Sha’Carri Richardson makes a stunning comeback to win the women’s 100 meters at the World Athletics Championship in Hungary.
The 23-year-old Olympic athlete is now the fastest woman in the world after she ran past all her opponents.
Richardson outran the defending world champion Jamaican sprinter, Shericka Jackson, with a time of 10.65 seconds. The victory marks quite a return, after a tough two years for the runner.
Sha'Carri Richardson during her post-interview after coming in last-place “Talk all the shit you want. Because I'm here to stay.” 👀pic.twitter.com/NyRYEPiIQf
— No Jumper (@nojumper) August 22, 2021
“I would say never give up,” Richardson said after the race. “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.”
In 2021, Richardson was preparing for the Tokyo Games after she won the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Oregon. However, those plans were shattered when the sprinter was disqualified and suspended after she tested positive for marijuana in her system. She held herself accountable and said she took the drug to cope with the death of her mother.
Sha’Carri hopes that her journey on the track will help her supporters see athletes for more than just their results.
“I’m going to stay humble,” she said. “I’m not back. I’m better, and I’ll continue to be better.”
The setbacks she faced in her career have made many fans resonate with her story, catapulting her to become a household name.
Before Richardon, the late Tori Bowie was the last U.S. sprinter to bring home the 100-meter gold in 2017.
This big win makes Sha’Carri a strong contender in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
