Sha'Carri Richardson in the 4x100m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
The United States dominated the men’s 4x100m as of old during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games morning session in the Stade de France on Thursday (8), finishing five metres clear of all opposition to earn a place in Friday’s final. In that final, individual champion Noah Lyles – seeking four golds in Paris – can be added as his nation seeks a first Olympic title in this event since the Sydney 2000 Games.
Jamaica’s sprinting fortunes at Paris 2024 took a further blow, however, as the nation's men's team failed to progress.
In the women’s 4x100m, world 100m champion and individual silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson played her part to take USA through to the final as fastest qualifiers as they seek what would be their third title in the past four Games.
Britain’s two-time world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who was unable to finish the event at the European Championships in June, had an uplifting start in her pursuit of a first Olympic medal as she finished the morning session leading after the opening 100m hurdles and high jump.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (© Christel Saneh for World Athletics)
The 31-year-old produced a hurdles time of 13.40 to earn eighth place on 1065 points, and then cleared 1.92m at her third attempt – celebrated with a joyous smile – to finish second in the high jump to Belgium’s defending champion Nafissatou Thiam.
That left her on 2197 points, with Thiam, who is seeking a record third consecutive Olympic title, second on 2173 from Anna Hall of the United States on 2164 and Thiam’s compatriot Noor Vidts on 2125.
For Germany’s Sophie Weissenberg, sadly, the Olympics was over before it began as she injured her left leg warming up before the second heat of the heptathlon 100m hurdles heats and had to be carried from the arena.
In the relays, individual 100m bronze medallist Fred Kerley ran a rapid split on the men’s 4x100m second leg for the United States after receiving the baton from 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, who missed individual qualification for these Games, before Kyree King and Courtney Lindsey carried the baton home in 37.47.
South Africa, anchored by perennial individual finalist Akani Simbine, were second in 37.94, with Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, who anchored Britain to the 2017 world 4x100m title at the home championships in London, doing the business again to earn third place in a stacked heat by 0.02.
Japan and defending champions Italy, respectively fourth and fifth in 38.06 and 38.07, did enough to progress as minor qualifiers.
But in the second heat Jamaica, who won this title in 2012 and 2016, came to grief after uncertain exchanges between Jelani Walker and Jehlani Gordon, and then between Gordon and individual silver medallist Kishane Thompson, which left the latter with too much to do in the final leg.
Jamaica’s time of 38.45 was not enough. China won in 38.24 from France in 38.34 and Canada in 38.39.
Richardson was a metre down on Germany’s last-leg runner Rebekka Haase as she received the baton from the newly instituted Olympic 200m champion, Gabby Thomas, but she had made up the deficit by halfway down the finishing straight, turning to give her German rival an obvious stare before accelerating away to finish in 41.94.
Germany had reward for their consistent running and efficient exchanges as they progressed to the final in 42.15, with the third qualifying spot going to Switzerland in 42.38, anchored by 100m finalist Mujinga Kambundji.
Great Britain, with a strong third-leg split by Amy Hunt, were second fastest qualifiers after winning the second heat in 42.03m, with Desiree Henry running the final leg.
France, hugely supported, were second in 42.13, with Jamaica making the third automatic spot in 42.35. Canada, in a national record of 42.50 and the Netherlands in 42.64 earned the minor qualification places.
China’s 35-year-old defending champion Gong Lijiao moved safely into Friday’s women’s shot put final with 18.78m, the fifth best effort behind the 19.77m registered by Canada’s world indoor champion Sarah Mitton, who tops this year’s world list with an effort of 20.68m.
Sarah Mitton in shot put qualification in Paris (© Mattia Ozbot)
Maddison-Lee Wesche, flying the New Zealand banner following the retirement of Valerie Adams who won the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 titles and added silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, was second best qualifier with 19.25m, one centimetre ahead of Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye, with the Dutch European champion of 2022 and 2024, Jessica Schilder, next best on 18.92m.
But there was no advancement for twice world champion Chase Jackson of the United States, making her Olympic debut, as her best of 17.60m saw her miss the cut by six places.
The jeopardy of repechage can be cruel. After a blanket finish in the second 100m hurdles heat, Finland’s European indoor champion Reetta Hurske watched and waited for the numbers to come up.
Her hands went over her face as it transpired that she had missed out on the second qualification place for Friday’s semifinals by two thousandths of a second after she and Maribel Caicedo of Ecuador both clocked 12.83, with Ebony Morrison advancing as winner in 12.82.
Hurske’s compatriot Lotta Harala had better fortunes as she won her heat in 12.86 from Japan’s Yumi Tanaka in 12.89. The fastest qualification time came in the first heat where South Africa’s Marione Fourie advanced with 12.79 ahead of Dutch athlete Maayke Tjin-A-Lim on 12.87.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics
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