“Never allow the media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself to define who you are," - Sha'Carri Richardson

New 100m world champion, Sha'Carri Richardson shared her take on dealing with criticism and refusing to give up. The 23-year-old American athlete has dealt with a series of criticisms in recent years. However, she stunned the world recently with her glorious win at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

On Day 3, August 21, of the ongoing world championship, Richardson secured her first-ever World gold medal in the 100m race with an impressive time-frame of 10.65s. Richardson’s glorious fate has come to her after experiencing a low phase in the previous years.

The young athlete was disqualified from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, even after qualifying at the trials because she tested positive for marijuana consumption. Richardson justified that she consumed the drug to deal with the pressure of qualifying for the Olympics trials while dealing with the demise of her mother.

Later on, during the 2022 US Track and Field Championships, Sha'Carri Richardson failed to compete in the 100m and 200m finals due to her poor timing in the previous rounds. Reporting about her performances, the media heavily criticized her and showed a lack of sympathy for Richardson during her bad times.

Richardson at Day 4 of World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

However, after facing a series of lows, Richardson came strong in the 2023 season races and has now won the world championship. After accomplishing the huge milestone, the athlete shared her take on dealing with everything she went through all this time. She told reporters from the world championship arena;

“I always say never give up,” she said.

She further added:

“Never allow the media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself to define who you are. I would say always fight, no matter what, fight.”

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Sha'Carri Richardson lashed out at the media in 2022

Sha'Carri Richardson at Day 3 of World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

Sha'Carri Richardson has always taken a firm stand against the media’s inhuman treatment towards athletes. In 2022, when the athlete was going through a career-low, she openly called out the media for their indifferent behavior.

On day 1, when she missed to qualify for the 100m final, Sha'Carri Richardson walked away from the media. Then again, the next day, media specifically asked her comment on her USATF Outdoor Championships experience. Richardson, who was not in the mental state to talk about her defeat, told the media:

“Understand how an athlete operates and then ask your questions. Then be more understanding of the fact that they are still human, no matter just to the fact that y’all are just trying to get something to put out in an article to make a dollar. Thank you.”