Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 08, 2024. Sha'carri Richardson of United States during heat 1. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
The Diamond League Finals are in their second day, and the tension is building! On the first day of Brussels, Sha’Carri Richardson’s performance thrilled a lot of people. But it was confirmed earlier today that she would not be competing in the Allianz Memorial Van Damme 200-meter finals. It created quite a stir, but it did not finish the race. With a talented lineup that included Daryll Neita, Brittany Brown, and others, who would win the Diamond League title this evening?
Well, ask, and you shall receive. In a nail-biting race, Brown’s blistering time of 22.20 seconds gave her an epic win. But wait! It gets better. She is now the first American to win in the event since Allyson Felix emerged victorious 10 years ago! What a day for the 29-year-old. Trailing behind her was GB’s Daryll Neita, who had to settle for a second-place finish with 22.45 seconds on the clock. Brown’s compatriot, Anavia Battle, completed the podium in 22.61 seconds.
With the favorite, Sha’Carri Richardson, out of contention, the stakes were higher than ever for Brown. The sprinter was quick off the blocks and held on to her lead as she emerged through the curve. Neita didn’t make it easy. But undeterred, the 29-year-old only had eyes for the finish line. Against all odds, she sprinted her way to the women’s 200m Diamond League trophy. After a third-place finish in the 200m finals at Stade de France, Brown has finally etched herself as a formidable foe.
During the Diamond League meets, Brittany Brown clinched her first 200m victory in Oslo. Not only did she win, but she also set a season-best with a blistering 22.32 seconds at the Bislett Olympic Stadium. The Paris Olympics bronze medalist won in Rome next. This time, she crossed the finish line in 22.00 seconds, edging out Anavia Battle, who finished in 22.27 seconds. Daryll Neita completed the podium with 22.46 seconds on the clock.
This is similar to Felix, whose injury didn’t show much promise for the 2014 season. After clocking her slowest time in 400m at the Shanghai Diamond League, she returned to the 200m circuit in Eugene. The then 27-year-old’s time of 22.44 seconds might not have been good enough for the win, but she was happy with a third-place finish. A few more wins later, the sprinter made it to the finals in Brussels. With 22.02 seconds on the clock, the Diamond League Trophy was hers to claim.
