Sha'Carri Richardson delivered the best performance of her career at the U.S. National Track and Field Championships, winning the women's 100m heats with a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds, while Christian Coleman excelled in the men's race with a time of 9.95 seconds last night. Richardson, who was a crowd favorite, missed her spot at the Tokyo Olympics due to a marijuana violation and failed to qualify for last year's World Championships, but she showed determination to return to the spotlight in Eugene, Oregon.
Richardson secured her place in the semifinals on Friday, finishing 0.25 seconds ahead of Brittany Brown in her heat, while 17-year-old Mia Brahi-Pedersen qualified with a time of 11.05 seconds. Coleman, the 2019 World 100m champion who missed the Tokyo Games due to a missed doping test location violation, drew attention in the men's competition, posting the fastest time overall.
Coleman, who finished third at the New York Grand Prix last month, told reporters, "It’s all about momentum and mental stability." Noah Lyles, a two-time world champion in the 200m, failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and appeared to struggle again after a slow start in the heats. However, he regained his power midway through, finishing second in his heat with a time of 10.05 seconds. Lyles, who disclosed his struggles with COVID-19 since competing in New York last month, said, "It’s been a really tough week; I’m just starting to recover."
