Track and field sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is again in the spotlight and carries Team USA's Olympics hope for its first gold in the women's100 meter since Gail Devers in 1996. This chance for redemption comes three years after a failed drug test dashed her dreams of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Richardson qualified last week for the Paris Olympics 100 meter competition, finishing in a breakneck 10.71 seconds. But on Thursday, she took the next step in qualifying for the 200 meter race, placing first in her heat with a time of 21.99—the second fastest time in the world among women this year. The fastest woman this year is fellow American athlete McKenzie Long, who clocked times of 21.83 and 21.95 seconds running for Ole Miss to win at this month's NCAA Championships.