DOHA, Qatar, May 5 — American sprinter sensation Sha’Carri Richardson gave an outstanding performance at the opening of the 2023 Wanda Diamond League in Doha, finishing ahead of a world-class women’s 100-meter field. Her victory was a stern warning to her Jamaican rivals this season. Richardson finished with a world lead and a meeting record time of 10.76 seconds (+0.9 m/s) and defeated Jamaican Shericka Jackson in the process.
Richardson’s time was her fourth-fastest ever with a legal wind behind her personal best of 10.72 seconds and the fastest she has ever run on the European circuit. Jackson, the previous world leader, and Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith led the race at the start, but Richardson remained calm and held her form to power past Jackson.
“I’m so blessed and thankful. I feel at peace. All I do is the best I can, and I’m excited to do it,” said Sha’Carri in an interview after the race. The American star broke the previous Doha Diamond League meeting record of 10.80 secs, set by the late Tori Bowie in 2016.
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Jackson, who held the previous world lead time (10.82) –finished second with a time of 10.85 seconds, while Asher-Smith, in her outdoor season opener, had to settle for third place with a time of 10.98 seconds. Twanisha Terry clocked 11.07 for fourth place, and Zoe Hobbs of New Zealand ran 11.08 for fifth. Abby Steiner was pushed back into last place, finishing eighth with a time of 11.19 seconds.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Puerto Rico won the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 12.48 seconds, beating Americans Alaysha Johnson (12.66) and Nia Ali (12.69).
The men’s 400m hurdles was won by World and Olympic silver medalist Rai Benjamin of the USA, who finished in 47.78 seconds. The men’s 200m was won by world 100m champion Fred Kerley, also of the USA, with a time of 19.92 seconds.
“I was comfortable, but I know I still got work to do,” said Kerley. “The most important this was to win, and I did. I was happy with the competition. It was a good one, the guys gave me a fight. Nest, is Japan, open up my season in the 100.”
