From “Just Do It” to “So Win,” Nike took a long time to land. But boy, the brand’s latest commercial has come with a bang. It chose two most effective fields to launch it, first on the eve of the Super Bowl, and second, highlighting the female athletes who have repeatedly proven themselves. Fortunately, Sha’Carri Richardson has graced that list of athletes, and if you look closely, the brand’s latest drop has come at the right time for her. How so? Be quick enough to note Noah Lyles’s comment on her. You might explore the storyline. 

On March 1 this year, Noah shared a YouTube podcast link on his X-handle. As per him, it was his first interview since the Olympics, and he gave it to the Toure Show. However, in the podcast, in one situation, the Olympic champion shared his unfiltered verdict on the best face in women’s track and field sports.

As he said, “Sha’Carri isn’t the world’s best, Julien Alfred is.” Clearly, his logic was based on the performances of two firebrand athletes in the Paris Olympics. Who doesn’t know that Julien was the topper in the women’s 100m Olympic event, defeating Sha’Carri Richardson? She blazed through her competitors. However, Noah remained too blunt while sharing this truth on the podcast. But the catch came later. 

On March 1, a few hours after Noah’s comment, Nike shared a snippet (intentionally or unintentionally, you never know) on its latest campaign featuring Sha’Carri Richardson on X.

The post’s caption went, “Sha’Carri Richardson knows her place. It’s first.” The campaign is a part of the “So Win” series. Have you noticed the eerie timing of the sharings? If you haven’t, look for the words added in the campaign. 

The 15-second-long clip posted by Nike has Sha’Carri’s voice in the background while showing her in the track persona. Well, the voice says, “People will be quick to tell you need to learn your place. So I did. It’s first.” Do these lines sound like something debunking Noah’s claim? You can take a call. But the debate shouldn’t have come. 

Last year, the St. Lucian had the moment of her life. She bagged the Olympic gold in the women’s 100m event, finishing her race in her lifetime best timing of 10.72 seconds. She also had a second-place finish in the women’s 200m event at the Paris Olympics- the event where Sha’Carri couldn’t qualify. Consider her performance in the World Athletics Indoor Championships and Millrose Games last year. Well, SCR was at the Millrose Games to clap at Julien. However, you can’t ignore SCR’s presence in the story. The golden lioness attracts attention every single time she roars on a track.

Remember the Dallas native sprinter’s comment after her appearance in the Prefontaine Classic 2021? Sha’Carri, however, had a disappointing result that day in the women’s 100m event against the Jamaican trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson. But she didn’t bow to the condition. After finishing the event, she even had to face a smirk from Shelly-Ann in front of the camera. But the American sprinter’s indomitable spirit stood apart. And again, she didn’t bow down. 

Instead, Sha’Carri Richardson claimed something serious in front of the same camera. She said, “Congratulations to the people that won. But they’re not done seeing me yet, period.”

In the next few years, SCR took her revenge over those three top-league athletes. Interestingly, her world championship title in the women’s 100m event came after defeating Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson two years ago in Budapest. Noteworthy: Julien Alfred was in the same race. She finished it in 10.93 seconds, claiming fifth position. So, what’s the outcome of the story?

Interesting fact: Last year, SCR had the world-leading time in the women’s 100m event (10.71 seconds). You may have spotted it by now. Sha’Carri Richardson just can’t simply be written off. Whenever the world pushes her down, she comes back. And believe her, she has just started. Look at her comments from last year. 

Sha’Carri Richardson carries the light with her

She did miss the first-place finish in the Paris Olympics. She also missed winning a few Diamond League games last year. But she faces someone like a bubble, just coming up without caring about doubts and questions. Four years ago, she had to face questions after facing a suspension from the Tokyo Olympics-bound team.

Still, she returned with a bang. In Paris, her iconic performance in the anchor position of the women’s 4x100m relay event earned Team USA the gold medal. Remember, her relay performance came after failing in the women’s 100m event final. Thus, it was all about her determination to turn the world upside down. 

The world might have a few more opportunities to witness such successful statements from the 24-year-old in the future. How? Last year, in her exclusive interaction with Essence, she explained a few things.

Richardson, in fact, said, “I just feel like everything in my life is brighter now. I don’t have any darkness weighing me down, even within myself. I’m just at a different point in my life, where I’m not in survival mode—I’m in a loving energy.”

Therefore, dear world, be ready to witness more fireworks and fewer debates on superiority.