Sha’Carri Richardson had to settle for silver in the Olympic final of the women’s 100m as Julien Alfred took gold with a stunning performance.
Watched on by her grandmother, Betty Harp – known as Big Momma – Richardson ran 10.87 in the rain in Paris.
But the world champion, who missed out on the Tokyo Games after testing positive for THC – a component of marijuana – was unable to catch Alfred who secured St Lucia’s first ever Olympic medal.
America’s Melissa Jefferson finished third, taking bronze with a time of 10.92.
Richardson was favored to win the event after she was denied the chance to compete in the delayed Tokyo Olympics due to a suspended from Team USA.
At the time, she tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana, and later explained that she used the drug to cope with ’emotional panic’ after being told that her biological mother had died.
Hours before the 100-meter final at the 2024 Games, two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica pulled out of the event ahead of the semifinals.
The 37-year-old, who won the event in 2008 and 2012, was scheduled to run in the same heat as Richardson and Alfred.
She previously said Paris will be her final Olympics but gave no immediate reason for withdrawing.
It was later claimed that Fraser-Pryce, who turns 38 later this year, pulled out because of a hamstring injury.
According to reports, the sprinter suffered the issue during her warm-up ahead of Saturday’s semi-final.
Her absence allowed Richardson to breeze into the final, where Snoop Dogg and Serena Williams were among the A-listers supporting her.
Though she wasn’t in attendance, rapper Cardi B was also cheering on Richardson from afar.
The Bodak Yellow hitmaker previously showed her support for the track and field superstar in an NBC promo, which featured the pair getting their nails done together.
‘You bought so much emotion out of me because your words and your spirit is so powerful. Seeing your growth after people tried to turn their back on you is so inspirational to me,’ Cardi began.
‘You are more than just an athlete, you are a SUPERHERO and I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years take you because you already a legend.’
After exchanging compliments, the WAP hitmaker shed a few tears.
‘I feel inspired and I feel so warm. I’m not gonna cry, but I feel really warm. The energy, I feel it girl. You are so special. You’re more than an athlete. You’re really special,’ she said, prompting a hug from Richardson.
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