Sha'Carri Richardson maintains optimism despite finishing last in return to track
EUGENE, Oregon - Former LSU track and field sprinter, Sha'carri Richardson came in last place at Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
According to ESPN, the 21-year-old Dallas native competed alongside eight other runners in the 100 meters and then withdrew from the 200 meters.
Richardson's time in the 100 was 11.14 seconds.
This was a far cry from the fastest recorded time she clocked during a 100-meter dash; it was at the 2021 Miramar Invitational that Richardson ran the 100 meter in 10.72 seconds.
But during Saturday's race at The University of Oregon, Jamaican Olympian Elaine Thompson-Herah won with a time of 10.54 seconds.
Fellow Jamaicans, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson finished second and third, respectively.
Richardson came in ninth place but maintained a positive attitude.
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In a post-race interview with reporters, she made it clear that she wasn't "done." Reiterating that this was only one race, Richardson said a single race doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
2021 has been a tough year for the athlete. Her biological mother passed away in June, and though Richardson became a gold-medal hopeful by performing well during the Olympic trials, she tested positive for marijuana after the event, which resulted in the erasure of her victory and a 30-day ban that nixed her Olympic dreams.
Despite these challenges, Richardson appears to be doing her best to remain optimistic about her future in the track and field arena.
Such a positive outlook may be very realistic, as Richardson is reportedly the sixth-fastest woman in track and field history.