Sha’Carri Richardson just turned up to this 144th edition of the grass track meet to show the locals how it is done. While most of us struggle to walk up a slight incline without losing our breath, Richardson decided to run 120 metres uphill. Because she is actually good at her job, the organisers put her on the scratch mark. This means she ran the full distance while her competitors got a massive head start.
The Great Australian Overtake
Imagine starting a race and seeing a field of runners nearly ten metres ahead of you. Most people would just sit down and find a meat pie, but Richardson actually tried. She clocked 13.15 seconds in the final, becoming only the third woman in history to win from scratch.
Apparently, Richardson realised she was going to win the final at the 90 metre mark and decided to actually run through the line this time. Her coach, Dennis Mitchell, probably appreciated the change in strategy.
Show Me the Money
For her efforts in sprinting past an entire field of people, Richardson bagged 40,000 Australian dollars. That is about £20,900 or $27,500. It is a decent chunk of change for thirteen seconds of work, though it probably barely covers the flight to Victoria. While the public knows the prize money, nobody is saying how much appearance money changed hands. Last year, local star Gout Gout reportedly took home 50,000 Australian dollars just for showing up.
The event is a massive deal in the bush, drawing over 700 competitors who all seem to enjoy the idea of professional athletes chasing them like a scene from a horror movie. Richardson loved the vibes, calling the support for track and field unbeatable.
Sorry, Christian
While Sha’Carri was busy breaking records, her partner Christian Coleman had a slightly less productive day at the office. The former world champion did not quite find his groove on the grass. He finished sixth in his semi final with a time of 12.48 seconds and watched the final from the sidelines. Coleman admitted that giving up such a massive margin to great athletes is a tough gig.
The pair celebrated together despite the cloud of a domestic violence charge against Richardson from last July. The men’s trophy went to Australian Olufemi Komolafe, who proved that if you want to win in Stawell, you basically need to be a human rocket ship.
It turns out that if you want to be the best in the world, you have to be able to beat people who are literally standing closer to the prize than you are. Life is not fair, but at least it is entertaining to watch.
How do you feel about professional athletes getting a head start against Olympic champions?
Related topics: Athletics
