American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is making her comeback, securing the world 100-meter title.
In a redemption story like none other, the track star excelled during the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Richardson completed the 100-meter trek in just 10.65 seconds, coming in first place, with Shericka Jackson finishing in second, just .07 seconds after Richardson crossed the finish line. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce claimed third place. Shortly after her win, Richardson was seen proudly running with the American flag on the sidelines.
“I’m not back. I’m better,” Richardson said to the track announcer moments after her race.
In her first competition on the international scale, Richardson is showing the world why she is deserving of such an accolade after a rocky past few years. In 2021, she was disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. Richardson admitted to using weed to cope with the death of her biological mother in Oregon, where it is legal. Several weeks after the Tokyo games, she ran a humiliating race, finishing last during the 100-meter race at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Then, earlier this year, she received negative press again after being removed from an American Airlines flight due to an altercation with a flight attendant. The 23-year-old has clearly taken her losses in stride, returning to the track stronger than ever.
After Monday’s race, Richardson is quickly positioning herself as a top contender for the Paris Olympics, which are just a year away.
