Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas have put their past differences aside at the 2024 Paris Olympics, teaming up to secure a spot for Team USA in the 4x100m Relay Final.
On Thursday, Richardson, Thomas, Melissa Jefferson, and Twanisha Terry dominated their heat with a time of 41.94 seconds, outpacing Germany (42.15) and Switzerland (42.38) to advance to Friday’s final at the Stade de France.
Jefferson, who won bronze in the 100m, led off the relay but had a less-than-smooth baton exchange with Terry, allowing Germany to briefly take the lead. However, Thomas managed a flawless handoff to Richardson, who anchored the team with a powerful finish, overtaking Germany’s Rebekka Haase to secure first place for the U.S.
In the second heat, Great Britain led with a time of 42.03 seconds, followed by France (42.13) and Jamaica (42.35). Canada and the Netherlands also advanced with the fastest non-automatic qualifying times of 42.50 and 42.64, respectively.
The 4x100m relay final represents Richardson’s final opportunity for an Olympic gold medal in Paris, which would mark her first career gold. She previously won silver in the 100m, finishing behind Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.
Following the relay qualification, Richardson shared a heartfelt Instagram story outside the Stade de France, captioned “One MORE RACE” with a tearful emoji.
Thomas, who won gold in the women’s 200m earlier in the Games, had clinched her spot at the U.S. Olympic trials in June. Richardson, on the other hand, missed out on the 200m event after placing fourth in the trials.
The rivalry between Richardson and Thomas dates back to 2021, when their public disagreements intensified. Richardson’s suspension for a positive marijuana test, which she attributed to coping with her mother’s death, led to controversy. Thomas’s social media comments defending the integrity of the Olympics sparked a response from Richardson, who criticized Thomas publicly before deleting her tweet.
Now, it seems the past conflicts have been resolved, with both athletes focused on securing gold for Team USA in the 4x100m relay.
