Sha'Carri Richardson invited to race 100m at World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest
Budapest, August 12
American sprint star Sha'Carri Richardson has been invited to compete in the women's 100m at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, setting up a return to the venue where she won her maiden world title two years ago.
Richardson revealed the invitation on her Instagram stories on Tuesday, with the three-day invitational meet scheduled to take place from September 11 to 13 at Budapest's National Athletics Centre, according to Olympics.com.
The 26-year-old will return to a familiar setting, having produced a championship-record 10.65 seconds to win the women's 100m title at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. She also anchored the United States to gold in the 4x100m relay at the championships.
Richardson did not secure an automatic invitation to the Ultimate Championship through either of the two direct routes, having finished second behind Julien Alfred in the 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympics and fifth at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, according to the report.
However, she remains among the world's leading sprinters and is also eligible through the ranking route. She won her third US 100m title at New York's Icahn Stadium on July 24, clocking 10.77 seconds, the fastest time by an American woman in the event this year.
Richardson currently sits fourth in the world rankings, strengthening her case for a place at the season-ending event.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship will feature around 360 athletes competing across 28 events during three evening sessions. Automatic places were awarded to the Paris 2024 Olympic champions and 2025 World Championship winners, while additional spots are allocated to Diamond League Final winners, the highest-ranked athletes after the qualification period and exceptional invitees.
The qualification period closes on September 1, with World Athletics scheduled to publish the final entries on September 7.
Richardson's potential appearance in Budapest will add further intrigue to the 100m event and give the American an opportunity to return to the track where she enjoyed one of the defining performances of her career.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The race between Richardson and Julien Alfred is going to be electrifying! Alfred has been consistent, but Sha'Carri's comeback story is just inspiring. Hope she does well in Budapest. The whole track community will be watching!
She's a brilliant athlete no doubt, but I wish qualification rules were clearer. Finishing fifth at Worlds and still getting an invite feels a bit confusing. Not her fault though - world rankings clearly put her in the top bracket. Talent speaks!
Honestly, watching her run gives me chills 😍 The way she owns the track with that confidence and style - she's a superstar! This Budapest meet is going to be a blockbuster event. Can't wait to see all the top sprinters battle it out!
It's good for the sport to have marquee names like Richardson in the lineup. She brings the drama and entertainment, which is what attracts new fans to athletics. Indian athletics could learn about building star athletes from this approach!
Her return to Budapest feels like poetry in motion! Two years since that championship record - and now she's back. Hope she brings that same magic again. The women's 100m is definitely the marquee event of this championship! 🏅
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