Sha'Carri Richardson Advances in Women’s 100 Meters, Looking to Strike Gold in Paris

Sha'carri Richardson of Team United States of America competes during the Women's 100m Round 1 - Heat 1 on day seven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France in Paris on August 2, 2024. Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Sha'Carri Richardson is on her way to redemption.

The U.S. sprinter advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 100 meters at Stade de France on Friday, making her Olympic debut with an impressive time of 10.94 seconds.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Richardson failed a drug test for marijuana, leading to a suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency that kept her from competing in the 100-meter event. Now, she is the favorite to medal at this summer’s Olympics in Paris and is off to a good start.

The 100-meter semifinals are set for Saturday at 1:50 p.m. ET.

“When everyone walks away from the Paris Olympics, including Sha‘Carri Richardson, I will be saying and the [rest of] the world will be saying that Sha’Carri Richardson put her best self and her real self in front of the world,” Richardson said before the start of the Paris Games.

After her suspension and missing the Tokyo Games, Richardson struggled on her return to the track. She finished ninth in the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Shen then failed to qualify for the U.S. team for the 2022 World Championships.

She has taken full responsibility for her suspension and is determined to put the challenge behind her. She also revealed that her biological mother died shortly before the trials and that she used marijuana to deal with the challenging situation.

“I apologize,” Richardson told NBC’s The Today Show in July 2021. “As much as I’m disappointed, I know that when I step on the track, I don’t represent myself. I represent a community that has shown me great support, great love and I failed you all. So I apologize for the fact that I didn’t know how to control my emotions or deal with my emotions.

“I greatly apologize if I let you guys down, and I did.”

However, Richardson, 24, got back on track last year.

She qualified for the 2023 World Championships and was one of the best runners. Richardson won gold in the 100 meters with a time of 10.65 seconds, becoming the first American to win that event in six years. She won another gold medal with the U.S. 4 x 100 relay team in those World Championships.

“I feel like I earned the respect for myself,” Richardson said after the race. “That’s the biggest thing for me, not just the world, but for Sha'Carri Richardson, I put that respect for me. I’ve been downplaying myself for so long, and this entire season, I know I belong. I know I deserve to be here.”

Richardson also had success leading up to the Games in Paris. She won the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic on May 25. Following that, she finished first in the 100 with a time of 10.71 seconds at the 2024 U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, in late June.

Now, Richardson is looking to leave a lasting legacy with a solid performance in this summer’s Olympics.

“I feel honored,” Richardson said in an interview with NBC after the 100 final. “I feel every chapter I’ve been through in my life prepared me for this moment, to stand next to these amazing women that I’m standing here with, that I have the pleasure of training with. It’s a full-circle moment, but I’m very appreciative.”