Fireworks in the offing as Elaine Thompson-Herah sets up clash with Sha’Carri Richardson at Prefontaine Classic

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Fireworks in the offing as Elaine Thompson-Herah sets up clash with Sha’Carri Richardson at Prefontaine Classic

Joel Omotto 20:35 - 22.05.2024

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has confirmed her participation at this weekend’s Prefontaine Classic, setting up an epic 100m battle with Sha’Carri Richardson.

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will face off with world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic, the Eugene Diamond League, this weekend.

Thompson-Herah is a late inclusion in the event and adds spice to the 100m which will now see increased interest as she clashes with Richardson, who will be running on home soil.

The 100m line-up will also have world 60m indoor champion Julien Alfred as well as Africa’s fastest woman Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith but focus will undoubtably be on the two superstars.

Thompson-Herah, the 100m and 200m Olympic champion, has good memories in Eugene where she closed out her 2023 season with a 10.79s season's best there.

In 2022, she won the 100m in 10.79, coming after clocking 10.54 over the distance in 2021.

It will be the first race of the season for Thompson-Herah, who is bidding to defend her Olympics title, and the race will give her a taste of what to expect in Paris where Richardson is among the rivals she will face.

Richardson has not enjoyed a good start to the season, finishing second in Xiamen before a third-place in Suzhou last month, both in 200m, but this will be the first time she is running 100m in 2024.