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Zürich DL Women — Budapest Winners Still Hot

Zürich DL Women — Budapest Winners Still Hot

No fewer than 6 Budapest women’s champions, including Sha’Carri Richardson, scored victories at the first post-Worlds DL. (JIRO MOCHIZUKI)

ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND, August 31 — With the stadium packed and buzzing on post-WC energy, women’s Budapest champions found success more often than the men.

In the meet’s Thursday session in storied Letzigrund Stadium, Sha’Carri Richardson got things started against a field that included Olympic 100 champion Elaine Thompson-Herah just to her right in lane 5. ETH has pushed through injury issues this season and ran just a heats relay leg for Jamaica in Budapest. Still, a meeting between the current short dash queen and the 2-time 100 OG medalist veteran occasioned obvious interest. After Thompson-Herah won in their first two encounters in ’21 and ’22, Richardson had prevailed by 0.01 in their most recent matchup in Lucerne last year.

Richardson, showing no signs of a post-WC letdown, started well as did Budapest relay mate TeeTee Terry to her left and Kiwi Zoe Hobbs. Around 30m, though, world-titlist sharpness reemerged and Richardson tore away from the rest with unmatchable turnover to win by about a meter in 10.88. A photo-read was needed to separate Jamaican Natasha Morrison from Thompson-Herah, both at 11.00. Local fave Mujinga Kambundji came next at 11.08.

“I am feeling really good for being able to finish this season as fast as I can,” Richardson declared. “I am definitely grateful, and I am excited with the way this season is going. Today, I felt like I executed, and I felt good about my performance — my body felt very good afterwards, but, obviously there is still room to improve.”

Having for the first time carried peak performance late into an international campaign, Richardson made it clear this pleases her: “Honestly, just knowing that my training has gotten me here — physically training, mentally training, emotionally training myself — to understand what it takes to finish an entire season and beyond the World Championships. Everything has been for one, my mind, body, and soul.”

Of the other dash clash, the 200, to follow later in the program, Richardson said, “I like watching races. I like being in them, but sometimes it is better watching them.”

The half-lap for which Richardson was a spectator went decidedly the way of another Budapest winner, Shericka Jackson. The 2-time Worlds gold medalist — who had unfurled the No. 2 all-time clocking, 21.41, in Budapest…

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