Richardson rolls through three rounds, capped by wind-legal 10.82 effort in final; Charleston rallies to edge Coleman 9.95 to 9.96 to secure first career World Championships berth

By David Woods for DyeStat

EUGENE, Ore. – There could not have been a bigger contrast between 100-meter champions Friday night at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships.

In one corner, Sha’Carri Richardson, perhaps more famous for colorful hair and a marijuana bust than for actual achievement. But she is famous in a sport lacking figures with name recognition.

In the other corner, Cravont Charleston. Seriously . . . who?

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Unless you’re a track geek who pores over all-comers results in Florida or obscure races in Finland, it’s doubtful the name is familiar. After all, he had never made an NCAA final in college or a USATF final.

Remember him, though. The United States swept the medals at the 2022 World Championships, and the USA champion in 2023 is: Cravont Charleston.

“Once you’re there, you’re there. I know I can race the big guys,” he said.

The biggest guy, world champion Fred Kerley, didn’t race the 100 because he has a bye to worlds. But the others were here, and Charleston beat them all.

After the night air turned cool and unconducive to fast sprints, Charleston overtook front-runner Christian Coleman to finish first in 9.95 seconds. Coleman was second in 9.96.

Noah Lyles was third in 10.00 to preserve his chance to win double gold at Budapest. He has a bye to the World Championships in the 200 as defending champion.

If the outcome was a shock, so was Richardson throwing off an orange wig just before the women’s final. Surprisingly, she trailed at 60 meters, then ran to a decisive victory in 10.82.

Brittany Brown was second in 10.90 and 20-year-old Tamari Davis third in 10.99.

“I’m ready mentally, physically and emotionally, and I’m here to stay,” Richardson said in an NBC-TV interview. 

Richardson, 23, declined to address reporters after making her first world team. She won at the 2021 Olympic Trials but was dropped from the team after a positive marijuana test.

Charleston, 25, a Charlotte native, elaborated on his improbable story. He has an agent and a Tracksmith apparel deal but no shoe contract.

He won Atlantic Coast Conference titles while at North Carolina State and had a 100-meter PB of 10.10. At the 2021 trials, he was eliminated in the heats with a 10.23.

Yet he persisted under coach Allen Johnson, the hurdler who won Olympic gold in 1996 and four outdoor world titles. Johnson, now head coach at North Carolina A&T, is assisted by another Olympic medalist, hurdler Terrence Tramell.

“If I don’t make it,” Charleston said, “that’s on me.”

He said he knew he was on the right track when he won a “B” race in 10.02 (+2.4) at Miramar, Fla., on April 8. He followed that with a 9.87 (+3.0) at the 63rd Mt. SAC Relays and lowered his wind-legal PB to 9.90 last month at Kuortane, Finland.

In between, he ran 9.91 to finish second to Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake (9.89) at the Los Angeles Grand Prix on May 27. There, Charleston beat Coleman, also timed in 9.91.

That is the only 100-meter final Charleston has lost in 2023.

“I always knew I could do it,” he said.

World bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell was sixth in 10.14. He said afterward he has been coping with an injury that will require surgery. 

In the women’s 100, 17-year-old Mia Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego, Ore., said it was an "honor" to be in the final. She received an ovation during pre-race introductions and finished seventh in 11.08. 

“This is probably the coolest moment I’ve had in my life,” she said. “Win or lose, you get something out of it.”

She is also in the 200 meters, her stronger event. She is No. 2 in high school history behind Allyson Felix.

In women’s trials:

100 hurdles. Keni Harrison had the fastest time, 12.50, in a first round without notable casualties. Semifinals and final are both Saturday night.

800 meters. Is Ajee' Wilson vulnerable at age 29? She has made every world or Olympic team since 2013. She was safely into the final, finishing third in semifinal 1, but there is lot of competition, even with Athing Mu out with a bye to worlds. The eight qualifiers were separated by 0.83 seconds, led by Nia Akins’ 2:00.02. The two Stanford freshmen who won gold and silver at last year’s World Under-20 Championships, Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker, were DNS and DNF, respectively. Whittaker was moving toward a spot in the final before falling steps before the finish. Willis did not start.

In men’s trials:

400 meters. Veteran Vernon Norwood, who has been making finals for a decade, won a hot semifinal in 44.43. Norwood, 31, was barely off his 44.35 PB from placing fourth at the 2022 nationals. Bryce Deadmon (44.70), Florida’s Ryan Willie (44.85) and Quincy Hall (44.86) were also sub-45. Georgia’s Matthew Boling made his first nationals final, taking third in a slower semifinal in 45.56.

800 meters. Global medalists Bryce Hoppel (1:45.26) and Clayton Murphy (1:45.67) left no doubt they are ready for the final by running a swift 1-2 in a semifinal. NCAA Division 2 champion Wes Ferguson of Nebraska-Kearney won the second semi in 1:46.82, but was subsequently disqualified for stepping on a lane line.

400 hurdles. Rai Benjamin slowed at least 20 meters from the finish and still posted the fastest time of the first round, 49.05.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.