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Sha’Carri Richardson makes shocking decision at Brussels Diamond League after 100m flop
World 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson has withdrawn from the 200m at Diamond League final set to take place in Brussels on Saturday.
The American was set to be the headline act in the 200m but has pulled out of the race for unknown reasons, with Dutchwoman Tasa Jiya replacing her in the line-up.
It comes a day after Richardson had a disappointing 100m race on Friday when she finished in a shocking eighth position, in a time of 11.23 seconds, as St Lucia’s Julien Alfred claimed victory after clocking 10.88.
Julien Alfred reveals motivation after defeating Sha’Carri Richardson in Diamond League final
It was unlike Richardson in Friday’s race as she had poor start and struggled to recover, opting to slow down to the disappointment of her fans.
The Olympics silver medallist was to right those wrongs in the 200m on Saturday but she has decided to pull out with a number of theories thrown around as to why she might have opted out.
It has been a topsy-savvy season for the American who was considered hot favourite to win Olympics gold before Alfred floored her and fans had expected an epic battle in Brussels after she got her revenge over the St Lucien in Zurich a week ago but it was not to be.
In her absence, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and veteran Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith, are left as the big stars in the race, and will be joined by Americans Brittany Brown, Tamara Clark and Anavia Battle, Ta Lou-Smith’s Ivorian compatriot Maboundou Kone, and British duo of Daryll Neita and Amy Hunt.
Why Dina Asher-Smith is looking forward to Letsile Tebogo-like reception Julien Alfred will receive in St Lucia
Britain’s sprinting sensation Dina Asher-Smith had high praise for Saint Lucian star Julien Alfred following an electrifying 100m race in Brussels, where Alfred claimed the Diamond League trophy.
The Olympic champion edged out Asher-Smith by just four hundredths of a second, clocking 10.88 seconds to the Brit’s 10.92, capping off an extraordinary season in style.
Alfred’s victory continues her historic run, having won Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medals—a 100m gold and a 200m silver—at the Paris 2024 Games. Just as she had done in Paris, Alfred showcased her dominance, establishing an early lead by 30 meters that she never relinquished.
Asher-Smith, who had been in stellar form since the Olympics, was Alfred’s closest challenger, nearly pulling off a dramatic victory in the final stages. “I’m really happy for Julien, she’s continuing her journey as the champion that she is,” Asher-Smith said after the race.
“She is a lovely person. Obviously, I was always rooting for myself, but as soon as I was in the final, I wanted Julien to do well, so just seeing her kind of put together such a great race, win the Olympics, and do it for her island as well, it was exciting to see.”
Alfred’s triumph not only solidifies her status as one of the brightest talents in the sprinting world, but it also sparked national celebrations in Saint Lucia.
