Sha’Carri Richardson runs for silver medal in 100-meter dash

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Sha’Carri Richardson’s comeback story hit a brick wall Saturday when Julien Alfred romped to the 100-meter title in 10.72 seconds to blow away the field and bring the first-ever Olympic medal to her island country of Saint Lucia.

Racing one lane to the left of Richardson, and with rain puddling on the purple track in the Stade de France, Alfred got off to a fantastic start and beat Richardson by .15 seconds — about three body lengths.

Richardson’s training partner, Melissa Jefferson, finished third in 10.92 seconds.

Earlier Saturday, Richardson overcame a slow start to qualify for the Olympic 100-meter final. She also finished second to Alfred there, running .05 seconds behind her 10.84 time in the semifinal. 

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was an unexpected scratch from that semifinal heat, meaning the two-time Olympic champion did not race for a third gold medal in the event. 

Richardson and Alfred entered the race as the only two in the Olympic field to crack 10.8 seconds this year.

Fraser-Pryce’s withdrawal meant that the entire podium from the last Olympic 100, including Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, wasn’t in the final.

No U.S. woman has captured the Olympic gold in the 100-meter dash since Gail Devers in 1996.  Marion Jones won the 100 in 2000 but later had the medal stripped for doping.

Other medals on the line Saturday were for the men’s shot put, the women’s triple jump, the 4×400 mixed relay and the decathlon.

Earlier in the day, Noah Lyles finished second (10.04) in a sluggish first-round qualifying heat to make the semifinals in the men’s 100. The semifinals and finals for that are set for Sunday.