Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson appears to regain both her speed and her swagger with her sights set on the US national championship.
If he does well this week at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, he’ll earn a ticket to the world outdoor championships, the sport’s highest-profile event outside of the Olympics. Richardson missed the Tokyo Games after failing a drug test positive for marijuana.
Known for her flashy outfits, nail extensions, and ever-changing hair colors, Richardson is certainly not lacking in confidence.
“Don’t let the media, don’t let the people, don’t let a company try to stop you from shining, because you shine,” Richardson said as fans chanted his name at a recent race in New York. “We are the light”.
Richardson is entered in both the 100 and 200 meters at the national championships that begin Thursday in an Oregon town known as “Track Town” for being the capital of American track and field. If she places in the top three in those events, she’ll move on to Worlds next month, also at Hayward Field.
Richardson attracted attention last summer when he won the 100 meters in the Olympic qualifying event. But he lost the ticket after he tested positive shortly after the race.
He received a 30-day suspension that ruled him out of the Tokyo event and was also left out of the US team for the relay, although his suspension had been completed by the time of the 4×100 race.
He acknowledged the mistake in an interview with the “Today” show after his suspension. He said that he used marijuana as a way to cope with the recent death of his mother. But on Twitter this week he lamented the interview.
“I wish I had never done this. I wish I had the choice when it came time to tell my story,” she stated.
Weeks after missing the Olympics, Richardson finished last in the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic. She faced criticism after that August race, with recriminations that she was all talk and no substance.
At the New York Grand Prix this month, Richardson won the 200 meters in 22.38 seconds and finished second in the 100 meters in 10.85 seconds, the best time of the season. And she did it in style, with an exclusive red suit and with jewelry on her face.