Sha’Carri Richardson has achieved her long-awaited goal of becoming an Olympic medalist. The 24-year-old American track and field star captured the silver medal in the 100-meter finals at the Paris Olympics on August 3, clocking in at 10.87 seconds.
This marks a significant comeback for Richardson, who was previously barred from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics due to a positive drug test for THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.
For many Americans, Richardson was heavily favored to become the first American woman to win the Olympic 100 since Gail Devers in 1996 because she won the world’s last year in 10.65, the fifth-fastest time ever by a woman, then followed that up with a 10.71 at the Olympic trials, the fastest time this year.
Her odds appreciated as Jamaican rivals dropped out. First to go was the defending gold medalist, Elaine Thompson-Herah, who didn’t even make it to Paris because of injury. Then Shericka Jackson announced she was skipping the 100 to concentrate on the 200.
The exodus continued practically up to race time as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a two-time gold medalist considered Richardson’s top competition Saturday, pulled out because of an injury in warm-ups.
Before that misfortune became public, speculation ran amok over what happened to Fraser-Pryce, whose lane was empty for the semis.
Earlier, a video on social media showed Fraser-Pryce and Richardson being denied entrance to the stadium through a gate used previously by athletes.
They were then escorted to another gate, but not before the video went viral. On it, Fraser-Pryce could be heard saying security “changed the rules.”
However, some Americans have slammed the athlete for failing to win gold. One fan criticized Sha’Carri Richardson, mocking her inability to win gold even without facing top competitors, writing:
“No Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah but your fav Sha’Carri Richardson still can’t win the women’s 100M. Fraud!!🤣🤣🤣”.
The gold medal in the event went to St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who finished with a time of 10.72 seconds, while Richardson’s fellow American, Melissa Jefferson, secured the bronze medal.
Richardson’s journey to the podium was notable for her slow start, as she took 0.221 seconds to leave the blocks, the slowest among the eight finalists. Despite this, she managed to overtake all competitors except Alfred, showcasing her exceptional speed and resilience.
Richardson’s silver medal performance sets the stage for her potential participation in the 4×100 meter relay, where Team USA last claimed victory during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The relay event is set to begin on August 8, offering Richardson another opportunity to add an Olympic gold medal to her achievements.
