Paris Olympics: Sha’Carri Richardson & Gabby Thomas lead Team USA to 4x100m relay final

Sha’Carri Richardson anchored Team USA into the final of the women’s 4x100m relay following a great finishing kick at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

With a strong cast that has 200m Olympics champion Gabby Thomas, Olympics 100m silver and bronze medallist Richardson and Melissa Jefferson, added to Twanisha Terry, the Americans were favourite to claim victory and lived up to the hype.

Jefferson started the race before handing over the baton to Terry but it was her exchange with Thomas that nearly proved costly as the Olympics 200m champion had to slow down to avoid a poor hand over.

Thomas then rescued the race with great speed before Richardson took it away with a devastating finish in the final 100m.

The Americans won the heat in 41.94 and were joined in the final by Germany, (42.15) as Switzerland completed the top three in 42.38.

In the second heat, Great Britain, France and Jamaica sealed the three automatic places in the final.

It was a poor day for the Ivory Coast as they missed out on one of the two slots for the fastest losers after being disqualified over lane infringement, elevating the Netherlands and Canada to the final.