In April 2021, Richardson ran a new personal best of 10.72 seconds, becoming the sixth-fastest woman of all time (at the time) and the fourth-fastest American woman in history.[6] She qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics after winning the women's 100-metre dash with 10.86 in the United States Olympic Trials.[7] On July 1, it was reported that Richardson had tested positive for cannabis use following her 100 m final at the U.S. Trials, invalidating her win and making her ineligible to compete in the 100 m at the Olympics. After successfully completing a counseling program, she accepted a one-month period of ineligibility that began on June 28, 2021.[8] In July 2023, she became the US national champion in the women's 100 metres at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, running 10.82 seconds.[9]
Richardson won gold in the 100 m at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, beating Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a new championships record time of 10.65 seconds.[10] On the penultimate day of the 2023 World Championships, she also won gold as part of Team USA in the women's 4 × 100m relay final with a championship record of 41.03 seconds.[11] On June 22, 2024, Richardson defended her title as the US national champion in the 100-metre sprint event by winning the women's 100m final in 10.71 seconds (WL),[12] qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, where she won the silver medal in the 100m[13] and gold in the 4×100 relay.
Childhood and early career
Richardson was born in Dallas, Texas.[14] She is of African-American descent. She was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and an aunt.[15] She graduated from Carter High School, where she ran track and won Texas state titles in the 100 m and 200 m.[16]
At the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, the 19-year-old completed the second-best female one-day double in history after Merlene Ottey, breaking two world U20 records. She won the 100 m with a time of 10.75 s, setting a collegiate record and improving Marlies Göhr's 42-year-old world U20 best. In the 200 m, she placed runner-up by less than one hundredth of a second in a time of 22.17 s, breaking Allyson Felix's record set at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She also ran in the 4 × 100 m relay which finished second.[20][21]
Four days after the NCAA Championships, she announced she would forgo collegiate eligibility after her first year, and sign a professional contract.[22] She trains with former Olympic sprinter Dennis Mitchell and is sponsored by Nike.[23][24]
Richardson qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics with a 100-meter time of 10.77 seconds at the 2020 United States Olympic Trials. It was 0.13 seconds faster than Javianne Oliver, who finished second.[25] A urine sample that she submitted tested positive for THC metabolites indicating recent cannabis use, which put her participation in the Olympics in doubt.[26][27] After successfully completing a counseling program, she accepted a one-month suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that began on June 28, 2021.[8] While Richardson was ineligible for the Olympic 100 meters due to the suspension ending on July 27, 2021, she could have been eligible for the Women's 4 × 100 relay scheduled for August 5, 2021. However, she was not selected, thereby missing the Olympics entirely.[28]
Richardson stated that she took the drug to cope with the pressure of qualifying for the Olympics while mourning the recent death of her biological mother.[29] Her suspension was criticized by many individuals and organizations in favor of liberalizing cannabis policies, including NORML, members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and other members of Congress.[30][31] U.S. President Joe Biden also suggested that drug-testing rules governing athletes could be changed.[32] USADA responded to the criticism by pointing out that as a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, it has an obligation to enforce it in the United States. Furthermore, they stated that changing those rules might be problematic, as the vast majority of the world's nation states consider consuming marijuana a criminal offense.[33] In response to the controversy, in September 2021, the World Anti-Doping Agency announced that it would conduct a review regarding the prohibited status of cannabis.[34] Cannabis has remained a prohibited drug for Olympic athletes since 1999, though in 2013 the World Anti-Doping Agency increased the level of THC metabolite allowed from 15 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL.[35]
Richardson wins the 100 m final at the 2023 World Championships
On April 8, 2023, she ran the fourth-fastest 100 m by a woman in all conditions, clocking 10.57 seconds with a strong, illegal 4.1 m/s tailwind to win the women's final at the Miramar Invitational. It converts to 10.77 s in still conditions.[37] In May 2023, she secured her first Diamond League victory, winning the 100 m in Doha with a new meeting record of 10.76 s (+0.9 m/s).[38]
In July 2023, Richardson participated at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. On July 7, 2023, Richardson became the US national champion in the 100-metre sprint event by winning the women's 100m final in 10.82 seconds, qualifying for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.[9] On the third day of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she won her first major individual title on the international stage, winning gold in the women's 100-metre sprint event in a championship record of 10.65 seconds.[39] On August 25, 2023, she won bronze in the women's 200 m final in 21.92 seconds, finishing behind USA teammate Gabrielle Thomas (21.81), and defending women's 200m world champion Shericka Jackson (21:41 CR).[40] She would also go on to win gold as part of Team USA in the women's 4 × 100m relay final with a championship record of 41.03 seconds. Her relay time of 9.65 seconds was the fastest in history.[41] Sha'Carri's teammates in this event were Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, and Gabrielle Thomas.[11]
2024: Paris Olympics
Richardson began her 2024 season competing in the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon in May, winning in a time of 10.83 seconds. Coincidentally, Elaine Thompson-Herah, the winner of this Diamond League meeting in 2021, finished in last place.
"I feel great about my race. I feel like I'm continuing to grow and develop into a mature young lady and a mature athlete", Richardson told the media following her victory.[42]
At the 2024 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Richardson defended her title in the women's 100-meter sprint event, winning the final in 10.71 seconds on June 22, 2024, and qualifying for the event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She did not qualify for the 200m, however, finishing fourth in the final of the qualifier.[43] At the Olympics 100m Richardson finished second behind Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred, who had a faster start out of the blocks and never relinquished her lead.[44] In the women's 4 x 100 relay, Richardson ran the race's anchor leg; after a shaky handoff from teammate Gabrielle Thomas, Richardson propelled the U.S. women from third place to first, clinching her first Olympic gold medal.[45] Before crossing the finish line, Richardson turned her head to stare down her closest competitors in one of the game's iconic moments.[46]
Personal life
In 2021, a week before her qualifying race for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Richardson's biological mother died.[15] She knew nothing of her mother's death until she was asked about it by a reporter.[47]
Richardson is noted for her long nails and colorful hair on the field, and she has stated that her style is inspired by that of Florence Griffith Joyner.[3][48]
Richardson is sponsored by Nike. She wore Nike's Air Zoom Maxfly spikes at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.[49]
In 2021, Richardson stated that she has a girlfriend.[50][51] She gave a Twitter shout-out to the LGBTQ community immediately after her win in June 2021.[52] Richardson identifies as bisexual.[53][54]
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