Sha’Carri Richardson has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
After winning the 100 meters in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 22, the 24-year-old sprinter originally from Dallas has finally earned an Olympic berth. For real this time.
After struggling through the 2022 season, her revenge tour began in earnest last year, when she ran the fourth-fastest 100 time ever in all conditions (a wind-aided 10.57 clocking) in April of 2023. After she won the 100 at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships to qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she was finally back at the top of her game and ready to take on the world. At the world championships two months later, she blazed through the 100-meter final in a personal best (and wind-legal) 10.65 seconds, outrunning Jamaican rivals Shericka Jackson (10.72) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.77) to win gold in a championships’ record time. She also earned the bronze medal in the 200 and anchored the U.S. 4×100-meter relay to a gold-medal performance.
Richardson’s Olympic gold medal quest will begin in earnest on August 2 with the 100-meter preliminary heats on the purple track of Stade de France. She enters the Olympics ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100 and the U.S. is the favorite to win gold in the 4×100 relay.
It feels good to be on Team USA!” Richardson says.
We caught up with Richardson during these final weeks of preparation. Here are six things you may not know about the fastest woman in the world.
The 5-foot-1 Richardson is known, first and foremost, for her speed, grit, and dedication to family. But fans can’t help but love her colorful hair, long nails, and glam on and off the track. Her long nails are often compared to the late sprinting legend Florence Griffith Joyner (or Flo-Jo), who also had a penchant for long acrylics when she set the still-standing world record (10.49 seconds) and won gold in the 100, 200 and 4×100 at the 1988 Olympics. Although Richardson has toned down some of her stylish accessories this year, she says her style reflects the idea that female athletes can still be creative and showcase beauty while showcasing talent, strength, and hard work. To her, the track is an opportunity to now only display her speed, but her self-expression and who she is as a person. However, once the gun goes off, all thoughts of nails, hair, and jewelry go out the window. “I’m not thinking about my nails when I’m running,” she says. “I am only thinking about executing the best race I can.
