A much-needed new star in athletics has emerged this week: Sha’Carri Richardson appears to be meeting her fate with a terrific 10.65-second 100-meter dash from lane nine at the World Championships in Hungary.
After a shocking start to her semifinals, she only came through as the fastest loser after narrowly recovering to finish third. It was a phenomenal opportunity for any sprinter to win, and after running the course, Richardson took great delight in speaking afterwards.
Video surfaced on social media showing her swooping past reporters, wrapped in a US flag, saying “No thanks” and apparently refusing any offer to discuss her triumph further.
A flamboyant but sometimes unpredictable character, Richardson was at times harsh on reporters at her subsequent press conference, flanked by Jamaicans Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who were second and third, respectively.
She corrected one reporter for mispronouncing her name and scolded another for pointing out she missed last year’s World Cup.
Sha’Carri Richardson showed in Hungary this week why she could be America’s next track and field star
She ran on the ninth lane and celebrated a sensational victory over 100 m in Budapest on Monday
The 23-year-old celebrates her unbelievable triumph after receiving the gold medal
“Obviously I didn’t make the team last year, but I don’t think it needed to be said,” she said. “It’s about having people around me who really care about me. Just stay engaged and focused, block out the noise, block out the media like yourself and just keep moving forward.”
She added, “I just felt like I had an amazing race not knowing where the other ladies were.” I was alone in my own world, which has honestly been my whole life.
“I’ve always been in my own world, in my own element, so lane nine was perfect for me to do what I know and focus on myself.”
Born in Dallas, Richardson was raised by her grandmother and an aunt. She has kept tabs on her relationship with her mother, who she learned in a 2021 interview with a reporter had recently died.
Richardson said she used marijuana to cope after learning the news, in exchange for failing a drug test that disqualified her from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
“Honestly, yes, that’s the story,” she told TODAY after the bombshell news broke about her failing the test. “I just thought it was going to be a normal interview, and then hearing that information from a total stranger was definitely triggering.” It was definitely nerve-wracking.
“No offense against him, he did his job but it definitely put me in a state of emotional panic.’ I was blinded by emotion, blinded by sadness.’
Richardson celebrates her spectacular win on Monday night with the spectators
Richardson was raised by her grandmother – pictured here partying with her after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics
Richardson was later banned from the Tokyo Games after testing positive for marijuana
That year, Richardson won the US National Championships with a time of 10.82 seconds and said, “Now I’m back here with you ready, mentally, physically and emotionally.” I’m here to say, “I I’m not back, I’m better. I’m not back, I’m better.”
She always talked a good game – too much, Usain Bolt thinks.
“I would advise Sha’Carri to train harder and be focused and not say too much,” Bolt told the New York Post in 2021. “If you talk big words like that, you have to back them up.”
“So just train hard and focus on it and try to do it again and then talk about it.”
When Richardson first qualified for the 2021 Olympics, she thanked her friend for choosing her bright orange hair color. She has also become synonymous with her style – often racing with long nails painted in bold colors.
“My girlfriend actually chose my color,” Richardson said. “She said it appealed to her, the fact that it was so loud and lively, and I am.”
Richardson opened up about her ban in an interview with TODAY after the shock news broke
Richardson’s energy and flamboyance are good for athletics and will draw attention to the sport
Richardson never elaborated on who her friend is, but tweeted a rainbow emoji that same day.
It’s not even a year until the next Olympic Games. The women’s 100m final is scheduled for August 3 at the Stade de France in Paris. Richardson will arrive with the eyes of the world on her shoulders.
There’s clearly a combustible streak in her character that, while bringing her fame as a sprinter, can also at times be an energy she needs to learn to harness. It is also noted that their trainer Dennis Mitchell was convicted of doping in his own career back in 1998.
But if she continues to thrive under the attention she receives, she will be the most compelling competitor in these games.