Prefontaine Classic: US track and field star Sha'Carri Richardson returns after drug-ban

Sha’Carri Richardson feels her drug ban after getting tested positive for cannabis at trials for Tokyo Olympics 2020 has shifted attention of a lot of people to track and field athletics events.

She is all set to compete with Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah (2021 and 2016 Olympic champion at 100 and 200 metres), USA’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2008 and 2012 Olympic 100m gold medalist), Sherica Jackson (100m Tokyo Olympic Bronze medalist) from Jamaica and Texan Sha’Carri Richardson ( U.S. Olympic 100m Trials winner), in a high-proximity race during  Prefontaine Classic 100 metres at Hayward Field, United States. 21-year-old athlete returns to track after being out of favour due to her suspension.

“I don’t want to be next Florence Joyner, I want to be first Sha’Carri” - Sha'Carri Richardson

In a press conference on eve of event, Richardson said,

"I'm g for positives I’ve brought to sport, attention I was able to bring to sport, wher it was negative or positive, for simple fact that people are w watching a lot of track and field athletes. We wish we h more attention. We wish people paid more attention.”

She dismissed comparisons drawn between her and 1988 Olympic 100 and 200-metre champion, Florence Griffith-Joyner by saying, “I don’t want to be next FloJo, I want to be first Sha’Carri”.

Richardson tested positive for Carboxy-THC as a sample collected in trials for Tokyo Olympics 2020 and was suspended for a period of 30 days. suspension handed to her kept her out of contention for Olympics. However, she was left out of USA team for Olympics 4x100m race despite her suspension ending before event. Her suspension sparked off a global debate as to why marijuana still remains a banned drug.

Born in 2000 in Dallas, Texas, Richardson captured all eyes in 2019 as a freshman at Louisiana State University after her recording-breaking performance that saw her clock 10.75s in 100m at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships.

With this feat, she became one of ten fastest women in history, at of just 19. She went on to become sixth fastest woman of all time and fourth-fastest American woman in history after setting a personal best of 10.72s in 100m in April 2021.

(Im Source: carririchardson_ - Instagram)