Sha'Carri RICHARDSON

United States of America

Athletics

Olympic Medals

1G

1S

Games Participations1

First Olympic GamesParis 2024

Year of Birth2000

Social Media

Biography

Sha'Carri Richardson is not only known for her lightning speed, but also celebrated for her distinctive style featuring eye-catching hair colours, long painted nails, and tattoos that have made her an iconic figure in athletics.

The American sprinting talent was first discovered at Carter High School in Dallas, and continued at the AAU Junior Olympics and college competitions, where she was heralded as the sport's next big sensation.

Sha'Carri Richardson's rise to fame and suspension

In 2019, Richardson broke two U20 world records on the same day at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. First, she won the 100m in 10.75, breaking Marlies Göhr's 42-year-old mark. Richardson was then narrowly beaten in the 200m but her time of 22.17 eclipsed Allyson Felix's record set at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

The following week, she announced she would turn professional although her progress was somewhat halted by the pandemic.

In 2021, Richardson announced herself as a challenger to Jamaica's dominance in the 100m by scorching to an apparent victory at the US Olympic Trials. But she was later disqualified and served a one-month suspension for testing positive for THC (cannabis), a substance banned under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, during the trials. It resulted in her not being selected for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Richardson had her chance to take on the medallists from Tokyo at the Prefontaine Classic in September 2021, but finished in ninth place as Elaine Thompson-Herah again got the better of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

2023: Sha'Carri Richardson, world champion

After a disappointing 2022, Richardson showed she meant business in 2023 with a blistering 10.57 at the Miramar Invitational, albeit with an illegal 4.1 m/s following wind.

With Thompson-Herah out of form and Fraser-Pryce delaying her start to the season, Richardson's main rival on the Diamond League circuit was 200m world champion Jackson. The American had the better of their duels before winning the US national title to book her spot at the Budapest World Championships. She also qualified for the 200m by finishing second to Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Gabby Thomas.

In her major championships debut in Budapest, Richardson scraped through to the 100m final. And despite being handed an outside lane, she flew to victory in a new championship record of 10.65 which put her joint-fifth on the all-time list. Jackson was second with defending champion Fraser-Pryce third.

Jackson proved untouchable in the 200m but Richardson ran a personal best of 21.92 to take bronze. And the 23-year-old capped a superb week by anchoring the USA to gold in the women's 4x100m relay ahead of Jackson and Jamaica. Her anchor leg split of 9.65 seconds was the fastest in history.

2024: Sha'Carri Richardson, Olympic champion

Richardson opened her Olympic debut year victory at the Prefontaine Classic in May, running 10.83 seconds in the 100m.

At the 2024 US Olympic trials in Eugene, she defended her 100m title with a blazing 10.71-second finish, securing her place at the Paris Olympics with hopes high. Richardson came in fourth for the 200m at the trials and, therefore, did not qualify for the 200m race.

In Paris, a slow start off the blocks led to Richardson claiming the silver medal in the 100m, finishing behind Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.

However, it was in the 4×100m relay where she achieved her crowning moment. Running the anchor leg, Richardson overcame a challenging baton exchange to lead Team USA from third to first, winning her first Olympic gold medal in epic fashion.