A runner who breaks records In her twenty-four years, Sha’Carri Richardson has accomplished a great deal. She won both regional and state titles in middle school, which marked the start of her track career. By the time Sha’Carri arrived in high school, she was getting media attention.
She was a sophomore at David W. Carter High School in her hometown of Dallas, Texas, where she won the 100-meter title in the 2016 Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics. She received even another honor the following year when she won the 200-meter bronze medal at the USA Track and Field (USATF) National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships.
After exiting high school, she took her track career to the college level, joining Louisiana State University, where she won her first NCAA title. That 2019 trophy was for Sha’Carri, completing the 100-meter dash in just 10.75 seconds. She decided to leave college that same and pursue a career in a professional career in track and field. This proved a good decision for Sha’Carri, who landed her first Nike contract. Her career was skyrocketing, though several setbacks nearly derailed her for good. Thankfully, this Texas girl bounced back rather quickly.
Sha’Carri shares the title of “fastest woman in the world” with Florence Griffith-Joyner, also known as “Flo-Jo.” Whether Sha’Carri broke Flo-Jo’s record and will replace her in the 100-meter run is up for debate. Sha’Carri, however, has acknowledged that Griffith-Joyner had previously inspired him.
In front of the world, she has had to confront personal challenges.
For Sha’Carri, 2021 was a year filled with highs and lows. She was rapidly rising to become one of the world’s best runners. She finished the 100-meter dash in 10.72 seconds that April, making her the fourth-fastest American woman in history and the sixth-fastest woman in the world.
Unfortunately, in June, after racing the 100-meter in Eugene, Oregon, she told media that her biological mother had died. She eventually qualified for the Tokyo Olympics as a result of this.
She told NBC at the time, “I still choose to pursue my dreams, come out here, and make sure to make the family that I do have on this earth proud after learning last week that my biological mother passed away.”
Unfortunately, Sha’Carri’s hopes of competing in the Olympics were dashed when the results of a drug test in July 2021 showed that she had tested positive for marijuana. She was subsequently disqualified from competing since this was against Olympic regulations. Although Sha’Carri did not deny using cannabis, she insisted that it was the only way she dealt with the loss of her mother.
However, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency remained unmoved. There was a great deal of response, with many people criticizing the athlete for destroying her shot. Rex Chapman, a former basketball player, was among the supporters who came together in support of her after hearing of the tragic event. Fortunately for Sha’Carri, the controversy did not define her or her career.
