#Sha’Carri Richardson to race Olympic medalists after drug ban

A positive drug test cost Sha’Carri Richardson the chance to run for Olympic gold in Tokyo, but the star American sprinter will face the all-Jamaican trio of 100-meter medalists next week at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.

After finishing first at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, the 21-year-old Richardson was suspended for a month by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for marijuana, costing her a spot on the U.S. track and field squad.

Jamaican sprinters Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson finished in the top three spots, respectively, in the 100 meters in Tokyo – with Thompson-Herah setting an Olympic record with a time of 10.61 seconds.

All four women have been confirmed as participants at the Prefontaine next Saturday at the University of Oregon, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

“Sha’Carri is focused on running a good race since she last competed at the US Olympic Trials,” Richardson’s agent Renaldo Nehemiah told the Journal in an email. “She will be focused on executing her race to the best of her ability regardless of who is in the race.”

Richardson, whose time of 10.72 seconds in April marked the third-fastest time at 100 meters this year, also is expected to run in the 200-meter race next weekend. American runner Teahna Daniels also will participate in the 100-meters after finishing seventh in Tokyo at 11.03 seconds.