2023 Doha Sprint Recap: Sha’Carri Richardson Earns First Diamond League Win, Kerley Wins 200m Showdown
By Robert Johnson and Jonathan Gaulthttp://gty.im/1252692567
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American Sha’Carri Richardson earned her first career Wanda Diamond League victory in style, pulling away from reigning World Championship silver medalist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica to win the 2023 DL season opener in Doha on Friday in a world-leading 10.76 seconds. Jackson was 2nd in 10.85 as 2019 Worlds silver medalist Dina Asher Smith of Great Britain was 3rd in 10.98.
Not counting her win at the 2021 US Olympic Trials – and officially, that race was not a win as she was stripped of her title after testing positive for marijuana – today was the biggest victory of Richardson’s professional career. Up against two of the world’s best in Jackson and Asher-Smith, Richardson was even with Jackson for the first 70 meters and held her form very well, separating late to win for the first time in seven Diamond League 100-meter starts.
“I felt blessed in my performance,” Richardson said after the race in an interview posted by NBC Olympic Talk’s Nick Zaccardi. “I’m happy that I’m here, healthy, but more important, happy. I found my peace back on the track and I’m not letting anything or anybody take that anymore.”
Fred Kerley (19.92 in the 200), Rai Benjamin (47.78 in the 400 hurdles), Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.48 in the 100 hurdles), and Marileidy Paulino (50.51 in the 400) were the other sprint winners in Doha. Recaps on those races after quick analysis of Richardson’s race below.
We’ll have a separate article where we recap the distance races and field events, where Lamecha Girma got a big win, Emma Coburn fell, and Faith Kipyegon impressed again.
Race video below *International viewers click here
Final, Wind: +0.9
PLACE | NAME | BIRTH DATE | NAT. | MARK |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sha’Carri RICHARDSON | 25 MAR 2000 | USA | 10.76 |
2. | Shericka JACKSON | 16 JUL 1994 | JAM | 10.85 |
3. | Dina ASHER-SMITH | 04 DEC 1995 | GBR | 10.98 |
4. | Twanisha TERRY | 24 JAN 1999 | USA | 11.07 |
5. | Zoe HOBBS | 11 SEP 1997 | NZL | 11.08 |
6. | Teahna DANIELS | 25 MAR 1997 | USA | 11.18 |
7. | Melissa JEFFERSON | 21 FEB 2001 | USA | 11.19 |
8. | Abby STEINER | 24 NOV 1999 | USA | 11.19 |
Quick Take: This was a big win for Sha’Carri Richardson
We all know Sha’Carri Richardson has the talent to be one of the world’s best sprinters. The problem early in her professional career is that her results have not been nearly consistent enough to land her on the podium. Is 2023 the year that changes for Richardson, who is still only 23 years old?
Embed from Getty ImagesSo far, so good. Richardson passed her first test, opening up with a wind-aided 10.57 in Miramar on April 8. Today, she faced a bigger test against Jackson and Asher-Smith, and she beat both of them comfortably, running a smart race and outlasting them by running strong all the way through the finish line. Richardson will ultimately be judged by how she performs at championships. But the Diamond League is the biggest stage the sport has outside of those championships, and earning your first DL win over a pair of the world’s top sprinters is something to be celebrated. This was a significant step forward for Richardson.
She can’t celebrate too much though: Richardson will be in action again next weekend at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.
MB: Watch out WORLD. Sha’Carri WINS LOADED DOHA 100m- 10.76!! SHA’CARRI’S BACK BABY!!!
Quick Take: Richardson said she was “kicked out” from the 100 meters last week in Botswana
Richardson was in good spirits after the race, saying, “I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace. All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it.”
However, Richardson added a curious comment in the interview tweeted out by Zaccardi: she said she was “kicked out” of the 100 meters and had to run the 200 instead. Richardson didn’t expand on her comments, but it’s worth noting that world champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also supposed to be in the 100 in Botswana but wound up withdrawing due to a family emergency. Both SAFP and Richardson are entered in next week’s Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, and while Capital FM is reporting they will be racing each other, the Daily Nation says Richardson will run the 200 and SAFP will run the 100.
Men’s 200: Fred Kerley gets win over loaded field, Michael Norman last
In a much-anticipated men’s 200, 100 world champ Fred Kerley came from behind to win comfortably in 19.92 (+0.3) as he ran down Olympic and world champ silver medallist Kenny Bednarek (2nd in 20.11). Big names Andre De Grasse (6th, 20.35) and Michael Norman (last, 20.65) were not good in this one.
While the times were listed as being aided by the wind, that’s misleading. The wind, which was 9-10 mph and gusting to over 20 mph, was almost a perfect crosswind, meaning they had to battle it directly in their faces during the first turn.
Kerley next will head to Japan to open his season at 100m at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama on May 21.
Final, Wind: +0.3
PLACE | NAME | BIRTH DATE | NAT. | MARK |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Fred KERLEY | 07 MAY 1995 | USA | 19.92 |
2. | Kenneth BEDNAREK | 14 OCT 1998 | USA | 20.11 |
3. | Aaron BROWN | 27 MAY 1992 | CAN | 20.20 |
4. | Kyree KING | 09 JUL 1994 | USA | 20.29 |
5. | Joseph FAHNBULLEH | 11 SEP 2001 | LBR | 20.29 |
6. | Andre DE GRASSE | 10 NOV 1994 | CAN | 20.35 |
7. | Alexander OGANDO | 03 MAY 2000 | DOM | 20.62 |
8. | Michael NORMAN | 03 DEC 1997 | USA | 20.65 |
Men’s 400 Hurdles: Rai Benjamin Holds Off CJ Allen
Three-time global silver medallist Rai Benjamin had to work to win this as he was surprisingly challenged by fellow American CJ Allen from start to finish. Benjamin had a narrow lead for most of it and ended up winning in 47.78, just off his world lead of 47.74. Allen broke 48 for the first time in second, clocking 47.93 (previous pb of 48.17).
The improvement of the 28-year-old Allen was the most noteworthy aspect of this race. Allen never made an NCAA final while at Washington State and had a collegiate pb of 49.40 in 2017. He didn’t get under the 49-second barrier until 2021 (48.73), but ran 48.17 last year, when he was 4th at USAs. Now he’s one of the 50 fastest 400 hurdlers in history (47.93 put him in a five-way tie at #48).
PLACE | NAME | BIRTH DATE | NAT. | MARK |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Rai BENJAMIN | 27 JUL 1997 | USA | 47.78 |
2. | CJ ALLEN | 14 FEB 1995 | USA | 47.93 |
3. | Wilfried HAPPIO | 22 SEP 1998 | FRA | 49.12 |
4. | Khallifah ROSSER | 13 JUL 1995 | USA | 49.25 |
5. | Trevor BASSITT | 26 FEB 1998 | USA | 49.52 |
6. | Sokwakhana ZAZINI | 23 JAN 2000 | RSA | 49.74 |
7. | Thomas BARR | 24 JUL 1992 | IRL | 49.88 |
8. | İsmail NEZIR | 22 JAN 2003 | TUR | 51.40 |
Women’s 400: Paulino runs down Little
With reigning world and Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo missing the 2023 season after giving birth last month, there is some uncertainty in the women’s 400 meters this year. The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino finished second behind Miller-Uibo at the 2021 Olympics and 2022 Worlds and would seem the natural candidate to inherit her title, but a number of 400 hurdlers ran fast indoors (Femke Bol, Britton Wilson) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is mulling the flat 400 as well (she will run that event at the LA Grand Prix on May 27).
In Doha, another hurdler, American Shamier Little, burst out to an early lead, but Paulino ran her down on the final turn. It was a two-woman race down the home straight, with Paulino holding on to take a 50.51-50.84 victory.
PLACE | NAME | BIRTH DATE | NAT. | MARK |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Marileidy PAULINO | 25 OCT 1996 | DOM | 50.51 |
2. | Shamier LITTLE | 20 MAR 1995 | USA | 50.84 |
3. | Natalia KACZMAREK | 17 JAN 1998 | POL | 51.64 |
4. | Sada WILLIAMS | 01 DEC 1997 | BAR | 52.05 |
5. | Candice MCLEOD | 15 NOV 1996 | JAM | 52.43 |
6. | Stephenie Ann MCPHERSON | 25 NOV 1988 | JAM | 52.93 |
7. | Justyna ŚWIĘTY-ERSETIC | 03 DEC 1992 | POL | 53.08 |
8. | Kyra JEFFERSON | 23 SEP 1994 | USA | 54.00 |
Women’s 100 Hurdles: Camacho-Quinn impresses
Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has looked good early in 2023. Last week, she opened up with a 12.29 (+3.2 wind) victory in Jacksonville, and today she made it two-for-two as she won the 100 hurdles in Doha in 12.48 over American Alaysha Johnson (12.66).
Final, Wind: +1.1
PLACE | NAME | BIRTH DATE | NAT. | MARK |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Jasmine CAMACHO-QUINN | 21 AUG 1996 | PUR | 12.48 |
2. | Alaysha JOHNSON | 20 JUL 1996 | USA | 12.66 |
3. | Nia ALI | 23 OCT 1988 | USA | 12.69 |
4. | Megan TAPPER | 18 MAR 1994 | JAM | 12.76 |
5. | Tonea MARSHALL | 17 DEC 1998 | USA | 12.79 |
6. | Reetta HURSKE | 15 MAY 1995 | FIN | 12.92 |
7. | Michelle JENNEKE | 23 JUN 1993 | AUS | 13.00 |
8. | Sarah LAVIN | 28 MAY 1994 | IRL | 13.08 |
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- Watch out WORLD. Sha’Carri WINS LOADED DOHA 100m- 10.76!! SHA’CARRI’S BACK BABY!!!
More: Lamecha Girma got a big win, Emma Coburn fell, and Faith Kipyegon impressed again.