Sha'Carri Richardson Saves US Women's Relay in Olympic Heat

Sha'Carri Richardson saved the US women's 4x100 relay team from near disaster on Thursday, propelling them into the gold-medal race. Despite a shaky baton handoff from Gabby Thomas to Twanisha Terry, Richardson overcame a deficit to beat Germany by 0.19 seconds, finishing in 41.94 seconds. Meanwhile, the US men's team grabbed victory in 37.47 seconds, despite a fumbled first exchange.

The men's team, looking to end a 19-year medal drought, advanced with Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kyree King, and Courtney Lindsey. Coleman's handoff to Kerley was awkward, but they still finished ahead of South Africa by nearly half a second. Notably absent were top US sprinters Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek, who are prepping for Thursday night's 200-meter final.

In an unexpected twist, Jamaica's men failed to qualify for the finals, plagued by poor exchange timing. This marked a significant departure from their dominance during Usain Bolt's era. Kishane Thompson's mishandled anchor leg left the Jamaicans fourth, while the women's team, missing stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah, still has a shot at the 4x100 relay. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)