World Athletics Championships: Sha’Carri Richardson stuns Jamaican stars to win 100m final
Two years after she was infamously barred from the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana, Sha’Carri Richardson has sensationally won the women’s 100m world title.
It wasn’t the fairytale many expected, instead a passing of the baton.
Just like the men’s sprinting ranks welcomed a new heir apparent 24 hours earlier, the women have a new queen in town who happens to be the most flamboyant, brilliant and controversial talent they’ve seen in years.
Sha’Carri Richardson announced herself on the biggest stage, rocketing home from lane nine in an extraordinary 10.65sec to upstage the Jamaican favourites Shericka Jackson (10.72sec) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.77sec).
Many thought this moment would have happened two years ago when Richardson was one of the favourites in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics only to have her hopes go up in smoke . . .literally.
The American tested positive for marjuana at the US trials and was suspended. She said she took the drug to cope with the stress of her mother’s sudden death.
After missing Tokyo, Richardson disappeared in 2022 before re-emerging this season to run the second fastest time of the year.
It seemed her redemption story was on track for Budapest until everything went pear-shaped at the start of her semi-final.
The 23-year-old wobbled out of the blocks and had to scramble late to finish third in 10.84sec, missing the two automatic spots into the final but then getting through as one of the next two fastest.
There were no such dramas in the final although Jackson and Fraser-Pryce seemed to be in control at half-way before Richardson exploded.
“I’m here, I told y’all,” she said immediately after the race. “I’m not back, I’m better and I’ll continue to be better.
“I’m honored, I’m blessed, I had great competition, (which) pulled the best out of me, and I’m just honored to leave with a gold medal.
Richardson, who sports a dragon tattoo on her shoulder and has 2.4 million Instagram followers. will now be one of the biggest faces of next year’s Paris Olympics.
Her brilliant performance denied Fraser-Pryce yet another entry into the history blocks.
The 36-year-old, who went with fiery orange hair for the final, was attempting to match pole vaulter Sergey Bubka’s record of six world titles in the one event.
Fraser-Pryce, the reigning champion, said she was “really grateful” for a bronze medal after a difficult season that was hampered by a knee injury.
“Last year I ran and won in a championship record and it took another championship record to win tonight,” the 36-year-old told the BBC.
“So it just speaks to the level of consistency for female sprinting and being able to make sure that when you show up you have to give 100 per cent,” she said.
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