Sha’Carri Richardson Drops Out Of Prefontaine Classic

Sha’Carri Richardson’s return to the track was a little short of triumphant.

On Saturday (August 21), the sprinter, off of her suspension from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for smoking marijuana, finished in 9th out of nine runners in the 100-meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Her time of 11.14 seconds was far behind winner Elaine Thompson-Herah, the Olympic gold medalist from Jamaica, who clocked a 10.54 – the second-fastest women’s time in history, according to ESPN.

Richardson, 21, told NBC after the race that she was satisfied with her performance being that she’s been away from the sport for a month. 

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“It was a great return back to the sport,” she said during the interview. “I wanted to be able to come and perform having a month off. … Not upset at myself at all.

Richardson continued: “This is one race. I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of. Count me out if you want to. Talk all the s**t you want. Because I’m here to stay. I’m not done. I’m the sixth fastest woman in this game ever. Can’t nobody ever take that from me. Congratulations to the winners. Congratulations to the people that won, but they’re not done seeing me yet. Period.”

After her last place finish, Richardson reportedly withdrew from running the 200-meter. That race was won by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland.

Thompson-Herah’s time was second only to Florence Griffith-Joyner’s record of 10.49 seconds set in 1988. Three Jamaicans filled out the top 3 spots in Saturday’s 100-meter. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished second (10.73) and Shericka Jackson placed third (10.76).