Currently the world’s fastest woman, Sha’Carri Richardson’s path to victory was not at all simple. Throughout her career, Richardson has had many highs and lows. She was suspended for one month in 2021 after testing positive for THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, during the Tokyo Olympics trials, marking one of her lowest points.
Richardson’s hopes of winning a gold medal in the 100-metre event at the Tokyo Olympics were shattered by the suspension, even though she was considered the top American candidate. The athlete graciously accepted the consequences after realizing her error in judgment and started her one-month competitive suspension. Her reputation suffered as word spread that she used marijuana. Facing mounting criticism, Richardson opened up about the devastating reality that her turbulent journey had been caused by the death of her biological mother, who had died only one week before the Olympic trials.
Richardson’s triumphant return this season
Recovering from the woes following her mother’s death, Sha’Carri Richardson created history this season when she won the women’s 100-metre dash in the Prefontaine Classic at an incredible speed of 10.83 seconds at Hayward Field. She also won gold in the 100 metres at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, beating Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a new championship record time of 10.65 seconds. There is still one more challenge, She is yet to break her fellow American Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of running 100 metres in 10.49 seconds, set in 1968. Undaunted, Richardson is now preparing to continue her athletics journey with optimism and dedication as she sets her sights on winning at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Fans of Richardson expressed their utmost support to the athlete, despite the backlash she received for her turbulent past.
One fan declared: “i really hope it is Sha’carri’s year because she worked so hard.”
Another fan admitted: “Who could possibly hate Sha’carri?”
Source: EssentiallySports, Twitter.com