Eugene (United States) (AFP) – Reigning world champions Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson have withdrawn from the final rounds of the 100m at the US Track and Field Championships in Oregon on Friday following their appearances in the opening heats. Both Lyles and Richardson have already qualified for September’s World Championships in Tokyo after winning gold in the men’s and women’s 100m respectively at Budapest in 2023.
Lyles, the Olympic 100m champion, has scratched from the semi-finals of the 100m at Hayward Field later Friday and will concentrate on the 200m starting on Sunday. Richardson was due to enter the 200m but has instead opted to shut down her entire campaign in Eugene after clocking 11.07sec in her 100m heat on Thursday. Women’s Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas has also opted to scratch from Friday’s 100m finals. Like Lyles, Thomas will now shift her focus to the 200m on Sunday.
Related news
Lyles clocked 10.05sec in the first round on Thursday, the fifth fastest time of 100m qualifying. “I need races — everybody knows I started the season late due to injury,” said Lyles, who was beaten in his first 100m of the season at the London Diamond League on July 19. “I just need as many races as possible. After the 100 in London, me and my coach were like ‘We might as well (race at trials)’. It’s a free race, it’s good competition.”
Richardson meanwhile was satisfied with her 100m performance, admitting she was reveling in the fact she could compete in Eugene knowing that qualification for the World Championships was already assured. “USA is one of the hardest teams to make, so it definitely is a kind of a release of pressure knowing I have a bye,” she told AFP. “It feels really good to not have that pressure and still be able to go to Tokyo.”
“Right now I’m cruising under the radar, but when it’s time to hit — it’s gonna be a bang where y’all see my name,” she said.
© 2024 AFP
