Sha’Carri Richardson has opened her season with something dangerously close to a whisper. In Tokyo, she stumbled to fourth with a flat 11.47. At the Prefontaine Classic, she was last across the line, clocking 11.19. A time that would not have even made the semi-finals at a major championship. The slow starts that once left her with room for late-race drama are now dragging her behind altogether. With the World Championships fast approaching, the reigning world champion is nowhere near medal form. And yet, a new narrative is taking shape.
One where America still dominates the sprint charts, but without its most famous name.
In a stunning turn of events, the United States has seized control of the women’s 100-meter leaderboard. With 5 names in the top ten. None of them is Richardson. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden leads with a 10.65, tying Richardson’s gold-medal-winning time from Budapest last year. Julien Alfred, the rising talent from Saint Lucia, sits just behind. Kayla White, Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry, and Jacious Sears are all clocking under 10.90. Adding to that, in the ninth position is JaMeesia Ford with a 10.87. Names that once sat quietly behind the Jamaican sprint machine are now sprinting past it. Only two Jamaican sprinters, the Clayton sisters, feature in the top 10 list this year.
Women’s 100m 2025 Toplist
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden – 10.65
Julien Alfred – 10.75
Tina Clayton – 10.81
Kayla White – 10.84
TeeTee Terry – 10.85
Jacious Sears – 10.85
Tia Clayton – 10.86
Anthaya Charlton – 10.87
JaMeesia Ford – 10.87
Favour Ofili –…
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) August 6, 2025
Just one year ago, Jamaica ruled this space.
The women’s final in Budapest featured five of the eight fastest women in history. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericla Jackson, Sha’Carri Richardson, Ta Lou, and Julien Alfred. In the semi-finals, Richardson was pushed to the outside lane after finishing third behind Jackson and Ta Lou. Yet from lane 9, she staged one of the most well-timed surges in recent memory. Picking off legends one by one, she pulled ahead of Fraser-Pryce and Jackson in the final 15 meters to snatch the world title. That 10.65 equaled the fifth-fastest time ever recorded. In that moment, she didn’t just win. She dismantled the hierarchy.
But since then, her form has dipped below relevance. While Jefferson-Wooden and TeeTee Terry steadily climbed the ranks, Richardson has been chasing ghosts of her own best self. Her races this season have been marked by lethargic starts and no finishing power to make up the gap. She has yet to break 11 seconds, while others are clocking times that rival the peaks of Jackson and Fraser-Pryce from 2023.
The irony lies here. Richardson paved the way for American resurgence by toppling Jamaica’s elite. But now, the U.S. sprint renaissance is unfolding without her. The women who once chased her are now leading the charge. If the reigning world champion intends to defend her crown, she will need far more than flash. She will need a form. And fast.
Meanwhile, further adding to her misery is Richardson’s recent arrest on charges of domestic violence.
Sha’Carri Richardson’s season unravels after airport arrest for assault on boyfriend
Sha’Carri Richardson’s competitive year has veered further into disarray following her recent arrest for fourth-degree domestic violence assault at the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. The 25-year-old sprinter, already grappling with a disappointing season on the track, was taken into custody after an incident involving her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman, reportedly escalated beyond a verbal exchange.
Surveillance footage reviewed by law enforcement allegedly showed Richardson repeatedly pushing Coleman, at one point causing him to stumble into a structural column. A pair of headphones was later thrown in his direction.
Sport Bilder des Tages Diamond League Finale – Weltklasse Zuerich 08.09.2022 Sha Carri RICHARDSON USA, 100 m Diamond League Finale – Weltklasse Zuerich, Switzerland, on Thursday, 8. September 2022 *** Diamond League Final World Class Zuerich 08 09 2022 Sha Carri RICHARDSON USA, 100 m Diamond League Final World Class Zuerich, Switzerland, on Thursday, September 8, 2022 Copyright: xBEAUTIFULxSPORTS/TobiasxLacknerx
Although Coleman declined to press charges and “did not want to participate any further in the investigation,” the case proceeded, resulting in Richardson being booked at the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, Washington, on July 27. She was released the following afternoon.
The episode has stirred significant attention, not least because of the timing.
Just days later, both Richardson and Coleman appeared in the preliminary rounds of the U.S. Track and Field Championships. While she initially advanced in the 100-meter heats, Richardson ultimately withdrew before the semifinal and opted out of the 200-meter competition entirely.
USA Track and Field responded with restraint, issuing a brief acknowledgment. “USATF is aware of the reports. We do not have a comment on this matter.” Representatives for Richardson have remained silent, and the Seattle Police Department has not provided further clarification.
With her automatic entry to the 2025 World Championships still intact, Richardson’s immediate competitive future is secure. However, the combination of legal trouble and competitive withdrawal has cast a long shadow over what was once considered a redemptive chapter in her athletic journey.
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