Christian Coleman came to the defense of his teammate and friend, sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, following reports of her arrest for allegedly pushing Coleman. Speaking on Sunday, he described her as a "wonderful person."
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USA Today Sports reported last Friday that American sprinter and 100-meter world champion Richardson had been arrested on domestic violence charges at Seattle Airport ahead of the U.S. track and field trials.
A police report obtained by USA Today Sports claimed that the 25-year-old sprinter — who won Olympic silver in the 100 meters in Paris last year — had pushed Coleman, causing him to fall into a nearby pole after an argument between the two.
According to the report, Richardson was arrested on the evening of July 27 and released the following day.
Coleman, the 2019 100-meter world champion, told reporters during the U.S. trials in Eugene, Oregon:
"Personally, I feel like the situation was really unfortunate. I don’t think she should’ve been arrested. I mean, people have arguments, emotions, things like that."
"She has things she needs to work on for herself, of course — just like I do, just like you do, just like everyone else. But I’m the type who believes in compassion and love…
"She’s a wonderful person. To me, she’s the best athlete in the world. I see it every day."
The Seattle Port Police and Richardson’s agent did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Richardson withdrew from the 100-meter final in Eugene last Friday after competing in the heats on Thursday and failed to qualify for the 200-meter final on Sunday.
She had already secured her spot in the 100 meters for the World Championships in Tokyo next month by winning the title in Budapest in 2023. Reuters
