EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson ran her personal-best time. Gabby Thomas ran the season’s best time.
Up next, a showdown in the final between the two best at 200 meters.
Thomas, the Olympic bronze medalist in 2021, glanced up to the scoreboard and looked surprised when she saw 21.78 by her name after her semifinal Friday at the U.S. track trials. The mark bettered the best of 2024 by .05 seconds.
Richardson was every bit as pleased with her 21.92, which matched a personal best.
“It just shows I’ve been working, not just me but my team, preparing for this moment,” Richardson said.
Thomas ran a smooth curve and accelerated down the homestretch to hit a time even she wasn’t expecting. She said she’d love to put another low number up in the final Saturday.
“I absolutely would,” she said. “If I make the team, I want to come out with another world lead, another ‘pb’ and just show everyone I’m ready to compete.”
Owings Mills’ Elise Cooper posted the 15th-fastest time among 27 semifinalists. Cooper, who will be a senior at McDonogh School this year, posted a time of 22.71 seconds, a personal best, to finish fifth in her race.
She did not qualify for the finals. Jadyn Mays claimed the last spot in the finals at 22.33 seconds.
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