Sha’Carri Richardson‘s USA Track & Field Championships 2025 appeared to be over after just one race.

The 2023 world champion and reigning Olympic silver medallist in the 100m clocked a season’s best 11.07 in first-round action Thursday (31 July) at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, but withdrew from semi-finals in both that event and Sunday’s 200m earlier on Friday (1 August).

But as the women’s 100 semi-finals and finals proceeded throughout the day without her, Richardson had a change of heart: She was back in the field for the women’s 200.

News had broken on Friday that Richardson had been arrested for an alleged domestic violence incident Sunday (27 July) at the Seattle airport. The 25-year-old was booked into the South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines, Washington, at 6:54 p.m. Sunday and released Monday at 1:13 p.m, according to the AP.

USA Track & Field issued the following statement: “USATF is aware of the reports and is not commenting on this matter.”

It was not immediately clear if Richardson’s withdrawal in Eugene correllated with the news of the arrest.

But as track fans wondered if they’d see if the American superstar will head to the World Athletics Championships in September in Tokyo by utilising her 2023 world champion bye in the 100, she put her name back in the running – literally – for the 200.

Richardson has only raced twice this year in the lead-up to the U.S. Championships, and said she had been hampered by a February injury that set her training back.

She explained Thursday after her prelims race what meant the most to her to race again: “Being able to compete; feeling healthy, going out there and executing no matter what [and] just being the best athlete I can be… just to run a qualifying round, show fitness and take the rest of the time to get ready for Tokyo.”