Jacious Sears, Who Threatened Sha’Carri Richardson’s Iconic Record, Had Already Defeated the Track and Field Queen

A fresh face has emerged in athletics. She has captivated audiences with her remarkable talent. Jacious Sears, a senior at the University of Tennessee, has made waves with her recent performance at the Tom Jones Invitational, where she came tantalizingly close to breaking Sha’Carri Richardson’s Collegiate Record in the women’s 100m event. Sears’ lightning-fast time of 10.77 seconds (1.6m/s) secured her a resounding victory. It seems she will be a threat to Sha’Carri Richardson at the Paris Olympics.

Despite Sears’s impressive performance, Sears remains focused on her goals, expressing her aspirations to break the world’s fastest women’s record. Could she be alluding to Sha’Carri Richardson‘s record? Indeed, it appears so. Given Sears’s past accomplishments, it’s not far-fetched to speculate that Sears has already surpassed Richardson’s achievements.

Jacious Sears outpaces Sha’Carri Richardson’s record

Notably, Sears’s time now stands as the second-fastest in NCAA history. With Georgia’s Kaila Jackson trailing behind in second place at 11.10s, narrowly edging out Texas Tech’s Rosemary Chukwuma, who finished third with a time of 11.12s. Sears’s remarkable achievement not only marks an outstanding season opener but also secures her a world-leading position, placing her second on the all-time collegiate list, just behind Richardson’s 10.75s record set in 2019.

However, earlier this year, Jacious Sears showcased her sprinting prowess by clinching victory in the 60-meter dash at the Ted Nelson Invitational. Sears delivered an impressive performance, clocking in at 7.10 seconds in the finals, securing the top spot in the NCAA rankings for the season.

In contrast, Sha’Carri Richardson achieved her best time of 10.72 seconds in the 60m in April 2021. However, it seems that Jacious Sears has already broken Richardson’s record. What if we were to speak it into existence that they have already competed against each other once?

Richardson vs. Sears, who took the crown?

At the 2023 Miramar Invitational, Sha’Carri Richardson pulled off an incredible feat in just 10.57 seconds. But her journey to victory didn’t start there. She kicked things off by smashing her personal best in the heats with a lightning-fast 10.71 seconds, setting the stage for her dominance. In the semifinals, she continued her impressive run, crossing the finish line in 10.75 seconds, leaving her competitors in the dust.

Joining Richardson in the showdown were formidable contenders. Tamari Davis delivered a noteworthy performance in the second semifinal, breaking the 11-second barrier with a swift time of 10.96 seconds, closely followed by Tamara Clark at 10.98 seconds. Twanisha Terry secured her spot in the final with a respectable time of 11.07 seconds.

Among the finalists stand Brittany Brown and defending national champion Melissa Jefferson completed with times of 11.00 and 11.08 seconds, respectively. Noteworthy mentions include the impressive performances of Jacious Sears and high school standout Mia Brahe-Pedersen, both earning their places in the final with times of 11.08 and 11.09 seconds, respectively. But in the end, it was Sha’Carri Richardson only who took the victory home.