Sha’Carri Richardson has returned to the limelight with a stunning new look and has gained a nice piece of gold to hang around her neck.
The track star ended a tumultuous two-year streak of adversity with a big win at the 2023 United States Track and Field Championships Friday night.
On the same day, she put up the second-fastest women’s 100 meters of the year, 10.71 seconds in her opening heat, before surging to win the 100 final in 10.82 Richardson tossed away an orange wig that resembled the fiery hair that she made famous on her first captivating run. Replacing the old with the new, the 23-year-old sported a set of back-length, black to platinum braids.
Fans on social media had mixed emotions about Richardson’s ripping off her wig.
“Lord jesus now track & field is turning into the WWE with gimmicks!”
“That wig is so silly her hair is really really pretty. two-tone braids that are well done are so bad a—.”
“30in box braids under a wig ??????!?????”
One person quoted lyrics from Latto’s song “Put It On Da Floor,” writing, “She said “Rip me out the wig cuz I been acting brand new.””
Another wrote, “Her taking her wig off is saying the last time she was there isn’t her today… this the new HER! The new ME! this time I’m fina win-WIN… Man I Love all of this growth If you watched her interview after. This ain’t just throwing a wig off.. it’s represents NEW!”
When asked about the statement she made by discarding her wig and winning the US women’s championship, Sha’carri said that the last time she was at the Championships, she wasn’t prepared, but this time she is ready “mentally, physically, and emotionally.”
She then followed that up with the quote of the night when she stated, “I’m here to stay. And I’m not back, I’m better.
To prove this, Richardson won silver in the U.S. women’s 200 meters over the weekend, guaranteeing her a spot for both events in the 2023 World Track and Field Championships in Budapest, Hungary, next month.
This will be Richardson’s first time competing on the world stage after being suspended from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Soon after qualifying for the Summer Games, the sprinter tested positive for marijuana.
Richardson took responsibility for her actions, but she said that she used marijuana to help her come to terms with the passing of her biological mother. Her suspension was the cause of much debate on Twitter at the time of the announcement.
“Marijuana is not a performance enhancing drug, in fact it’s proven effect slows done the brain. She deserves to compete. Also don’t forget Michael Phelps openly used marijuana and competed,” one Twitter user wrote two years ago.
“Extremely unacceptable! I’m so tired of I made a mistake. Don’t do drugs period! It’s always after the fact. How about you know they will find out if you using drugs. Y’all who smoke think you can cover it up, but it’s never the case. You will be found out.”
“Tbh, at the end of the day, I’m concerned more about her mental health and emotional well being than some Olympic game.”
Now with the past behind her and the future fast approaching, Sha’carri must worry about the World Championships, qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and beating Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson who put up a 10.65 100 on the same day as Richardson’s 10.71, making Jackson the new world leader in 2023.
