This accomplishment comes three years after missing the Tokyo Games owing to a positive drug test. It’s still unclear how that happened to her.
Richardson was held to high standards, as one might assume. However, there was no gold medal in the 100 meters. Instead, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred earned first place with a time of 10.72 seconds.
Get this: the “W” gave Alfred’s island nation its first Olympic gold.
Let that sink in. It was their first Olympic medal ever. Wow. Flowers for Julien. All the flowers.
But, slow down, Richardson finished second in 10.87 seconds, despite a sluggish start that left her behind early in the race. Listen, this occurs.
Following the unexpected race, Richardson spoke briefly with a reporter who mispronounced her name, correcting him with, “It’s Sha’Carri.” Could you blame her?
Richardson, one of the star performers during the Paris Olympics, was under a lot of strain. Some might argue that pressure is rarely encountered by any athlete other than Simone Biles or LeBron James, despite the fact that the latter is the NBA’s oldest player.
When you combine nonstop media coverage and significant endorsements from corporations such as Nike and Sprite, Richardson essentially has the world on her shoulders.
Richardson’s path to the Olympics, pun intended, has been difficult. She has had both highs and lows, from being one of the fastest women in the world to being suspended and criticized. It’s too big for anyone to bear, let alone a major athlete like Richardson.
After her ban, she returned to racing in August 2021, finishing last in a race that included several of the ladies she would have faced in Tokyo. Despite the challenges, Richardson remained defiant, saying, “Count me out if you want. Talk all you want. Because I am here to stay. I’m not finished. I’m the sixth fastest lady in this game’s history. “Nobody can ever take that away from me.”
Sha’Carri Richardson’s story is far from over. But perhaps the true tale is that Julien Alfred’s journey is just beginning.
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