By Israel La Rue
Sha’Carri Richardson won her biggest race in nearly two years Friday in the 2023 Diamond League opener at Doha, taking the women’s 100 meters in 10.76, a meet record.
Since her disqualification at the 2020 Olympic Trials, Richardson has had an up and down two years. In her Diamond League debut at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic, two weeks after the Tokyo Olympics, she finished dead last.
She returned to Eugene for the 2022 Prefontaine Classic and started her reemergence, finishing second running her first sub-11 time since the trials. She ran two more sub-11 races that season, but fell short when she returned again to Hayward. Richardson failed to make it past the qualifying round at the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships.
In Doha, Richardson lined up against some of the toughest competition at the meet in a field with Shericka Jackson, Dina Asher-Smith and Twanisha Terry.
Jackson and Asher-Smith got off to strong starts with Asher-Smith leading in the first 20 meters. Asher-Smith wasn’t able to hold onto her lead as Jackson matched her speed early.
Once the sprinters started to hit their top speed, Richardson started to gain on Jackson and Asher-Smith. In the final 15 meters, Richardson overtook the leaders, finishing .09 ahead of runner-up Jackson.
“All I do is the best I do and I'm excited to do it,” Richardson said. “Like I said before, I had to be kicked out from another 100m race, so I had to do my best no matter what.”
Richardson was one of five U.S. athletes to earn eight Diamond League points with a victory, along with sprinter Fred Kerley, hurdler Rai Benjamin, high jumper JuVaughn Richardson and pole vaulter Katie Moon. The athletes with the highest point totals over the season qualify for the Prefontaine Classic, which will host the Diamond League final in September at Hayward Field.
Kerley, the defending 100-meter world champion, came from behind in the final 50 meters to win the 200 in 19.92.
Kenny Bednarek got off to a great start with Aaron Brown right behind him, but most of the action happened in the last 100 meters. Kyree King picked up speed, getting up to third place, and that’s where Kerley made his play.
In lane seven, he was moving like no one’s business, running with perfect form and moving up. He secured the win by passing by Bednarek in the last 10 meters.
“I was comfortable, but I know I still got work to do,” Kerley said. “The most important thing was to win, and I did.”
Benjamin, the reigning Olympic champion in the 400 hurdles, edged fellow American CJ Allen by .15 for the victory in 47.71.
Benjamin distanced himself from the field in the first 200 meters, and it looked as if it would be a runaway win. But in the last 150 meters, Allen made his move. He ran side by side with the Olympian in the last 100 meters.
The race came down to the last hurdle and the final 35 meters. With Allen on his heels, Benjamin took longer strides before the last hurdle launching himself over the hurdle. After that, it was a foot race to the finish line.
Allen’s time of 47.93 was a personal best. Meanwhile, after the race Benjamin tweeted, “TBH I had Covid last week.”
High jumper Harrison almost had a perfect scorecard in Doha. The Olympian cleared every mark on his first try to win with 2.32m.
“It’s great to come out here and take the win,” Harrison said. “I came here with a goal to take on the victory.”
After securing the victory, Harrison had the bar raised to 2.35. He got his first scratch of the day, then retired.
“I wanted to go higher,” he said. “But there was no need to overdo it.”
Reigning Olympic pole vault champion Moon won her second Doha Diamond League meet with a jump of 4.81.
“I feel great,” Moon said. “I'm so happy with how it went. It’s a classic first Diamond League meeting ... I'm really happy that I came in first place.”
Moon was actually behind fellow American Sandi Morris for most of the day. Morris had a perfect scorecard until she scratched at the 4.76 mark. After the scratch, Morris passed to move to the 4.81.
That’s when Moon took over. She went over 4.76 on her first try, then held on for the win as no one else was able to jump over 4.81.
Morris’ decision to pass on the 4.76 mark cost her second place, which went to Slovenian Tina Sutej, who set a national record by making that height.
After jumping over the 4.81 mark, Moon retired.
“My next competitions are the LA meeting, LA Grand Prix, Paris Diamond League, and U.S. nationals and World Championships,” Moon said. “My point is to do most of the Diamond Leagues.”
