200m teams for Paris are officially set, headlined by Tokyo Olympic bronze medalists Gabby Thomas and Noah Lyles.
Thomas qualified for her second Olympics after winning the track and field trials Saturday night. She heads to Paris with a top time of 21.81. Joining her are Brittany Brown, a first-time Olympian who ran a personal best 21.90, and McKenzie Long, another first-timer who finished with a 21.91.
Sha’Carri Richardson, a favorite in the 200m who’s already made the 100m Olympic team, barely missed out on qualifying for her second event with a fourth-place finish of 22.16.
“This is incredible,” Thomas told NBC. “I knew I had to get today done, and this was the first step. There is no gold medal in Paris without making the team today, so I’m just ecstatic. To be alongside these amazing, incredible women and everyone in the final, it’s just such an amazing race
expressed gratitude upon making her first trip to the Olympics, saying, “It’s been a long journey to get here. My coach said it was going to be a fight, and I fought all the way to the end.”
Long, a North Carolina State standout, has been guided by her late mother, Tara Jones, throughout her Olympic journey. Long was often seen talking to her mother alone in the stands before racing. Long’s emotional message to her was, “Mom, your baby girl [is] going to Paris.”
“I’m just really happy I was able to execute my race,” she added. “I’m just very proud of myself and proud of these girls for pushing me in this 200. I’m doing it for you
