It’s the race we’ve all been waiting for.
Track star Sha’Carri Richardson will go up against Jamaican sprinters Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson in the Prefontaine Classic.
The Jamaican women’s track team dominated the Tokyo Olympics. Thompson-Herah won took gold in the 100-meter race, while Fraser-Pryce nabbed the silver medal. Jackson also made the Caribbean island proud by bringing home the bronze medal.
Thompson-Herah clocked a time of 10.61 seconds Saturday beating Griffith Joyner’s 10.62 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Thompson-Herah also beat out fellow Fraser-Pryce, by .13 seconds. The two were closely followed by Jackson with a time of 10.76.
“I knew I had it in me but obviously I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries,” Thompson-Herah said per NPR. “I’ve been keeping faith all this time. It is amazing.”
But many couldn’t help but wonder whether the results would have been the same had Richardson been allowed to race.
Richardson tested positive for marijuana, a banned substance, and was given a 30-day ban. She would have been eligible before the start of the relays on Aug. 5 and could have won a medal as part of the 4×100 relay team.
However, she was not selected for the team.
She apologized on national television for her mistake.
“First and foremost, we are incredibly sympathetic toward Sha’Carri Richardson’s extenuating circumstances and strongly applaud her accountability — and will offer her our continued support both on and off the track,” a Tuesday statement from officials at USATF said.
“While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules related to THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic Games,” USATF adds.
Marijuana has become legal in several states across the country, including Richardson’s home state of Texas. People question why marijuana is even a banned substance as it has not been proven to enhance performance.
The Prefontaine Classic is set to kick off in Eugene, Oregon, on Aug. 20-21.
