Sha’Carri Richardson’s difficulties began in the spring, when she opened her season in Tokyo at the Golden Grand Prix on May 18. Running her first 100 meters of the year, she faded to fourth in 11.47 seconds. The reigning world champion has spent most of 2025 fighting to rediscover her footing, disrupted first by an undisclosed injury in February, then by a controversial arrest at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in late July. Yet, with the World Championships now less than three weeks away, she has signaled that her focus is firmly on Tokyo.

The recovery from Richardson’s injury was still visible in her stride at the Golden Grand Prix, and she never established rhythm out of the blocks. But while in early July, she revealed that it had “completely set me back,” a confession that contextualized her ninth-place finish (her season-best 11.19) at the Prefontaine Classic, her August 22 performance at Brussels probably boosted her confidence. And now, the reigning 100m World Champ is looking forward to the D-day already.

Sha’Carri Richardson posted an Instagram story with the message, “SEE YALL SEPT 13 😘,” a direct reference to the opening day of the World Championships in Tokyo. So, as the hype goes crazy, shall we have a quick recap of her season so far and what led to the recent update? 

From slow starts to missed finals, her campaign has been defined as much by absence as by competition. For Richardson, the strain of summer deepened at the U.S. Championships in early August. She withdrew from the 100m semifinals shortly after news of her arrest broke, even after opening the rounds with an 11.07. She initially pulled back from the 200m as well, later reversing that decision, only to miss the final by the narrowest of margins—0.01 seconds. A week later, she managed 11.05 for sixth at the Silesia Diamond League, her best time of the year, but the race was dominated by her training partner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who stormed to a 10.66 world lead.

That context set the stage for Brussels. Drawn in lane six of a distinguished 100m field, Richardson ran her most composed race of 2025. Jefferson-Wooden again commanded the event, though, winning in 10.76, but Richardson held together strongly in the final meters to claim second in 11.08. Daryll Neita followed in 11.15, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce fourth in 11.17. For Richardson, it was the first time she had climbed onto a podium since Zurich last September, and her relief was visible as she pointed to the sky and released a long breath. And now, her Instagram story says it all.

Although Sha’Carri was soundly beaten by Jefferson-Wooden, the performance marked progress. In her five races this season, Richardson has moved from 11.47 in Tokyo to 11.08 in Brussels, a gradual tightening of execution. For comparison, Jefferson-Wooden’s 0.32-second margin underscored the gap between the two training partners. But we cannot ignore that Richardson did edge Fraser-Pryce, an eight-time world champion whose presence has often framed her career.

The Brussels podium may not have placed Sha’Carri Richardson at the summit, but it offered something essential. The confirmation that she remains a contender as championship week approaches. 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s 200m hopes faded, but her 100m world title defense awaits

Sha’Carri Richardson’s campaign at the U.S. championships closed with disappointment on Sunday as she fell just outside the qualifying line in the 200 meters. Entering her first appearance at the distance this year, she finished fourth in her semifinal heat at 22.56 seconds. That was a fraction slower than Madison Whyte, who advanced on time in 22.55. The difference, measured in hundredths, determined that Richardson’s season in the 200 ended before the final.

Her absence from the title race in this event carries particular weight because she earned a bronze medal in the 200 at the 2023 world championships in Budapest. That medal had signaled her growing range beyond her trademark sprint. Yet, this year’s attempt did not extend past the national meet. The narrow margin underscored the precarious state of her form after a week defined by disruption and uncertainty, leaving the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the 100 to watch others continue at this distance.

Still, Richardson will step onto the world stage next month in Tokyo. As the defending world champion in the 100 meters, she holds an automatic place on the American team. That safeguard ensures her presence in the event where her reputation remains most formidable, even as her 200-meter campaign falters. For a season that has tested her both publicly and privately, that exemption allows her to reset without the weight of additional trials.

For a runner whose last two seasons have been marked by both podium triumphs and unexpected setbacks, the contrast is striking: One door firmly closed, another still wide open, with her primary event waiting for her to defend the crown Sha’Carri Richardson claimed in Budapest.