Following a brief hiatus, Sha’Carri Richardson is now back in the limelight after a record-breaking appearance at the Diamond League season opener in Doha.
The first-rate track and field runner clinched first place in the 100m in 10.76 seconds (the fastest time in the world this year). The win makes her the only American woman to break 10.80 seconds in six years. Her personal best was in 2019 with a time of 10.72 seconds.
The Dallas native also broke the 2023 record of 10.82 seconds set by Sherika Jackson, the star athlete who hails from Jamaica. Jackson came in second place at 10.85 seconds and Dina Asher-Smith came in at 10.98 seconds, winning third place.
“I found my peace back on the track, and I’m not letting anything or anybody take that anymore,” the track star told NBC Sports.
The win improves the 23-year-old’s odds of making it to the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in July, where the top three in the 100m could qualify for the world championships in Budapest in August.
In 2021, sports pundits expected Richardson to win big at the Tokyo Olympics but she was banned after testing positive for marijuana. At the time, she admitted to using the substance after her mother died.
“I want to take responsibility for my actions, I know what I did and what I’m not supposed to do,” Richardson said at the time.
Following the controversy, she was offered a $250,000 endorsement deal with a vape company, but she declined. Nike, who had been sponsoring Richardson since 2019, stood by her following the debacle and continued to endorse her.
“We appreciate Sha’Carri’s honesty and accountability and will continue to support her through this time,” the company told ESPN.
Richardson rose to stardom as a freshman at Louisiana State University, running 10.75 seconds to break the 100m record at the NCAA Division I Championships in 2019.
