There was still a smile on Sha’Carri Richardson’s face as she wrapped herself in the stars and stripes on a rain-soaked track at Stade de France on Saturday, after the star American runner clocked in for a silver medal in the 100-meter sprint at the 2024 Paris Games.
It wasn’t gold, which was captured with a 10.72-second sprint by Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, but it was still a redemption race for Richardson.
The 24-year-old made her return to the Olympics this summer after a one-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana had precluded her from competing in Tokyo three years ago.
Finishing the event in 10.87 seconds, Richardson had a middling start before making up time to come in second place.
Fellow American Melissa Jefferson, Richardson’s training partner, came home in bronze at 10.92 seconds.
Alfred secured Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold medal with her victory, beating Richardson by the largest margin in the women’s Olympic 100 since 2008.
Getting off to a blazing start, Alfred battled through the rain and beat Richardson by .15 seconds.
“It means a lot to me,” Alfred told the Associated Press. “It means a lot to my coach. It means a lot to my country. I’m sure they’re celebrating right now.”
Richardson’s one-month suspension for cannabis use — which she openly admitted, saying she was using it to cope with the pressure of Olympic qualifying and the recent death of her biological mother — was criticized from perches as high as the U.S. presidency.
Since then, however, Richardson has won a gold medal in the 100-meter event at the 2023 world championships.
She also qualified for the Paris games in the U.S. Olympic trials in late June, with a time of 10:71 before winning her opening-round heat on Friday with a time of 10:94.
Richardson may have been the heavy favorite, but the perception of the race changed drastically without the presence of a few notable runners.
Shericka Jackson was scratched from the race earlier in the week, after the Jamaican star pulled up with an apparent injury while running the 200 earlier this month at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix.
Two-time gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also listed as “Did Not Start” shortly before the semifinals, while Elaine Thompson, who won gold in Tokyo, did not compete at all.
There are clips circulating social media of Fraser-Pryce and Jamaican team members arguing with officials who appeared to be denying her entry to Stade de France.
According to reports, Fraser-Pryce sustained an injury after her preparation was unsettled by the delay.
After Richardson, who runs for Louisiana State University, claimed silver, the United States’ 28-year gold medal drought in the event lives on.
The last official American winner was Gail Devers in 1996, as Marion Jones was stripped of her 2000 Olympic gold for steroid use.
Jamaica also failed to reach the podium in the event after the country won the last four Olympic golds and 10 of the last 12 possible medals.