Sprint legend Michael Johnson on the ‘authentic’ star power of Sha’Carri Richardson
Ahead of Sha’Carri Richardson’s return to action at the Zurich Diamond League, Johnson highlights how his compatriot is changing athletics.
Athletics
Sha'Carri Richardson likes the big stage.
Combining supreme athletic talent with a stylish and outspoken persona, all eyes are drawn to the sprinter whenever she is on track.
After a stellar 2023 in which she landed the women’s 100m world title, the Texas native made her Olympic debut at Paris 2024 by helping Team USA to gold in the 4x100m relay and winning silver in the 100m.
Following a short post-Games break, Richardson is back in action and is set to star at the Diamond League Meeting in Zurich on 5 September.
The 24-year-old continues to draw more attention to the sport and her presence in Switzerland will be greatly received by fans. In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com ahead of Paris 2024 sprint legend Michael Johnson explains why he feels she has been such a success on and off the track.
“I think Sha'Carri is a very good example of an athlete who is not copying any previous greats to make an impact in the sport,” the four-time Olympic champion said.
“The people that make the biggest impact are those who are just authentically themselves. And she is certainly that, an amazing talent who's had a unique journey to actually realise her talent on the track and win medals. She's probably one of the most interesting athletes and a fantastic talent.
Michael Johnson: No more comparisons with Usain Bolt
Since Usain Bolt retired athletics fans have been looking for someone to emulate his status in the sport.
As two of the most high-profile sprinters currently competing, Noah Lyles and Richardson would be at the top of that list, but Johnson feels comparisons are pointless.
He believes that every athlete brings their own style to the mix, making imitations of talents like Bolt impossible.
”We should probably just leave the question of who's going to be the next Bolt. I can answer that: nobody. There's never going to be another Usain Bolt. That doesn't mean that there won't be amazing personalities and feats in the sport. There will be. But Bolt was unique because he's Usain Bolt and nobody else is going to beat him,” Johnson continued.
“I think there will be other people that will have a different type of impact on the sport. Just like his impact on the sport was different than my impact on the sport, and my impact on the sport was different from Carl Lewis. But I think that the new sprinters are making their own unique mark on the sport as they are such interesting individuals.”
A rematch with Julien Alfred
Richardson arrived at Paris 2024 as the 100m world champion and favourite for gold.
However, she fell short of winning double gold at Paris 2024 after being shocked by St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred.
While the matchup of the two in Zurich makes for a tantalising storyline, Richardson’s response to a disappointing loss in the French capital will be telling.
The 5-foot-2 speedster (1.57m) wants to prove that she has the consistency needed to become a track great.
“I think that her winning the world championship last year was great for her as a person, as an athlete. I think it did a lot for her. And it's been great for us because we get a chance to watch her,” Johnson continued.
“This summer let’s see if she can start to win championships over and over again and become a serial champion. That won't be easy, because that women's 100m is probably one of the most difficult races. It'll be very interesting to watch.”