Prefontaine Classic: Richardson faces Thompson-Herah in 100m

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The Tokyo Olympics answered the question of who the fastest woman in the world is. Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica took home three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay and broke Florence Griffith Joyner’s 100m Olympic record in the process. But the one feat she didn’t accomplish in Tokyo was beating American Sha’Carri Richardson.

Richardson returns to the track Saturday for the first time since the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. The 21-year-old sprinter was left off the U.S. Olympic roster after she tested positive for marijuana and was handed a 30-day suspension by the U.S. Anti Doping Agency.

Richardson will race against the three Jamaican women who completed a podium sweep in the 100m event in Tokyo: Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. Richardson will also run in the 200m alongside Allyson Felix, Gabby Thomas and Jenna Prandini. 2016 200m Olympic gold medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain will return to the event after she was forced to withdraw from the 200m final in Tokyo due to an injury. 

Athing Mu will run in the women’s 800m event after taking home gold in Tokyo, while Noah Lyles will race against his brother Josephus, 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek and 400m hurdles silver medalist Rai Benjamin in the 200m.

Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker will race against Canada’s Andre De Grasse and South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who finished third and fourth in the 100m in Tokyo, respectively.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's huge track and field event:

How can I watch the Prefontaine Classic?

The Prefontaine Classic will be aired on Peacock at 4 p.m. ET and on NBC starting at 4:30 p.m. ET.

When will Sha'Carri Richardson race in the Prefontaine Classic?

Richardson will face Thompson-Herah and Fraser-Pryce in the women's 100m event starting at 4:41 p.m. ET. Richardson will return to the track later in the night to run in the 200m at 5:45 p.m. ET.

What are Sha'Carri Richardson's fastest times?

Richardson crossed the finish line in 10.86 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, but that isn't her fastest time of the season. Richardson ran a 10.72-second 100m at the 2021 Miramar Invitational in May, the sixth-fastest time ever. Richardson's personal-best time is faster than Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, who crossed the finish line in 10.76 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics.

Richardson's personal best in the 200m is 22 seconds. Fellow American Thomas holds the fastest time this season of all women competing Saturday, crossing the finish line in 21.61 seconds at the U.S Olympic trials in June.

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