World champion Sha’Carri Richardson won the Prefontaine Classic in her first 100 meters of the Olympic year, setting her up for the Olympic Trials next month and the Paris Games later this summer.
Richardson triumphed in 10.83 seconds in Eugene, Oregon, beating a field that included fourth- and fifth-place finishers from last August’s world championships. Plus two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, who finished last in 11.30.
Richardson’s time is the second-fastest in the world this year, behind University of Tennessee senior Jacious Sears, who clocked 10.77 on April 13.
“I felt great about my race,” said Richardson. “It’s my (season opener in the 100 meters), I wouldn’t be human to say I wasn’t nervous. As my coach says, use that nervousness as motivation.”
PRE-CLASSICAL: Full results
Richardson won the world title last August in a personal best of 10.65 seconds and is on track to challenge that time again this summer.
Americans are preparing for the Olympic Trials, also in Eugene, from June 21 to 30. The top three in most events makes the team for Paris.
Also on Saturday, the British Josh Kerr held the Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen behind by 26 hundredths in a mile duel between the reigning world champion and the reigning Olympic champion in the 1500 meters.
Kerr, who triumphed in 3:45.34, and Ingebrigtsen have traded verbal blows in recent months. Ingebrigtsen reportedly said in February that he could beat Kerr blindfolded.
The Norwegian rode for the first time in September on Saturday, returning from an Achilles injury.
Yared Nuguse finished third in the mile in 3:46.22, the second fastest time in American history behind his American record of 3:43.97 at last year’s Pre Classic.
Three-time world champion Grant Holloway completed the 110 meters hurdles in 13.03 seconds, the best time in the world this year.
The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist consolidated his status as Paris Olympic favorite by beating a field that included second through fifth place finishers from last August’s world championships.
“If there wasn’t an American in that race, I wouldn’t care,” Holloway told Lewis Johnson on NBC Sports. “I just wanted to let the Americans know that I’m still the top dog, and I want to be able to put myself in the driver’s seat for the Olympic Trials.”
Christian Coleman won the 100 meters in 9.95 seconds, keeping Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala behind by three hundredths.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and I feel like right now it’s just mentally doing everything I can and doing what I’m capable of on race day,” said 2019 world champion Coleman. to the Diamond League.
In 2023, Coleman, compatriot Noah Lyles and Briton Zharnel Hughes all clocked a world-leading time of 9.83 seconds. Lyles and Hughes were not in the field on Saturday. Omanyala ran 9.84 last year.
In the women’s 1500 meters, won by Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia, Elle St. Pierre finished third with the second-fastest time in American history.
St. Pierre, who had son Ivan in March 2023, clocked 3:56.00, which was 1.01 seconds shy of Shelby Houlihan’s American record.
Valarie Allman, Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo, won the discus throw with a throw of 67.36 meters.
Allman beat a field that included Cuban Yaime Perez (second, 67.25), who in April posted the world’s best throw since 1989; four-time Olympic or world champion, Croatian Sandra Elkasevic (nee Perkovic, fourth at 64.69) and American Laulauga Tausaga (sixth, 62.01), the 2023 world champion.
Allman is undefeated since being overtaken by Tausaga for gold last August.
World champion Camryn Rogers from Canada threw 77.76 meters and won this year’s hammer throw in which the four best women in the world participated. She was followed by the rest of the world’s best: Americans DeAnna Price, Brooke Andersen and Janee’ Kassanavoid.
Earlier Saturday the Kenyan Beatrice Chebet broke the world record in the women’s 10,000 meters at Pre.
The athletics season continues on Thursday with a Diamond League match in Oslo, continued live Peacock at 2:00 PM ET.
