After a drug test that eliminated her chances to compete in the Olympics, Sha’Carri Richardson returned to the track on Aug. 21, 2021, at the Prefontaine Classic. Running up against three Olympic medalists in the 100-meter dash, Richardson came in last with a time of 11.14 seconds. Her loss would spark thousands of jokes from social media users. Even months after taking the L, she’s still the butt of jokes. Fed up with the discourse, Richardson took to Twitter to speak her mind.
“Y’all that keep saying I came last MONTHS AGO & y’all won’t see that again but has your life changed since? Same place right?” she tweeted.
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Richardson’s performance at the Prefontaine Classic came a few months after she won the 100 meters at the U.S Olympic Track and Field Trials. An instant sensation, many thought that she would dominate in the Olympics but would test positive for marijuana instead. Disqualified for the failed drug test, Richardson stated that she was using marijuana to cope with the death of her mother. In addition to being disqualified, the violation also carried a 30-day suspension from competition.
“They’re not done seeing me yet. Period,” the runner said after competing in the Prefontaine Classic. Over the next three years, Richardson plans to direct all her focus on some of the larger events which include world championships 2022 and 2023, plus the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Hopefully, she will be able to put an end to the jokes for good this year.