Shoelace blunder, 100m triumph.

Texas-born Sha'Carri Richardson stumbles, then shines during 100-meter Olympic qualifier

A minor stumble and an untied shoelace didn't stop Texas native Sha'Carri Richardson from securing a blazing victory in the 100-meter Olympic qualifier in Oregon.

"I want to take responsibility for my actions," she said regarding her return to the sport. "I know what I did. I know what I'm supposed to do. I know what I'm allowed not to do, and I still made that decision."

Here's a roundup of Richardson's triumph and her road to the Olympics:

The 100-meter qualifier

Richardson faced a slight hiccup at the start of the race, stumbling out of the blocks but swiftly regaining her momentum to finish with an astonishing time of 10.71 seconds—the fastest women's 100-meter time globally. Adding to the drama, cameras also captured Richardson running with her right Nike cleat untied.

Teammates Melissa Jefferson (10.80) and Twanisha Terry (10.89) joined her in qualifying for the Olympics, finishing second and third, respectively.

Richardson's background

Hailing from Dallas, Richardson attended the renowned Carter High School, immortalized in the book, "Friday Night Lights" (https://andscape.com/features/espn-30-for-30-what-carter-lost-texas-high-school-football/). In 2019, she set two U20 world records in a single day at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, solidifying her rising star status.

Olympic dreams deferred, then realized

This will be Richardson's first Olympic Games. In 2021, she faced a setback when she was disqualified from the US Olympic Trials due to a positive THC test, resulting in a one-month suspension. Candidly, Richardson shared that marijuana use was a coping mechanism after learning of her biological mother's passing.

Now, at 24, Richardson is set to represent the USA at the Paris Olympics, reclaiming her title as the fastest woman in the world, which she secured in 2023 with a record-breaking time of 10.65 seconds.

The Olympic stage is set for Richardson's highly anticipated debut.

The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 2, airing on NBC and Peacock, with Paris six hours ahead of the US Eastern time zone.