By Dr. Brandon Spradley |
LSU’s freshman sensation Sha’Carri Richardson took the track and field world by storm at the 2019 NCAA Track and Field Championships. She broke a 30-year old collegiate record in the 100-meter dash posting a time of 10.75. This was a record many thought would not be challenged, especially by a 19-yeard-old freshman.
Richardson was named the Collegiate Women’s Outdoor Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News and is a finalist for the Bowerman Award, which she is the favorite to win. Now that Sha’Carri Richardson has decided to forgo the rest of her college eligibility and become a professional track runner, how will she fare against the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson of Jamaica?
The upcoming 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar will be a prime opportunity for Richardson to show that she can compete with the best in the world. It will be interesting and exciting to see Richardson run against Jamaica’s best female sprinters.
Thompson is the reigning Olympic Champion in the 100 m and 200 m, while Fraser-Pryce is the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the 100 m. Both women posted a time of 10.73 at the 2019 Jamaican Championships with Thompson coming out with the victory.
Will Jamaica continue to dominate the women’s sprints or is Sha’Carri Richardson ready to take the throne? Only time will tell. In the meantime, here is a video of Richardson’s record breaking performance at the NCAA Championships.
Dr. Brandon Spradley is the chair of sports management at the United States Sports Academy. He recently discussed issues related to the rise of eSports in the sports profession.