Sha’Carri Richardson Misses 200m Final at USATF Championships Amid Personal Struggles

It has been a challenging week for sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who narrowly missed qualifying for the 200-meter final at the U.S. Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships.

Richardson finished fourth in her heat with a time of 22.56 seconds, just 0.01 seconds behind Madison Whyte, who clocked 22.55 seconds and secured the final spot. The top two finishers in each heat, along with the next three fastest times, advanced to the final. Richardson’s close call left her three spots short of qualifying in Eugene, Oregon.

McKenzie Long won the race in 22.12 seconds, as reported by Runner’s World. Despite missing out on the 200-meter final, Richardson, the reigning world champion in the 100-meter sprint, is still set to compete in next month’s World Championships in Tokyo, thanks to a bye in her title event.

Richardson had a strong showing in the 100-meter race on July 31, posting a season’s best of 11.07 seconds, though still short of her world title-winning time of 10.65 from two years ago.

However, Richardson’s performance on the track is overshadowed by a recent legal issue. According to LetsRun.com, the sprinter was arrested on July 27 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman.

The incident, caught on video, showed Richardson pushing Coleman and throwing headphones at him. She was arrested on a fourth-degree domestic violence charge and spent 19 hours in custody before being released.

Coleman later addressed the situation in the media, emphasizing Richardson’s humanity and the emotional challenges she’s facing. “She’s a human being, and a great person… She has a lot of things going on, a lot of emotions and forces going on inside of her that not only I can’t understand, but nobody can. She’s one of one,” Coleman said, expressing empathy for Richardson’s struggles.

There has been no update on when Richardson is scheduled to appear in court regarding the charges.