American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, whose Tokyo Olympic dreams were dashed after a positive marijuana test, won the world title Monday in Hungary, loudly asserting her status as a Paris 2024 medal contender.
The 23-year-old gobbled up 100 meters in a blazing, personal-best 10.65 seconds at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, at the National Athletics Centre, in Budapest.
Richardson’s win was a stunning upset of dominant Jamaican sprinters Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who finished second and third, respectively.
It was also the first women’s 100-meter world championship by an American since 2017, when Tori Bowie accomplished that feat.
Her appearance in the 100-meter final was also a dramatic accomplishment as she finished third in her semifinal heat, failing to grab one of two automatic spots to compete for the title.
Richardson broke slowly out of the blocks and veered slightly to the right in opening steps, costing herself time. But she closed well, and her 10.84 in the semis was the best of anyone not in the top two, earning her a spot in the final.
In 2021, Richardson had appeared to punch her ticket to the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games after winning the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
But she was suspended and missed Tokyo after testing positive for THC, the chemical in cannabis.
The sprinter accepted responsibility for her actions while explaining she took the drug to cope with the stress of her mother’s sudden death.
Even before her win Monday, she wa considered a favorite to take an Olympics spot for Paris as she won the U.S. 100-meter title last month.
Nick Zaccardi contributed.