Sha’Carri Richardson anchors USA women to 4×100 gold medal at Paris Olympics

Historically, the U.S. women are the best bet for gold in the 4X100 sprint relay. But after winning silver in Tokyo, they wanted redemption at the Paris Olympics. And they got it.

On a chilly Friday evening at Stade de France, the U.S. women earned the gold, their 12th time to win the sprint relay since 1932, when Los Angeles hosted the games. The team of Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry, Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson took the gold.

Richardson, in winning her first Olympic gold, dashed past the Team Great Britain anchor for the win.

On paper, Team GB was the biggest threat to the U.S. women. The Brits won one of the two heats in Thursday’s prelims.

And about those prelims. The U.S. women had a difficult time in the opening round. It wasn’t their speed, but the handoffs. The exchange with Richardson, the silver medalist in the 100, turned on the jets and made up the deficit on Germany’s Rebekka Haase. The Americans won the heat.

Circling back to the finals, Jamaica had been the defending gold medalists. In Tokyo, their women’s team featured the entire podium from the 100 meters. But none of those three women competed in the 100 meters earlier this week.

The U.S. men will run after the women as the Olympic track competition winds down.

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