the turn, Thomas claimed the lead in the race, followed by Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long on the podium. Gabby finished in 21.81, helped by a 0.6 tailwind, while Brittany took silver with a personal best of 21.90 and Long took bronze with a 21.91.
Richardson finished fourth with a time of 22.16 seconds, falling short of qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 200-meter category. The entire race was an action-packed spectacle for both the audience at Hayward Field and those watching from home on their screens.
Upset
— ⵢUI⚝ⵢEI☄︎ (@citadeloflotus) June 30, 2024
This fan reveals when Richardson lost her pace during the race.
Sha’Carri ran too wide on the curb. That cost her big time. I already had Gabby and McKenzie on the squad with Brown as the dark horse.
— Dr. Paco Hinton Jr Podcaster (@DrPacoHinton) June 30, 2024
A fan is still in astonishment because they believe Sha’Carri was not at her pull pace.
Felt like Richardson ran slow to let someone else go to the Olympics because she was not at full speed
— freemind (@tlmmccrory15) June 30, 2024
This track aficionado understands how difficult it was for the two-time world champion to switch categories and compete at her peak.
100m/200m double would’ve been extremely difficult anyway for Sha’Carri. But love that she proved so many people wrong and leads the 100m team to Paris.
— Dream Sinatra (@DreamSinatra) June 30, 2024
This user commended Thomas on her performance.
Congrats to Gabby. Now she has to prepare for Jacko and Mboma.
— Miror (@Miror375108) June 30, 2024
With the end of the 100 and 200-meter trials, the participants will have plenty of time to prepare for the Paris Olympics, which are only a month away. The event’s podium finishers must maintain their performance as well as their confidence, just like Thomas did before the finals.
Gabby Thomas Sharing Her Words of Optimism
The moment Gabby Thomas qualified for the US Olympic Trials’ 200-meter finals, she was in a state of shock as she clocked a magnificent 21.78, which is also her new personal best. While this was a big moment in her career, she kept all the anticipation alive for the finals, as she knew she would face a difficult grid.
However, this particular performance also gave her the confidence that Thomas needed before the race that will decide her ticket to the Paris Olympics. She had made the tough decision of scratching herself out of the 400 meters and completely focusing on the 200 meters, which eventually paid off after qualifying for the sport’s grandest stage.
