USA track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson, who missed her chance at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, is determined to showcase her “I’m not back, I’m better” spirit for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, fans hoping for a seamless trajectory toward Paris in her 2024 season have been left disappointed. Richardson faced setbacks in two 200-meter races in China as she began the year. At the Suzhou Diamond League, Great Britain’s Daryll Neita clinched the top prize with a season-best time of 22.62, leaving Richardson to finish third with a time of 23.11.

Similarly, in her season debut at the Xiamen Diamond League, 19-year-old Torrie Lewis won the event with a time of 22.96, pushing the reigning 100-meter world champion into second place with a time of 22.99. Richardson is still in pursuit of her first win of this year’s Diamond League season but despite these setbacks, there is hope for redemption as she continues on her path to the Paris Olympics.

The hope for Sha’Carri Richardson to redeem herself

According to Sha’Carri Richardson’s World Athletic stats, although she lost her first two races of the season debut, it’s not as worrying as it seems. She started her season in China, which is way out of her comfort zone and away from her usual home ground, where she typically opens her season, usually in Miramar.

Additionally, Richardson has not competed in any 100m races yet, opting to start with the 200m only, whereas in past seasons, she usually began with the 100m. Her past-season track record demonstrates her dominance in the 100m. In the past season, Sha’Carri Richardson demonstrated her dominance in the 100-meter discipline across various prestigious competitions.

At the World Championships, Richardson claimed first place in the 100-meter event, clocking an impressive time of 10.65 seconds at the Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ in Budapest on August 21, 2023. She also secured the third position in the 200-meter event, completing it in 21.92 seconds at the same venue on August 25, 2023. In the Diamond League, Richardson achieved multiple first-place finishes in the 100-meter discipline.

She clocked 10.88 seconds at Zürich on August 31, 2023, and finished with a time of 10.76 seconds at both Poland on July 16, 2023, and Doha, on May 5, 2023. Furthermore, she continued her winning streak at the National Championships, claiming victory in the 100-meter event at Eugene on July 7, 2023, with a time of 10.82 seconds.

Another reason for her slow start could be that she is holding herself back, considering that her biggest rivals like Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce haven’t announced their debuts yet. Even veteran Olympian Justin Gatlin shared on his Ready-Set-Go podcast why he is not worried about Richardson’s bad start to the outdoor season.

He explained that Richardson’s coach, Dennis Mitchell, usually wants to open up the season with the athlete’s premier event. Gatlin speculated that Richardson might be focusing on building up her stamina through the 200m, which could ultimately help her claim gold in the 100m race at the Paris Olympic Games this August. As we reflect on these stats and predictions, let us see how she could redeem herself and her journey ahead.

What’s next for SCR?

At Eugene’s Prefontaine Classic Diamond League event on May 25th, Sha’Carri Richardson is set to headline the women’s 100m. It’s a highly anticipated moment as Richardson makes her 100-meter debut this Olympic season. The reigning world champion will face tough competition from the likes of the 60m world indoor champion, Julien Alfred of St. Lucia, and Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith of Côte d’Ivoire.

With her title as the reigning 100-meter world champion, the road ahead looks promising for Richardson, playing right into her forte. What are your thoughts on this exciting event and SCR’s journey so far? Comment below and let us know!