The tone had been set as the battle of pace was between the two biggest names in the women’s sprinting right now. The track and field community was split between Sha’Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred. Before entering the Diamond League final in Brussels, the score between them had been standing at 2-2. So it became a prestige fight between the runner-up and the Olympic champion. But at the end of the 100m event in Brussels, Alfred posed in front of the cameras with a sigh of relief, titled champion. Richardson was seen to be walking away at the far side. 

The leaderboard displayed the most flamboyant female athlete of the current time in the 8th position. However, a replay of the race might show her losing much earlier, possibly around the 98-meter mark. An 8th-place finish didn’t align with her stature. A track and field athlete has recently shared his thoughts on this disappointing result.

A problematic finish and omission from the next race open the floodgate 

On September 13, Sha’Carri Richardson came eighth in the women’s 100m event in the Diamond League final. However, because of her slow start, she couldn’t have entered the top 3. But the questions arose on her fading steps after the 50m of the race. The track and field fans alleged that SCR had deliberately done that, feeling the race going out of her hand already. The situation went further south after the 24-year-old athlete bowed out from the 200m event the next day, without leaving any concrete reason. Antics like these have failed to satisfy Noah Williams, hailing from SCR’s alma mater, LSU. In his interaction with Colin Waitzman, the 25-year-old said, “It’s not the first time we’ve seen it. That might be like the fourth.” That felt like a thunderbolt on Richardson. 

Her performance in the women’s 200m final at the US Olympic track and field trials is also worth examining. On June 29, Sha’Carri Richardson was vying for a spot in the 200m Olympic event. The race at Hayward Field saw her in the top 3 midway through. However, in the final 40 meters, the Dallas native dropped her pace and finished in fourth place. According to Noah, performances like these could negatively impact the overall perception of the sport. He believes that her image is influential among budding Black athletes who look up to her, and repeated failures might send the wrong message to them. Additionally, for a fan like Noah Williams, the overall advertisement is “not cool, in any aspect of the race, any aspect of the sport.” But has she shed light on her justification yet? 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s issues see no addressing 

Before the 100m final at the Diamond League, Sha’Carri Richardson was seen in a grueling practice session with Christian Coleman, focusing on refining her start. However, in the actual event, she faltered right after the gun went off, showing little indication of competing for a top 3 finish. This was her slowest performance in the 100m since 2022. The following day, she withdrew from the 200m event, raising further questions about her fitness level.

However, Noah Williams is not ready to entertain such questions. Both he and Colin Waitzman support Noah Lyles’s decision to end his season early, prioritizing his well-being. They believe Sha’Carri Richardson could have made a similar choice. Instead, she continued to compete, winning the 100m event at the Zurich Diamond League against Alfred. Despite her resilience, her abrupt exit from the competition midway sparked debate. What’s your take on this situation?