Track star Sha’Carri Richardson received an overwhelming amount of love from celebrities and fans after she came in ninth place at the 2021 Diamond League Prefontaine Classic on Saturday afternoon.
Richardson returned to the track and field this past weekend following her suspension from the Tokyo Olympics earlier this summer and competed against Jamaican gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah and seven other sprinters. Although the 21-year-old track star came in last place with a time of 11.14 seconds in the 100-meter dash, she refused to be defeated by her loss.
“It was a great return back to the sport,” Richardson told NBC reporters. “I wanted to be able to come and perform having a month off. … Not upset at myself at all. This is one race. I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of.”
The young sprinter went on to clap back at naysayers who doubted her, while also congratulating the winners.
“Count me out if you want to. Talk all the s— you want, ’cause I’m here to stay. I’m not done. I’m the sixth-fastest woman in this game, ever. And can’t nobody ever take that from me,” Richardson said confidently. “Congratulations to the winners. Congratulations to the people that won, but they’re not done seeing me yet. Period.”
Online Twitter bullies made jokes about Richardson coming in “dead last” at the Oregon track and field meet, but the love that she received from celebs and her supporters outweighed the hate.
Rapper Lil Nas X tweeted Saturday evening, “rooting for you! keep pushin”
R&B artist Tory Lanez defended Richardson against critics and wrote, “Sha’carri ran a great race , not because she Won or lost … because through all the adversity she got up and RAN AGAIN , and GAVE IT HER ALL … she went through a lot of within that last month … n—–s be on the app preaching all this “uplift” our queens .. Then tear em down …”
He added, “SHA’CARRI …. KEEP FIGHTING.. WORKING .. AND PRACTICING !!! AND GO HARD AT YO CRAFT ! … YOUR TIME IS COMING … CAUSE GOD SAID SO !!!!”
A fan of the LSU sprinter also chimed in with their support and deemed Richardson a “superstar.”
“She only 21 yall! Her career just getting started. She will be fine BUT the girl is a superstar! When was the last time Americans turned in like this to watch a Diamond League track meet? #ShaCarriRichardson”
Even the man with the gold running shoes, retired four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson weighed in urging Twitter users to keep the same energy they had when supporting Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles about their mental health.
But Johnson followed up saying even though Richardson’s critique is “deserved” it’s the fallout that sometimes take athletes to a dark place.
“The critique is absolutely deserved. But the trending jokes are what sometimes send people to dark places even when they brought it on themselves. Just saying!”
In June, Richardson was barred from Team USA because of a positive marijuana test. She took full responsibility for her actions and shared that she wasn’t looking for “empathy” from her followers.
“I know what I did. I know what I’m supposed to do and what I’m allowed not to do, and I still made that decision,” she told Today in a July interview. “But I’m not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my face.”
Richardson seems hell-bent on proving haters wrong and her advocates strongly believe she will.