Sha’Carri Richardson takes home first major world championship title

Photo via World Athletics. Sha’Carri Richardson runs in the 100m qualifying race at the World Athletics Championships.

Carter High School alum Sha’Carri Richardson took the title of world champion on August 21 after beating five-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and former Olympic gold medalist Shericka Jackson in the finals. Richardson broke both the women’s World Athletic Championship’s record and her personal best for fastest 100m race, running 10.65 seconds.

Richardson initially won first place in a women’s 100 meter heat this past weekend at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Richardson clocked 10.92 seconds, making her the fastest 100m semi-final qualifier at Sunday’s races.

According to the Olympics website, this was Richardson’s World Championships debut. Despite a delay due to a false start in her qualifying race, she was one of three runners to run a sub-11 race on the first day of the competition.

The World Athletics Championships is “one of the most prestigious major international sporting events in the world.” It features world-class track and field athletes with over 1800 of the best athletes in their sport.

According to a video posted by World Athletics, Richardson was seen celebrating with a hand gesture right before she crossed the finish line, knowing she’d locked in a spot in the semi-finals and outran her fellow competitors.

“I’m not worried about the world anymore,” Richardson told CNBC.

Richardson’s performance in the recent race brought out her competitive, fierce nature after her disqualification from the summer Olympics two years ago.

After winning first place in the finals, Richardson told the Olympics, “From the beginning of the journey, I’m honoured, I’m blessed, it was a great competition and brought out the best in myself. I’m not back, I’m better, and I’m going to continue to be better.”

This article was updated from a previous version on Richardson’s qualifying race to include Richardson’s world championship win