Sha’Carri Richardson storms to 100m gold in stunning redemption tale
Ever since Usain Bolt’s retirement, track and field has been desperate for a way to reenter the sporting mainstream. Over 10.65 extraordinary seconds it finally hit the jackpot. It came in the form of the 23-year-old Sha’Carri Richardson, the most flamboyant, brilliant and controversial talent the sport has seen for years, who powered home from lane nine to win a thrilling first 100m world title.
No one has ever disputed the American’s talent – or star power given she has 2.4 million Instagram followers. Two years ago she was one of the favourites for the Tokyo Olympics, only for her dreams to go up in smoke when she tested positive for marijuana at the US trials following the death of her mother. First she missed the Games. Then, for most of 2022, she went missing.
Earlier in the season Richardson, who sports a dragon tattoo on her shoulder, had hinted at a return to form by running the second fastest time of the year. However an atrocious start in the semi-final meant she started the final in lane nine, away from the two Jamaican favourites, Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the centre of the track.
Yet on a night of suffocating heat and impossible drama, it not only took the pressure off Richardson, but it allowed to creep on her rivals as if by stealth before delivering the coup de grace.
Deep into the race it appeared that it would be a Jamaican battle for gold, only for Richardson to speed home like a bullet train to beat Jackson, who ran 10.72sec into silver, and Fraser-Pryce, who claimed bronze in 10.77.
Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who came into the final with hopes of a medal, could only come eighth in 11.00sec. “I’m almost in disbelief,” she said. “I know I’m in great shape.”
Earlier Britain’s other 100m hope, Daryll Neita, failed to make it through after running 11.03sec. “I take full accountability of my performance. It is not the end of me. You know what I am like, I will be back.”
There was also disappointment for Britain’s Olympic pole vault bronze medallist, Holly Bradshaw, who broke down in tears after failing to qualify for the final due to a stomach bug that had stopped her eating properly for the best part of four days.
Bradshaw has struggled with injury and bad luck for the past two seasons, but believed she was heading into form. However while Britain’s Molly Caudery made it into Wedneday’s final with a clearance of 4.65m, Bradshaw is out after only making it over 4.35m.
“I’m really gutted and heartbroken,” she said. “I felt really good coming into this. I had some good sessions out in Slovakia but I picked some stomach bug on Thursday and was basically being sick the whole night. That’s quite unusual for me. I have not really been able to eat much since. I have not trained because I have been trying conserve my energy and yeah, I felt awful.
“I am not a sick person. If I get sick, it’s because of colds not throwing up. It really whacked me. I think it’s something I ate. I am not sure. We don’t really know. It is very like brutal, being sick for about 10 hours, quite aggressive. I don’t know. I just never got my strength back. I felt awful out there. I tried my best. You can’t compete against the best in the world when you are not fully firing.”
The 31-year-old, who also injured her back and hamstring at last year’s world championships, also cast doubt on her future, adding: “I don’t know how many more blows and setbacks I can keep taking. It’s been literally two years of injuries, a freak accident at the world championships last year and I feel like I have been unlucky to have got a bug four days ago and literally not really eaten since.
“My mental health is really suffering from doing this sport right now. At the moment, I don’t want to compete or think about the pole vault or do anything.”
Meanwhile the favourite for the women’s 400m hurdles, Femke Bol, showed no ill effects from a spectacular tumble on Saturday to qualify fastest for the semi-finals. The British athlete Jessie Knight was also happy after winning her heat in 54.27.