Sha'Carri Richardson: Why my heart is my brain and my emotions are my superpowers
Richardson opens up about embracing her “softness and femininity” without neglecting the driving force behind her success.
Athletics
Successfully navigating tortuous times, Sha’Carri Richardson has reinvented herself on the track and, more importantly, off it, embracing her “softness and femininity”.
While the two-time Olympic medallist and double world champion is happy to have made some serious strides in her personal growth, she has not abandoned the driving force behind her success.
“My heart is my brain. My emotions are my superpower, and at the same time, they’re my kryptonite. I cannot walk into a race without fully feeling the emotions from training, or the emotions from the motivation, or the inspiration I get from my fans, my family,” Richardson told Essence.
“So when I walk out onto the track, that is what my heart is filled with, and that is the adrenaline that gets me going. As soon as my foot, my spike, hits the track, my heart confirms that I am exactly where I’m supposed to be and who I am.”
Sha'Carri Richardson: I love the softness and femininity that I’m able to walk in
Richardson’s talents, coupled with her ‘superpowers’, have cemented her status as one of the most recognisable athletes in her sport.
The 24-year-old track star won the 100m world title in Budapest in 2023 clocking a championship record of 10.65 seconds. The time ranks her joint fifth on the all-time list. She added the 200m bronze medal before winning the women’s 4x100m relay title at the same championships.
Richardson upped the ante at this year’s Paris 2024 Olympics where she clinched the 100m silver medal and anchored the US quartet to victory in the relay event.
The US sprinting ace has come a long way since she first announced herself on the global scene, crediting the support from her “people” such as friends and family. While her inner circle provide Richardson with a crucial safety net, they also keep her in check should she step out of line.
“I feel like being with people who pour into me has shown me I’m everything that I know that I want to give out to the world, and I know I’m everything that I feel in myself,” Richardson said.
“There was a time I felt stuck, and now I feel like I love the softness and femininity that I’m able to walk in. I have people that I know that if I fall backward, they’re right there.
“I know I have a community right here that understands, that cherishes me, as well as will correct me and let me know when I’m wrong. My relationships have definitely helped me be gentle with myself.”