Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States stunned Jamaica’s pre-race favourites from the outside lane to win the 100 metres world title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. She is Now the Fastest Woman in the World.
Richardson crushed Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s hopes of a sixth women’s world 100m title when she stormed to victory in a championship record time of 10.65 seconds despite starting in lane nine at the finals on Monday.
It sealed a 100m double for the US after Noah Lyles’ victory in the men’s event.
Jamaican teammates Shericka Jackson and veteran Fraser-Pryce took silver and bronze in 10.72sec and 10.77sec respectively on the third day of action in the Hungarian capital.
It was a remarkable run for the 23-year-old Richardson, who was barred from the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for marijuana.
She then saw her hopes of challenging for a medal at last year’s world championships in Eugene, Oregon, go up in smoke when she failed to qualify in the US trials.
“I’m here. I’m the champion. I told you all. I’m not back, I’m better!” said Richardson, whose penchant for regular hair colour changes and brightly painted nails has earned inevitable comparisons to the late Florence Griffith Joyner.
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.
At just 23 years old, Richardson has not only secured her first major world championship title—which was also her first global event since the Olympics—but she also made good on her promise that not only is she back…she’s better. In 2021, after securing her spot on Team USA (in the midst of grieving the loss of her mother), she received a 30-day suspension from the USADA and was excluded from USA’s Track and Field Olympic roster after testing positive for marijuana.
On top of a startling end to her Olympic dreams, she’s also been the subject of relentless misogynoir, simply for showing up as herself—orange wig and all—on the track. Still, Sha’Carri vowed to return better than ever.
“I would say ‘never give up,’” . “Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself and your faith define who you are. I would say ‘Always fight. No matter what, fight.’” she told the Associated Press
