Although defending champion Shericka Jackson will not return to compete at this year’s edition, five of the women from last year’s 100 meters have returned to contest the event at Saturday’s 2024 Nike Prefontaine Classic, the fifth stop of the 2024 Wanda Diamond League.
Jackson clocked 10.70 seconds to win the event eight months ago, but a slow start to her season means she hasn’t accepted any potential offers to race at the high-profile meeting at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, this weekend.
Read more: How to watch the 2024 Nike Prefontaine Classic – 10,000m races?
However, the lineup features five returnees, including USA’s world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, world and Olympic finalist Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast, European multiple sprint champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain, and world gold medalist Twanisha Terry of USA.
Ta Lou-Smith returns as the highest finisher from 2023, following her 10.75 seconds second-place finish behind Jackson, while Thompson-Herah, who owns the meeting and Diamond League record at 10.54 seconds, was third a year ago in 10.79.
Sha’Carri Richardson, who captured the world title in Budapest last summer, ran 10.80 seconds for fourth place last year, just beating USA compatriot Twanisha Terry (10.83), while Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith clocked 10.96 seconds for seventh last season.
Another star-studded lineup has been assembled for this year’s women’s 100 meters at the 2024 Nike Prefontaine Classic, with NCAA standout and world indoor champion Julien Alfred of St. Lucia among the featured sprinters aiming to put down a marker ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Five of the nine starters will be making their season debuts in the 100 meters, while three of the women in the field have already broken 11 seconds this season.
Keep an eye out for British sprinter Daryll Neita, who has a season’s best of 10.98 seconds.
Ivory Coast’s Ta Lou-Smith has clocked 10.91 seconds in 2024, while USA’s Melissa Jefferson has so far posted 10.94 seconds.
All-eyes will certainly be on Olympic double-double sprint champion Thompson-Herah, who makes her season debut.
2024 Nike Prefontaine Classic Women’s 100m start list
- Julien Alfred (LCA)
- Dina Asher-Smith (GBR)
- Brittany Brown (USA)
- Melissa Jefferson (USA)
- Daryll Neita (GBR)
- Sha’Carri Richardson (USA)
- Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (CIV)
- Twanisha Terry (USA)
- Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM)
