Sha’Carri Richardson secures a spot on the U.S. Olympic team with a stunning 100m victory, clocking in at 10.71 seconds.
Sha’Carri Richardson now holds the title of the fastest woman in the world. She recently ran past some of the fastest sprinters in the world for the women’s 100m race at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest. Her final time was 10.65 seconds, a new record.
“I would say never give up,” Richardson said to NPR. “Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself and your fate to define who you are. I would say always fight. No matter what. Fight.”
Richardson has gone through a tumultuous past few years. Her comeback is the best way of proving her haters wrong after being counted out.
Just two steps from the finish line, Sha’Carri Richardson began pounding her chest, confident in her victory. Anyone who doubts she’s the sprinter to beat at this summer’s Paris Olympics should reconsider.
Sha’Carri Richardson continued her “I’m Not Back, I’m Better” tour with a 10.71-second win in the 100 meters at the U.S. track trials, making her the fastest woman in the world this year. This victory secured her a spot at the Paris Olympics, where the women’s races begin on August 2. Despite not having stellar starts, Richardson finished clearly ahead in all three races at the meet, winning the final by 0.09 seconds over training partner Melissa Jefferson. Twanisha Terry, also from coach Dennis Mitchell’s camp, finished third, earning a spot on the team.
Richardson, overcome with emotion after her victory, reflected on her journey. She credited her life experiences for preparing her for this moment and emphasized her mental and emotional growth. Richardson’s 2021 win was stripped due to a positive marijuana test, revealing her struggles with depression and outdated anti-doping rules. Since then, she has worked hard to become a better person and athlete, winning the national championship in 2023 and a world title a month later.
Richardson’s message remains one of self-belief and hard work. Despite the tough competition she’ll face in Paris from sprinters like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah, Richardson is determined and ready for the challenge.
Back in the U.S., the American sprinters are thriving by motivating each other. Dennis Mitchell, a prominent sprinter from the 1990s, achieved the rare feat of getting all three of his top athletes into the Olympics. “The odds of getting all three is probably a point-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-something,” Mitchell said. “But those girls didn’t care about those odds. They went out there with a plan, executed well, and deserve everything they got.”
Despite a mediocre start and celebrating before the finish line, Sha’Carri Richardson still managed to surpass the season’s best time, making her the favorite. When asked if she had a specific time goal for the Olympics, she replied, “I just know that if I execute and run the race I’m trained to prepare for, the time will come with it.”
