The weekend was far from smooth for Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who encountered multiple challenges during the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon. Richardson narrowly missed qualifying for the 200-meter final, finishing fourth in her heat with a time of 22.56 seconds - just milliseconds behind Madison Whyte’s 22.55 seconds.

The competition came on the heels of a tumultuous week for the 25-year-old athlete, which included a domestic violence arrest at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Richardson was booked into South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines, Washington, and held for over 18 hours following an alleged assault on her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman.

Despite the setbacks, Richardson maintains her automatic spot for the upcoming world championships in Tokyo next month, where she will compete as the defending 100-meter champion. Her recent international performances have been impressive, including a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest and a silver medal in the 100 meters at the Paris Games.

This weekend’s performance marks a challenging moment in Richardson’s career, which has previously been punctuated by significant obstacles, including her controversial marijuana test at the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials that prevented her from competing in the Tokyo Games.

As Richardson continues to navigate personal and professional challenges, her resilience remains a defining characteristic of her athletic journey.