Sha'Carri Richardson: How she rose from the slums of mockery to having a transformative 2023 season

Sha'Carri Richardson's transformative 2023 success came as no fluke as she finally delivered what had always been promised - her talent speaking for itself.

She overcame her challenges through the years and found her peace back on the track - ending the season as the world's fastest woman, the most famous female track athlete, and steadily rising through the ranks to become the fastest and most influential athlete ever.

"Honestly, I feel blessed for my performance, I'm happy that I am here, healthy, and more importantly happy. I have found my peace back on track, and I'm not letting anything or anybody take that anymore," Richardson revealed in a post-race interview at the Doha Diamond League.

Doha was the meet she officially made the world take note of being a top challenger in 2023. It was her first Diamond League race win of the year, and she defeated a stacked field that included Jamaica's Shericka Jackson.

"I had to return back to my faith, and I feel so much better. That's why when you all say I'm back, I'm not back, I'm better," she said in a trending online video.

Fast forward to the US Championships, victory in the 100m final, and claiming the 200m silver medal secured her spot at the World Championships in Budapest.

There, Richardson won her first world title in a blistering Championship Record (CR) of 10.65s and 200m bronze in a lifetime best of 21.92s, plus anchored Team USA to 4x100m gold in a CR.

Also, she ended up with two more Diamond League wins in Silesia and Zurich but missed out on the trophy in Eugene.

In two years, Richardson went from finishing last in a time of 11.14s at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League on August 21, 2021, thus becoming an object of mockery on all social media platforms, to being crowned the world champion in Budapest with the fifth-fastest time in history and earning the bragging rights of the world's fastest woman.

Her success became a turning point for her career, built her confidence in knowing her self-worth as one of the best in history, and ushered in a new era of American women's sprints excellence.

Off-track, the speedster officially became a global ambassador for the sport with more influence and reach than any track athlete.

With the incoming 2024 Olympic year, Richardson will be gunning for another iconic season and prove that she's not just better, but the best in the game by going for the women's sprints World Records and the Olympic title.