American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is seen in the news quite often. If not for her athletic endeavors, she is in the news for her rivalry with Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. If not for her nails, she is in the news for being banned due to substance abuse.

But the question that remains is, based on past performances, is she the fastest woman in the world right now? Well, the short answer is no, but the long answer? Let’s find out.

Sha’Carri Richardson in recent years

As a teenager, Richardson won her first 100m championship at the AAU Junior Olympics in the year 2016. Then, in 2017, she won her second title at the USATF Junior Championships. In the same year, she made her international debut at the Pan-American U-20 Athletics Championship. Sha’Carri won the gold in the 4x100m relay in the event. Competing as a college athlete, she reached the finals in the 60m dash, and the 200m sprint in the 2019 NCAA Div 1 Indoor Track and Field Championship.

During this event, Richardson won the 100m event and placed second in the 200m event by a margin of less than one-hundredth of a second. Both her times ended up being the world U-20 records.

In 2021, Sha’Carri became the sixth fastest woman of all time in the 100m category. During the Miramar Invitational Event, she clocked a time of 10.72seconds to achieve the feat.

Richardson qualified for the 100m event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a time of 10.86seconds. Her time was 0.13seconds faster than Olympic silver medalist, Javianne Oliver. However, it was not meant to be as a urine sample given by Sha’Carri tested positive for substance abuse and was given a one-month ban.

In her return race in 2021 during the Prefontaine Classic, she placed ninth(last) in the 100m category as the Jamaican swept the podium. The trio of Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson took the first three positions respectively.

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As of now, Richardson ranks 15th in the women’s 100m category, and 123rd overall. Her best ranking has been 6th in 100m, 14th in 200m, and 72nd overall.

Who is the current fastest woman in the world?

The feat currently belongs to Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah. The Olympic gold medalist was absolutely on fire in 2021 as she clocked in sub-11 second times in all the appearances she made. She won the 100m and the 200m events in her debut Olympics in Rio, 2016.

The 29-year-old went to the Tokyo games, backed by some impressive performances in the Jamaican Olympic trials. There were high expectations from the Jamaican and she didn’t disappoint. In a surprise clean sweep by the Jamaican trio, she clocked a time of 10.61seconds to win the gold.

Just 3 weeks after the Olympics, Elaine won the Diamond League 100m event with a time of 10.54seconds, making her the current fastest woman in the world. She is second only to America’s Florence Griffith-Joyner who set a time of 10.49 seconds in 1988.

Watch this Story: Sha’Carri Richardson Shockingly Outpaced to Come Last in Race as Jamaicans Dominate Nike Prefontaine Classic 2021

At 22 years, Sha’Carri still has a lot of racing left to do and if the early signs are any indication, she might become the fastest woman on the planet eventually.