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Sha'Carri Richardson qualifies for Paris Olympics in 100-meter, runs fastest time in 2024

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton•06/22/24•

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sha'carri richardson olympics
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sha’Carri Richardson finally is going to the Olympics as the fastest woman in the United States. And she earned the spot with flair, running the top time in the world this season.

Richardson, the defending world champion, ran a 10.71 to take first place at the Olympic Trials.

“I feel honored,” Richardson told NBC. “I feel every chapter I’ve been through in my life prepared me for this moment.”

Richardson has chance to be one of brightest stars at Olympics

Richardson is being billed as one of the biggest stars of the Olympics, which start next month in Paris. However, she needed to make the team to step into and embrace that role. This time three years ago, she won the Trials, enchanting fans with her personality and style. But she saw that opportunity disappear when she tested positive for marijuana. She was suspended for four weeks. The suspension included the track competition at the Tokyo Olympics.

She pulled herself up from that devastating mistake and won last year’s world title. Now, with the time she ran Saturday, she should be considered the favorite to take gold over the Jamaican women.

sha'carri richardsom olympics trials celebrate
The top three finishers in the 100 meters celebrate going to Paris for the Olympucs. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Melissa Jefferson (10.8) and  Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry (10.89) finished second and third to take the other spots for the 100 meters. Richardson trains with Jefferson and Terry under the guidance of coach Dennis Mitchell.

Richardson will try for a second spot on the Olympics team when she goes for victory in the 200 meters. She won the bronze medal at last year’s world championship. Richardson also will be on the U.S. relay team. So Paris definitely could be golden for the former star from LSU.

Minutes after Richardson sprinted to the win Saturday, she climbed the stairs at Hayward Field to celebrate with her family. She was emotional as she embraced her grandmother, Betty, who raised her in Dallas. The two shared a long hug.

Richardson’s portion of the Olympics starts Aug. 2. Her main competition should come from the Jamaican women. However, those sprinters, who usually dominate, haven’t been strong in meets this year.

Gail Devers was the last American woman to win Olympic gold in the 100. She did so in 1992 and 1996.