Sha’Carri Richardson led a group of six women who qualified for the semifinals of the 100- meter at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 20, posting the fastest time with 10.92 seconds. Richardson won the gold medal the following day. She is the first American to win the 100-meter dash in the last six years.
The 23-year-old athlete achieved a world championship record and personal best, with a scorching 10.65-second run. Richardson now shares the title of fifth-fastest woman over 100-meter in history, alongside Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 10.49.
Richardson, who missed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana, was one of the most talked-about athletes at the championships. She has been open about her struggles with mental health and addiction, and her performances have been closely watched.
“I’m just here to do what I love,” Richardson said. “I’m just here to run.”
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, the defending World Champion and the fastest woman in the world this year with a time of 10.63 seconds, is poised to take the Olympic gold in the women’s 100-meter dash. The veteran sprinter, known for her explosive speed and dynamic stride, has vanquished the event for over a decade and shows no indication of slowing down.
In women’s sprinting, Shericka Jackson from Jamaica has secured the second-fastest time in the world this year with a time of 10.65 seconds. Joining her are Ewa Swoboda from Poland, who has a personal best of 10.91 seconds, Marie-Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast, who has a personal best of 10.90 seconds, and Dina Asher-Smith from Britain, the reigning European Champion with a personal best of 10.83 seconds. These top athletes are sure to make for an exciting competition.
In an interview after the event, Richardson appeared conscious of talk surrounding her name over the last two years: “I’m not worried about the world anymore,” Richardson said. “I’ve seen the world be my friend. I’ve seen the world turn on me.”
Contact multi-media staff writer Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Twitter @NoralParham. For more news, click here.
