American Sha’Carri Richardson made up for missing the Tokyo Olympics due to a drug ban to sensationally win the women’s 100 metres world title in Budapest on Monday in a championship record of 10.65sec. The 23-year-old American stormed home from lane nine — unpopular for sprinters — to edge Jamaican duo Shericka Jackson, who ran 10.72sec, and five-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who clocked 10.77sec.
Richardson missed the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 after testing positive for marijuana at the US trials.
However, after surviving a terrible start in her semi-final she was a different prospect in the final in the Hungarian capital.
As she crossed the line she looked up at the screen and held her hands to her face with a look of shock.
“I’m back!” she said immediately afterwards.
Richardson first burst onto the scene in 2019 but this was the first time she has turned her promise and fast times into a global title.
In the press conference later, she said her lesson for others seeking inspiration from her win was one of resilience.
“Never give up,” she said.
“Never allow the media or outsiders to get you down but only let yourself fight and decide your fate.”
Richardson, who said at the time of the ban that she smoked the marijuana after hearing about the death of her biological mother, said she knew she had many critics but she drew comfort from them just as much as from her close circle.
“The support from my coach to my family to supporters to the haters — all of them motivated me and helped me prevail,” she said.
‘Grew up watching her’
Richardson had barely made it into the final, going through only as one of the two fastest losers after almost being left in her blocks in the semi.
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