Sha’Carri Richardson to Compete in First Race After Suspension From Tokyo Olympics 2020

Published 07/13/2021, 10:10 AM EDT

Sha’Carri Richardson was not allowed to race at the Tokyo Olympics this year due to a controversial one-month suspension following a positive marijuana test after the Olympic trials. Placing first in the 100m race, she was ousted out of the event and her performance was disqualified.

However, she assured fans she was not done at all and is ready to walk the walk now. Recently, it was announced that Sha’Carri Richardson would be taking part in the Diamond League’s Prefontaine Classic which will be held at the University of Oregon on August 21.

Richardson will participate in the 100m and 200m sprint events and will aim to redeem herself and continue the momentum where she left off. This will also be her first competitive endeavor after the one-month ban, which resulted in her missing out on Tokyo entirely.

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The event is sponsored by Nike, which took the decision to continue working with Sha’Carri Richardson despite the ban. It sided with the popular opinion towards the issue and has organized this meet as a sort of proving ground for her.

It's official!@itskerrii will run the 100m-200m double at #PreClassic in August!
“I’m looking forward to running fast and putting on a show."
📰https://t.co/SExvoTKm17
📸 @matthewquine #DiamondLeague | #EugeneDL pic.twitter.com/vGzjM0GoA4
— Prefontaine Classic (@nikepreclassic) July 12, 2021

Other Olympic medallists will also probably feature on the race track, and the event will show spectators how Richardson would have faired alongside them. “I’m looking forward to running fast and putting on a show,” Richardson said.

Sha’Carri Richardson was USA’s biggest hope at winning 100m Gold

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The athlete finished at 10.86 seconds in the 100m race at the Olympic trials held at Hayward Field Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. She immediately became a favorite for the Olympic gold in the event. This was the first time Team USA had a real chance at winning the 200m sprint since 1996.

Fans likened Richardson to legendary sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, or FloJo, due to the similarities in appearance and now, speed. She already had a huge backing after the victory and the only hope the USA had of finally dethroning Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Jamaican dominance in the races.

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While 100m is her strong suit, Sha’Carri Richardson will also compete in the 200m race to determine just how she would fair against the other Olympians. Needless to say, the pressure to win this race is on her shoulders and this will be her statement to the critics.

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Luke Dias is a senior WWE and AEW author at EssentiallySports, having published more than 1000 articles on professional wrestling. Having completed courses in Advanced Writing from the University of California and Media and Ethics from the University of Amsterdam, Luke is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Xavier’s College. His tremendous knowledge of WWE history enables him to make past connections, adding depth to the articles.