Moments after she was introduced on the starting line, Sha’Carri Richardson reached to her head, pulled her trademark orange wig off and flung it onto the ground behind her.
Then, she took the next step on the long road to proving she’s the real deal.
America’s most colorful sprint star won the 100-meter title in 10.82 seconds at the U.S. championships on Friday night, marking a high point that comes two years after her national title was stripped because of a doping violation.
After her victory, she conceded in a TV interview that she wasn’t ready for the moment at the 2021 Olympic Trials, where, shortly after her victory, she tested positive for using marijuana.
“Now, I stand here with you again and I’m ready, mentally, physically and emotionally,” said the 23-year-old, who ran in her natural black braids with a star shaved into the right side of her hairdo. “I’m here to say, ‘I’m not back, I’m better … .’”
She’ll have a chance to put a stamp on that next month at world championships, which will mark her first major international meet. Earning America’s second and third spots in the event were Brittany Brown (10.90) and Tamari Davis (10.99).
