Sha’Carri Richardson Tosses Off Wig Ahead of Winning 100m in US Championship Comeback
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The track-and-field star returned to the U.S. Championships after failing to qualify for the World Championships in the 100m sprint last year
NBC Olympics & Paralympics/Twitter
Sha’Carri Richardson is leaving her iconic look behind.
The 23-year-old track and field star shocked viewers during the U.S. Track and Field Championships on Friday when she discarded her signature orange hair ahead of her 100m championship race.
In a video capturing the moment shared on Twitter by the NBC Olympics, Richardson could be seen prepping for the race on the field sporting a bright orange wig tied in a ponytail with a bright green band. When the hosts began to announce her on the screen, she immediately took the wig off and tossed it to the ground behind her.
She then shook out her natural hair, which was braided at the back with loose tendrils of hair falling free in front of her face that she later pushed back. Her hair was in an ombre color, starting off black at her scalp and gradually turning platinum. One side of her head was braided in the shape of a heart, while the other was braided into the shape of a star.
When she made the transformation, the casters could be heard saying, “Oh, wow" and “Look out! She means business.”
Business indeed, as the athlete sprinted her way into first place during the 100m race with a time of 10.82 seconds, securing a national title and paving her way to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Alongside a video of the event, NBC Olympics wrote, “Sha'Carri Richardson took her wig off before her race... then became national champion. #USATFOutdoors.”
Kirby Lee via AP
Sha'Carri Richardson sporting her iconic orange hair while competing.The athlete first burst onto the sprinting scene making a name for herself with her fiery bright orange locks, which she later became known for. She then earned her spot on Team USA's track and field team for the Tokyo Olympics after winning the 100m race at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, in June 2021,
A month later, she was suspended from the major event after testing positive for THC, a chemical in marijuana, which she said she used to cope with her biological mother's death.
Her troubles continued after she failed to qualify for the World Championships in the 100m sprint last year.
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However, Richardson told NBC Sports in an interview after her latest win that she is making a comeback.
“I’m ready, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’m here to stay,” she said. “I’m not back. I’m better.”
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