American champion Sha’Carri Richardson cannot run in the Olympic 100-meter race after testing positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.

Richardson won the 100 at the Olympic trials on June 19. She told of her ban Friday on the “Today Show.”

Richardson says she smoked marijuana as a way of coping with her mother’s recent death. She tested positive at the Olympic trials and so her result is erased.

She accepted a 30-day suspension that ends July 27, which would be in time to run in the women’s relays. USA Track and Field has not yet disclosed plans for the relay.

When asked about the possibility of competing in the relay, Richardson said she’d be grateful for that opportunity, but she is focusing on healing herself.

“Right now, I’m just putting all my time and energy into dealing with what I need to deal with to heal myself. If I’m allowed to receive that blessing, then I’m grateful for it, but if not, right now, I’m just going to focus on myself,” Richardson told Savannah Guthrie.

The 21-year-old sprinter was expected to face Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in one of the most highly anticipated races of the Olympic track meet.

Richardson captured the hearts of many when she ran into the stands to hug her grandmother following her victory in the 100-meter qualifying race. It had been just a week after losing her biological mother.

THIS is what it's all about.@itskerrii is headed to the Olympics, and she immediately ran into the stands to celebrate with her family.@usatf | #TokyoOlympics x #TrackFieldTrials21 pic.twitter.com/MjvZmmOKPg

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 20, 2021

“Standing here, I just say don’t judge me, because I am human. I’m you. I just happen to run a little faster,” Richardson said during her interview.

“Don’t judge me, because I am human… I just happen to run a little faster.”

Sha’Carri Richardson (@itskerrii) speaks with @SavannahGuthrie about her failed drug test. pic.twitter.com/aZKTDhYn6Z

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 2, 2021

In just 10.64 seconds, Sha’Carri Richardson became a household name.

The 21-year-old sprinter wowed the world this weekend after winning her 100-meter heat and securing a coveted spot as part of the U.S. women’s team for next month’s Tokyo Olympics.

Following her domination of the trial and in a post-competition interview, Sha’Carri revealed that her win follows a heart-wrenching week: The athlete shared that her biological mother passed away just a week prior to her Olympic-certifying win.

"My family has kept me grounded," Sha’Carri told reporters following her sprint. "This year has been crazy for me. Going from just last week, losing my biological mother, and I’m still here…Last week, finding out my biological mother passed away and still choosing to pursue my dreams, still coming out here, still here to make the family that I do still have on this earth proud….I’m highly grateful for them.

"Without them, there would be no me. Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson. My family is my everything, my everything until the day I’m done."

Twitter was quick to praise Sha'Carri not just for her athletic skill but also for her emotional bravery in being able to compete just days following her biological mother's death.

Others chimed in expressing that they admired Sha'Carri's unapologetic style as she ran her way to victory complete with her orange hair, statement acrylic nails, tattoos, and piercings.

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This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Sha'Carri is currently the front-runner to win in this week’s 200-meter race where she currently has the fastest qualifying time at 22.11 seconds. If she goes on to win gold in Tokyo next month, she’ll be the first American woman to do so since Gail Devers in 1996.

In another post-race interview when asked what she wants viewers at home to know about herself, Sha'Carri responded, "I just want the world to know that I'm that girl...and every time I step on the track, I'm going to try to do what it is that me, my coach, my support team believe I can do and the talent that God blessed me to have...I'm never going to take an opportunity to perform in vain."