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Photo: Kirby Lee
LSU sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson of Dallas, Texas, set two U20 world records on Saturday at the NCAA Championships with personal bests of 10.75 in the 100 meters and 22.17 in the 200 meters; she is the first woman in world history, of any age, to run sub 10.8 in the 100 and sub 22.2 in the 200 meters on the same day.
Richardson’s 10.75 broke Dawn Sowell’s collegiate record of 10.78 that was set in 1989. The top three NCAA 100 meter sprinters in NCAA history all attended LSU – Richardson (10.75), Sowell (10.78/1989) and Aleia Hobbs (10.85/2018). She was victorious in the 100 meters and took second in the 200 meters.
“Knowing the kind of tradition LSU has in the women’s sprints, it’s kind of crazy to think I’m up there with the all-time greats,” Richardson said after her busy day on the track. “You see those names like Dawn Sowell, Kimberlyn Duncan, Aleia Hobbs, and Mikiah Brisco, and to know that I’m in their presence is special.
“Today was a great day on the track and I’ll never forget it. To set all those records in my home state in front of family and friends is truly special. I’m just glad I could go out there and put some points on the board for my team.”
As a team the LSU women took third with 43 points. Richardson won the 100 meter NCAA title and claimed silver in the 200 meter finals for a total of 18 points. The women’s 4×100 meter relay of Tonea Marshall, Kortnei Johnson, Rachel Misher, and Sha’Carri Richardson finished second for eight more points. In the hurdles, LSU had two bronze showings with third-place finishes by Tonea Marshall (100m hurdles) and Brittley Humphrey (400m hurdles). Jurnee Woodward added in three points with a sixth-place finish in the 400 meter hurdles and Ersula Farrow was the final scores with two points in the 800 meter run. It’s LSU’s best finish at the outdoor NCAA Championships since 2011. Richardson’s total of 20 points made her the High Point Scorer of the Meet; she is the first freshman to accomplish that since Ariana Washington of Oregon did so in 2016.
Richardson in the 100 Meters
There was a palpable buzz around the track once the gun went off in the 100 meters at Mike A. Myers Stadium as three of the world’s fastest six runners for 2019 were on the sprinting towards the finish line. Richardson had a steady start out the blocks and remained even with the rest of the field through the first 50 meters, and that’s when she stepped on the gas pedal to pull away. Richardson crossed the finish line in 10.75 seconds and she struck an her iconic ‘hands up, deuces’ pose as she did it. The crowd waited for the official time, and there were a bunch of ooooohs and ahhhs when the 10.75 flashed up on the board. With her win in the 100, Richardson made it three straight titles for the Tigers in the event as Mikiah Brisco won in 2017 and Aleia Hobbs won last year. Richardson’s win was the ninth in school history which is the most by one program in NCAA history.
Back to the 10.75. She’s the fifth-fastest women of all ages in American history and the ninth fastest runner in world history. The time also set the NCAA collegiate record, a world U20 record, a meet record, a facility record, and 2019 world lead. She broke Marlies Gohr’s (Germany) U20 world record of 10.88 that was set in 1977. On American terms, Richardson’s time broke Candice Hill’s American U20 record of 10.98 that was set in 2015.
Richardson in the 200 Meters
Forty-five minutes after her 100 meter title, Richardson returned to the track to make some more U20 world history. Richardson ran the half lap in 22.17 seconds to make her the fastest U20 woman in world history as she broke all-time great Allyson Felix’s junior record of 22.18 that she ran in 2004. It was the fifth-fastest time in collegiate history and the second in the LSU record book.
SOURCE: Track Alerts
