The USA women’s 4x100m relay team found itself in a precarious situation following the third leg of its final event.
Gabby Thomas, the women’s 200m gold medalist, raced down the track with reckless abandon, attempting to claw into what looked like a sizable lead for Team Great Britain.
Thomas — alongside Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry — put the U.S. in a decent position to medal on Friday afternoon. What color that medal would be depended solely on one person: Sha’Carri Richardson.
Over the course of the next 10 seconds or so, Richardson turned the Stade de France into her stage, prancing across the wet and wild track to the tune of 10.09s split — eight-tenths of a second faster than her silver-medal showing in the women’s 100m.
The result? A glimmering canary medallion, one which will now dangle across Richardson’s neck for time immemorial. Richardson’s sprint clinched a gold medal for the Americans, her first such achievement as an Olympian.
Richardson put forth a performance for the ages in Friday’s final. The Sporting News takes a closer look at her wondrous showing to lead the United States to its first gold in the event since 2016.
USA OLYMPICS MEDAL COUNT: Overall table | U.S. medal tracker | Who has won gold?
Sha’Carri Richardson look, explained
There was plenty of uncertainty when Richardson fielded the baton from Thomas, who — just as she did in prelims — was slow in her pass to her compatriot. With Great Britain’s Daryll Neita, a former European champion and two-time Olympic bronze medalist, flanking her on her right, the pressure was on.
So, Richardson strode. She was fluid in her movement in her opening few paces. Then, Richardson pounced, increasing her tempo to race out in front of Neita. Richardson knew she had her adversary beat. And as she paced herself in front, acres of daylight in front of her, Richardson gave Neita a glance.
HERE COMES SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON!
Team USA takes GOLD in the women’s 4x100m. #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/ZM6qaYCQOw
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
absolutely THE COLDEST PIC of the Olympics
Sha’Carri Richardson stares down other runners as she comes from behind to win gold🏅 pic.twitter.com/kgSyzJgAPE
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 9, 2024
SHA’CARRI KNEW 💪 pic.twitter.com/L8dfSnwmMz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 9, 2024
It was the same glance Richardson gave her opponents when she vanquished all foes during the prelims.
this tiktok about sha’carri passing the german girl has me ROLLING 🤣🤣😭😭 pic.twitter.com/bEUXSGTSbG
— maddy 🍉 (@phxsunz25) August 9, 2024
MORE: Andre De Grasse anchors Canada to gold in 4x100m men’s relay
She crossed the finish line in a heap, letting off a scream of celebration as the U.S.’s time flashed across the screen. Then came the theatrics: Richardson, Thomas, Jefferson and Terry cloaked themselves in an American flag and made their way across the bend, happy as can be.
Richardson posted the second-fastest split of her team, falling .11 seconds short of Terry’s blazing 9.98s showing across 100 meters. We don’t think she’ll mind too much, however. With a run worthy of soliloquies, Richardson and the Americans took their place in Olympic history.
The fact that she did so in her own unique style is simply the cherry on top.
