ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND, September 05 — The rainy, cold evening at the Letzigrund didn’t keep Sha’Carri Richardson from commanding a spectacular Weltklasse rematch with Olympic conqueror Julien Alfred. For most of the race, though, someone else led. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith caught a lightning start and held the lead for the first 80m-plus. Richardson, in 3rd, hit her stride then and pulled past both Alfred and Asher-Smith to claim the win in 10.84 on the wet track.
“I am training and executing because I know the race is not going to take care of itself,” said the victor.
Alfred nipped Asher-Smith at the line, 10.88–10.89, with Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith 4th in 10.93. Said Alfred, “It felt good. I’m just having fun. I am trying to finish strong.”
In the 800, Shafiqua Maloney went out hard, with the rabbit, Poland’s Angelika Sarna, only catching her at 200. The two were still far ahead of the field as Sarna passed 400 in 55.60. Favored Mary Moraa ran a well-back 3rd approaching the bell, but was passed then by American Addy Wiley. Down the backstretch they flew, with the Kenyan fighting into the lead at 600 (1:26.87) and Britain’s Georgia Bell coming up to challenge Wiley as well, as Maloney faded. On the straight, the Kenyan flipped to another gear and pulled away for the win in 1:57.08. Bell needed much of that straight to finally get ahead of Wiley and finish 2nd, 1:57.94–1:58.16, with Jemma Reekie 4th in 1:58.49.
The 5000 was billed as a WR attempt, with Beatrice Chebet, the Olympic champion at 5000/10,000, running center stage behind pacers Katie Snowden and Georgia Griffith. The first 2 kilometers were almost perfect at 2:48.23 and 5:37.17. For 3K, the objective was for Griffith, the 3000 winner at Bislett in 8:24.20, to be leading at 8:25.0; the ask was too much. The Australian dropped two laps earlier. Running all alone, Chebet passed that post in 8:25.8.
Soon, however, she lost her grip on the wavelights and a 2:53.44 for the fourth K doomed her record chances. However, she still won by more than 100m, rallying quite well on the final lap for a 14:09.52 world leader and meet record. Ethiopia’s Ejgayejhu Taye finished 2nd in 14:28.76. Karissa Schweizer ran 4th in 14:47.50, and Elise Cranny was 8th (14:54.33).
Said Chebet, “I really wanted to run the WR, but I missed it due…
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