Sha'Carri Richardson captures 1st world title with victory in stacked 100M race
CBC
In one of the most stacked 100-metre races of all-time, American Sha'Carri Richardson emerged as the world champion.
Richardson, racing in Lane 9, came from behind in the final 10 metres, crossing the finish line in a championship-record time of 10.65 seconds for her first career world title on Monday in Budapest.
"I just felt that I executed an amazing race for myself not even knowing where the other ladies were. I was by myself in my own world which honestly has been like that all my life," she said.
For most of the race there appeared to a Jamaican duel for gold between Shericka Jackson, the reigning 200 world champion, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 22-time world and Olympic medallist entering this meet.
Jackson wound up with silver at 10.72 seconds, while Fraser-Pryce added a bronze to her medal collection at 10.77 seconds.
WATCH | Richardson rolls to 100m gold:
But it was Richardson who snuck up in the outside lane, leaving both Jamaicans stunned.
"When she's in Lane 9, I think that helped her because she's on an island, she's by herself. Now there's no longer this threat of all these bodies around you she really has to be concerned about," said CBC Sports analyst and former world champion Perdita Felicien.
Richardson, 23, was listed as a 5-1 underdog even though she came in as the American champion and bested Jackson the previous two times they met this year.
And she even looked stunned herself, immediately covering her mouth with her hands before celebrating with the American flag draped around her.
"I'm here, I told y'all," she told the track announcer right after the race. "I'm not back, I'm better."
WATCH l Rob Pizzo, Perdita Felicien break women's 100m race down in Day 3 recap:
It's been a twisting journey to the top of the podium for Richardson, who was famously suspended for the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana, which she said she took in order to cope with the death of her mother and the pressure of Olympic qualification. A year later, she missed out on qualifying for worlds at home in Eugene, Ore.
The stakes were set about an hour before the final, when the Ivory Coast's Marie-Josée Ta Lou, Richardson and Jackson produced the fastest heat ever in the semifinals.
