USA’s sprinter Sha’carri Richardson produced a dominant display on Saturday (13 May) at the Kip Keino Classic, the third stop of the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour.
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The 23-year-old Texan, who won the opening 100m Diamond League event in Doha just over a week ago, comfortably took the 200m at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi with a meet record time of 22.07 seconds.
Richardson surged ahead just before the final straight and increased her lead before slowing down and crossing the finish line with a margin of 0.70 and 0.75 seconds, respectively, ahead of fellow Americans Kyra Jefferson and Shannon Ray.
In her first 200m of the season, Richardson was defeated in Gaborone, Botswana on 29 April, and claims that she would have wanted to race the 100m in both that occasion and in Kenya.
“I got kicked out of the 100 in Botswana and also here in Kenya. I knew I had to do my best with the performance that I was allowed to run in. Despite what others may have gone on social media and said, no one asked me to run the 100. Therefore, I know I needed to do what I know to do about 200 and I’m blessed for it.” Richardson said after the race.
With triple Olympic champion [B]Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce[/B] pulling out of the short sprint, it was Richardson’s compatriot Twanisha Terry who took the women’s 100m in 10.86.
Home favorite Ferdinand Omanyala retained his title in the men’s 100m by posting a world-leading time of 9.84 seconds, despite a headwind of 0.5m/s.
Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek finished second with a time of 9.98, followed by world 100m silver medallist [B]Marvin Bracy[/B] (10.03).
Mary Moraa, also from Kenya, won the women’s 800m in 1:58.85, well clear of her closest rival Netsanet Desta of Ethiopia (2:00.14).
The men’s 200m went to Canada’s Aaron Brown, who finished ahead of USA’s Kyree King (20.14) and Liberian Joseph Fahnbulleh (20.19).
Muzala Samukonga from Zambia set a new meeting record by clocking 44.25 seconds in the men’s 400m, while Olympic silver medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh cleared a world-leading height of 2.00m to take the women’s high jump.
