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Sha'Carri Richardson, Sydney McLaughlin, and Michael Norman are a few prominent athletes whose world records set during NCAA & SEC meetings weren't ratified in the past because they didn't comply with the World Athletics (WA) standards.
Recently, Canadian sprinter Christopher Morales Williams faced a similar situation after smashing the men’s 400m indoor world record at the SEC Indoor Championships 2024. He clocked a sensational time of 44.49s to claim his first conference title.
However, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the organization that handles multiple NCAA track & field programs, announced that this mark couldn’t be ratified as a world record due to the starting blocks used for the competition not being in compliance with the WA regulations.
Fans and followers of the sport went on to share their disappointment after the record wasn’t officially recognized. A lot of people blamed the global governing body for such rules, while some put the blame on the NCAA for not being able to organize matters properly.
With this, let’s take a look at the records that weren't ratified at previous NCAA and SEC meetings.
Sha'Carri Richardson (Meet - NCAA Division I Championships)
American track sensation Sha'Carri Richardson rose to the spotlight after a brilliant 10.75s in the women’s 100m at the NCAA Division I Championships on June 8, 2019. She had smashed a long-standing 42-year-old world record set by East Germany’s Marlies Oelsner of 10.88s, making her one of the most promising athletes to look out for.
Despite Sha'Carri Richardson achieving this incredible feat, her world record wasn’t recognized. The actual reason behind this is not listed.
Michael Norman (Meet - NCAA Division I Championships)
In the same discipline as Williams, Michael Norman had clocked a time of 44.52s at the NCAA Division I Championships on Mar 10, 2018, to shatter the indoor 400m world record of Kerron Clement set in 2005 (44.57s). But, this record wasn’t counted as there was a lack of proper dope testing at the event.
Sydney McLaughlin (Meets - SEC Championships, NCAA Division I Championships)
The two-time Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin had to encounter the unfortunate circumstance thrice. She first established the 400m indoor U20 WR (50.52s) at the SEC Championships on Feb. 25, 2018. Since the doping test didn’t take place on the day of the meet, the record wasn’t ratified.
She later went on to smash the U20 WR (50.36s) again in the 400m at the NCAA Division I Championships on March 10, 2018. This mark didn’t meet the standards for the ratification process as it wasn't known if the doping control processes met the required standards.
The third instance where her U20 world record didn’t get recognized was at the SEC Championships on May 13, 2018, during the outdoor season. She surpassed her own record set less than a month ago of 53.60s with an exceptional time of 52.75s. But, the record wasn’t ratified this time due to no false start detection at the meet.
Grace Stark (Meet - SEC Championships)
At the SEC Championships 2020, Grace Stark shattered the 60m hurdles U20 world record, with a time of 7.91s on February 29. However, the reason behind why the record wasn’t ratified is not known.
Sha'Carri Richardson at the World Athletics Championships
Sha'Carri Richardson has won 3 medals, including two gold and a bronze, at the World Athletics Championships. She clinched all these medals in the 2023 edition of the prestigious event.
Richardson bagged her maiden individual international medal by winning the gold in the women's 100m at the championships, with a championship record of 10.65s, finishing ahead of Shericka Jackson and legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
She then clinched the bronze medal in the 200m and was a part of the USA's women's gold-medal team that won the 4X100m relay.
