Sha’Carri Richardson: From Tragedy to Triumph – The Inspiring Journey of the World Champion Sprinter

2023-08-22 14:23:06

The US trials for the 2022 Tokyo Olympics take place in 2021. A few days before it started, a local journalist who met US athlete Shakeri Richardson told them something: Shakeri’s biological mother had passed away. ‘I was shocked to hear that from a complete stranger. I don’t have a problem with him, it’s his job. But it made me very anxious and afraid. I’m not trying to justify this or say I want any concessions. But for someone who was at such a stage in life, hearing such a thing, and remembering dealing with my mother’s relationship, the news of her death was such a shock. “I was very sad and hurt,” the 22-year-old said, admitting her mistake.

Richardson’s reaction following winning the World Athletics Championships (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

∙ Mother died, Olympics ahead; What was that mistake?

What was that mistake? Richardson smoked marijuana to overcome the grief of the death of his mother, who abandoned him at a young age, and the trials and the pressures of the Olympics that followed. They were in the US state of Oregon. Cannabis was legal there. Richardson participated in the trials and qualified for the Olympics. But she tested positive for doping following that. Cannabis was the cheat. So the US Anti-Doping Agency imposed a one-month ban on him. Virtually unable to compete in the Olympics. Why ban marijuana? “Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not,” said Michael Johnson, one of the all-time greats in athletics. President Joe Biden, members of the US Congress and others have also come out once morest the ban. Then the World Anti-Doping Agency responded that the matter of banning marijuana might be re-examined. But marijuana use is also on the banned list for athletes.

The world’s seventh-fastest runner has been ruled out of the 2022 Tokyo Olympics. But a year later, she became the sixth fastest female runner in the world. Richardson clocked 10.65 seconds at the World Championships in Budapest, setting his personal best time and the sixth best time in the world to win gold. Jamaica’s Sherica Jackson and Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce, who can be described as world number one in athletics, finished in 10.72 and 10.77 respectively. After finishing the race and seeing the time displayed on the screen, seeing Richardson run the race with the American flag draped over him, it was evident that he was running away from anything.

Winners of the World Athletics Championships. From left – Shelly-Anne Fraser-Price, Shakeri Richardson, Sherika Jackson (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

∙ 24 lakh followers on Insta; ‘Fashion Icon’

Why is this 23-year-old so beloved by the world? There is no shortage of controversies in Richardson’s life. 24 lakh people follow her on Instagram. Richardson’s life was full of hardships. His grandmother and cousin told him when he was a child that his mother had left them all, but they would never leave Richardson. That was all Richardson knew regarding his mother. Grandma and family were everything to Richardson. Richardson had no other kind of knowledge of such a person until she learned of her mother’s death shortly before the Olympic trials.

Richardson cites Florence Griffith Joyner, the fastest woman in the world, who ran the 100 meters in 10.54 seconds, as her biggest inspiration. Even following retiring from the sport, Joyner remained a fixture in American society and a fashion icon until her death at the age of 38.

Shakeri Richardson participating in the 2020 US Trials (Photo by Patrick Smith / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP)

At one time Richardson’s trademark was fiery blond hair. Later the colors of the wig changed, including green, blue and white. Richardson is a celebration with a dragon tattoo on his neck, extended fingernails and long eyelashes. After winning the trials, the world media wrote, “Here comes the new ‘crush’ of the Tokyo Olympics.” But following that race, Richardson said, hugging his grandmother and saying: “I’m glad you all saw me on the track today. But only my family and my coach know how I go through each day. If it wasn’t for my grandmother, Shakeri Richardson wouldn’t have existed’.

A scene from the 2023 World Athletics Championships (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

∙ Life on the run

But this time, instead of her trademark blond hair, Richardson tracked down her black hair in a braided ponytail and full fringes. The world’s greatest athletes are on the track. In midfield, though, Sherika Johnson and Fraser-Pryce. Richardson on the ninth track. A poor semi-final performance of 10.84 seconds got him there; It can also be said that he barely reached the final with third place. Sherika and Fraser-Pryce on tracks four and five. When Richardson started running on the most extreme track, filled with the heat and excitement of competition, without the proximity of his world-renowned rivals, no one seemed to command great odds. But Richardson’s ‘reaction time’ (0.163) in the final was better than in the semis (0.222 seconds). But Sherika and Fraser-Pryce have proven in the past that they can come from behind and finish even if the start is slightly off. Up until the first 80m, it was a matter of either of them finishing first. But Richardson didn’t give up. Richardson won the gold, beating Sherica by a ninth of a second.

But Richardson didn’t come to fame all at once. At the age of 19, she set a legendary 42-year-old junior world record by running 100 meters in 10.75 seconds in college. This time Richardson has broken another monopoly. For the last six years, Jamaica has won the event. That is what America has captured through Richardson.

Shakeri Richardson celebrates following winning gold in the 100m at the World Athletics Championships (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)

∙ Hold him tight

After the Tokyo Olympics, Richardson was unable to participate in last year’s World Athletics Championships. The problem was not qualifying for the US Championships. But 2023 was for Richardson’s comeback. She clocked 10.76 seconds in Doha in May. Gold at the US Championships in July this year with 10.82 seconds. Now in the world championship, the champions have been neutralized and gold.

‘Make sure you never lose yourself no matter what happens. Sometimes you will have a good time, sometimes it will be bad. Sometimes it’s a very good time to wait, and sometimes it’s a very bad time. But what matters is that we are alive to see tomorrow. The sun doesn’t shine every day, that’s why I love tomorrow’, says Richardson, who has revealed that depression has often brought him down. With 24 lakh followers on Instagram, Richardson has as many haters as there are fans. But they say that it will not touch them. Richardson has made it clear that he does not live by what the media or social media say, and has also revealed that he has a girlfriend. She also speaks for the LGBTQ community.

English Summary: Who is Sha’Carri Richardson? The New World Champion in the Women’s 100 Metre at the World Athletic Championship?

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