"Only way from 9th is up!"

This was the tweet that track and field star Sha'Carri Richardson posted, along with five praying hands emojis, after finishing in last place in the 100-meter sprint at the Prefontaine Classic. The winner, Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah, beat her Olympic time of 10.61 seconds that won her the gold in this event at the Summer Games in Tokyo. Thompson-Herah and her teammates, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, were the Prefontaine heroines of the track, sweeping the 100-meter medals as they did at the Olympics. Richardson was expected to be a major contender in the 100 and 200-meter sprints in Tokyo but was suspended from competition due to cannabis use. Her Olympic ban became more controversial when she was not selected for the women's 4x100 relay, which was the last event she would have been eligible for after her suspension ended.

After her disappointing Prefontaine showing, Richardson was derided on social media by folks saying she was "smoked" by the Jamaicans. I think that most of these people were trolling Richardson and are envious of her phenomenal athletic accomplishments. While running track at Louisiana State University before she turned pro, Richardson broke the women's 100-meter record at the NCAA Championships as a freshman. She is only 21 years old and has the talent to build an incredible track legacy. With one bad race following the Olympics, I'd say Richardson is in a slight slump, and a recent Instagram post that many believe was disrespectful to Allyson Felix, the most decorated U.S. track and field athlete, has resulted in more media criticism for the former LSU star.

Felix appeared on the Aug. 23 edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that was hosted by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. After congratulating Felix on launching her shoe brand Saysh and on making her final Olympics after overcoming a difficult pregnancy in 2018, at the end of the interview Smith asked Felix about her thoughts on Richardson. Felix graciously offered encouragement, saying, "I hope that people rally around her. Obviously, she has a great personality and she's brought a lot of attention to the sport ... So just give her the support that she needs." Richardson, however, seemed to think that Felix was not genuine, writing on Instagram: "Encouraging words on TV shows are just as real as well nothing at all." This piercing response brought swift backlash on Twitter, as Richardson was accused of "shading" Felix. I was shocked that Richardson would feel this way because Felix is revered in women's track, a legend that many of Richardson's peers have looked up to since they were youngsters. Winning a gold and a bronze medal in Tokyo, Felix's medal count rose to 11, passing renowned sprinter Carl Lewis for the most Olympic medals in U.S. track and field history. Felix has all the "bona fides," as the young folk say today, in her sport, and in addition to being a world champion, she has always been humble and carries herself with dignity and class.

At 35, Felix is wise beyond her years, having said when she was younger that through her trials, she learned to trust God's plan for her life even when things did not make sense. Richardson is currently going through a trial in the public eye, and privately she is grieving the loss of her mother. Being in the spotlight at such a young age, it's easy for Richardson to go on the defensive and think that most people are against her. Many also think Richardson is cocky, but her smugness could be a wall that she is putting up to prevent being hurt. I believe Felix would be an excellent mentor for Richardson because Felix has triumphed at every level as a sprinter. I also think that Richardson could draw inspiration from Felix's remarkable character because Felix has said that her faith, not track, defines her. She doesn't run for the applause of people but rather to glorify God.

I hope that Richardson will realize that there are people who sincerely want to rally around her, as Felix said. Richardson is still one of the fastest women in the world, but she needs to slow down a bit to understand that she doesn't have to approach life like a sprint.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Free-Photos at Pixabay