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Sha'Carri Richardson has claimed that she is better than the sprinter she was in 2021 when an unfortunate mistake led her to be disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics. The world champion has shown good form this season and is now ready to battle for redemption, first at Hayward Field, and then in the main event at Paris.
Richardson rose to prominence after breaking the 100m collegiate record at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The former LSU sprinter had clocked 10.75s for the collegiate record, which she still holds. Pitted as a favorite for the gold medal leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, Richardson did stand up to the expectations, making it to the USA Team for 100 in a blistering 10.86s at the 2021 Olympic Team Trials.
While Richardson was still celebrating her success, news came out that the American had tested positive for THC, a chemical in Cannabis. The 24-year-old did admit to the use, claiming that she took the prohibited substance to cope with her mother's death.
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Three years later, Sha'Carri Richardson is a 100m world champion and the sixth fastest woman ever. She is a favorite for the Olympic gold again and confident about her chances.
Richardson told NBC:
"I'm better, I'm stronger and I'm wiser. I just knew that I was in a different position that I've never been in my entire life."
When asked what it would mean for her to make it to the Paris Olympics 2024, the 24-year-old claimed:
"What would it mean to make it to Paris? Just literally all the training, all of the support, all of the naysayers, it pays off," Richardson said. "It pays off in that moment when you realize when you made that Olympic team."
Sha'Carri Richardson started preparations for Paris Olympics 2024 last year in November
Sha'Carri Richardson didn't feature in any of the indoor events in 2024. She was slated to kick off her season at the Miramar Invitational, but delayed the opener to Xiamen Diamond League.
Richardson suffered back-to-back losses, first in Xiamen, and a week later at the Shanghai Diamond League. However, when she opened up the 100m, her premier event, the world champion looked an entirely different self.
Speaking with USA Today after winning the Prefontaine Classic in 10.83s, Richardson claimed that she has been preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024 since November.
"We’ve been preparing for the (Olympic) trials since November," she said. "(We’re) continuing to keep that focus, keep that love and keep that positive mindset, knowing that my growth is going (to continue) into the trials and even more going into the Games."
