Sha’Carri Richardson Runs World-Best Time to Open U.S. Outdoor Championships

Sha’Carri Richardson’s strong start to 2023 continued on Thursday at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., clocking in a blistering time of 10.71 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

That set the mark for the fastest time of the year, and is a personal best for the 23-year-old former LSU star. The result comes three months after Richardson clocked a wind-aided 10.57-second sprint at the Miramar Invitational on April 8, which is not eligible for records and was officially logged at 10.77 seconds when adjusting for the wind. Still, her unadjusted time would have represented the fourth-fastest time in the history of the women’s 100-meter sprint.

Richardson made her 2023 debut at the Texas Relays at in Austin, Texas, on April 1, where her 4x100 team came in second place. This week’s U.S. Outdoor Championships serve as trials for the World Championships, which Richardson has yet to compete in.

Richardson won the women’s 100-meter sprint at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2021, but was suspended for one month by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for marijuana. That left her ineligible to compete at the Tokyo Games. 

This year’s U.S. Outdoor Championships will conclude on July 9.