On Monday (Aug. 21), Sha’Carri Richardson won the women’s 100-meter race at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest.
She started on the unfavorable outside lane and finished with a winning time of 10.65 seconds, NPR noted. The athlete beat two of the fastest sprinters in the world, Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, to win the race.
After two years, the win propelled Richardson back into the women’s track elite ranks, solidifying her comeback to the sport.
Following her huge victory, the athlete’s advice was to never give up and never allow the media or outsiders to define you. “Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself and your fate to define who you are. I would say always fight. No matter what. Fight,” Richardson said, according to the outlet.
The Dallas, Texas native was set to join the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, but she was suspended for a month by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for marijuana. Therefore, she was unable to compete in the event. The young hopeful noted that she indulged in the drug in Oregon, where marijuana is legal, after learning of her mother’s passing.
While she accepted her suspension, there was a debate over the fairness of the rule, which even President Joe Biden joined. Ultimately, the chief of state agreed that rules are rules, and everyone knew the expectations going into the event. He also added that whether it should remain a rule is another issue.
Richardson spent two years struggling with track and field, finishing last in the 100-meter run at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic and failing to make the world team last year. She admitted at the LA Grand Prix in May that she went through a tough time in the sport, adding that she was standing in her own way.
After her win on Monday, the young star repeated her year-long message, “I’m not back. I’m better.”
“I am so happy for Sha’Carri; her redemption story gonna be AMAZING,” comedian KevOnStage said, echoing fans’ overall sentiment. Peep a few more reactions to her big win below.