SHA'CARRI Richardson finished last in her comeback, ninth out of nine sprinters in the 100m, at last week's edition of the Pre, a Diamond League showcase.
It was a highly anticipated event with a star cast of the best that included Jamaican trio Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson; star performers at the Tokyo Olympics that also overshadowed the men's event.
Richardson was a conspicuous absentee in Tokyo as she was serving a month-long drug related suspension after winning the US trials.
After the race, Richardson on live television remarked, “Talk all the s*** you want. I’m the sixth-fastest woman in this game, ever. And can’t nobody ever take that from me.”
Richardson’s response was swiftly taken up on social media by rafts of pot-clapping Jamaicans who pointed out that Richardson’s 11.14 time wouldn’t have won a medal at Champs and with remarks like "Is this your queen?"
Richardson deepened the embarrassment by pulling out of the 200m. While her peers continue to push one another this week at the next Diamond League stop in Lausanne, Richardson has retreated to social media, where she continues to urge on her haters after liking a post disparaging Jamaica as a nation of barefoot coconut eaters.
Which is to say, this person doesn’t much resemble the one who appeared on television in the wake of her drug suspension, owned up to her transgression and committed to “heal myself”.
These missteps much dented empathy for Richardson at home – particularly among Black observers who saw her as yet another Black woman who is getting torn down for being too authentic.
Richardson even had Allyson Felix in her corner.
“She’s obviously been through so much, and I hope that she’s supported,” she said on TV. “She has a great personality, and she’s brought a lot of attention to the sport.”
But Richardson wasn’t having any of the 11-time Olympic medalist’s flattery. “Encouraging words on TV shows are just as real as well nothing at all,” was how she captioned an Instagram story two days later.
That did not go down well with the general public particularly against a fellow American and the most decorated track and field athlete ever who is also one of the one kindest, most sincere person. That Richardson read Felix’s remarks as shady suggests all this notoriety is a little too much too soon.
For the record Richardson lost her biological mother and then had to grapple with the public embarrassment of losing out on her Olympic dream because of bad choices. Her perseverance through it all is what won her so much support.
But after Richardson’s meltdown on and off the track, question is if she needs more healing and if she might be missing her moment.
Richardson has done some historic things on the track, and sixth-fastest all-time is certainly not a big deal. But it takes discipline to do that on a big stage like the Olympics, in a medal-winning effort – and Richardson hasn’t shown much discipline on or off the track.
It’s fair to wonder whether she’ll be remembered more for running her mouth than running at all. - Agencies. August 28, 2021
