The first major showdown in the women’s 100m sprints at the 2025 World Championships is set to come as early as day one, when defending champion USA’s Sha’carri Richardson faces silver medalist and 200m Champ- Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in the heats on Friday.
The two are scheduled to line up in the heat; three of seven are expected to emerge among automatic advancers from the round when it runs off in the evening.
Both sprinters have had relatively subdued starts to the season by their standards. The race is expected to provide a solid early indicator of the current physical and mental shape under championship conditions ahead of finals rounds.
Fellow Jamaican Tina Clayton, who has been having a great season, is also expected to advance from the round when she lines up in heat two with her biggest competition expected to come from UK’s Dina Asher-Smith.
All eyes will, however, be on the final heat of the event when five-time 100m Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce takes the blocks to kick off what will be her final ever championship before retiring from her legendary career.
Fraser-Pryce, along with longtime rival and friend Marie-Jose Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast, are expected to be among the two automatic qualifiers from the heat.
