As Sha’Carri Richardson’s Health Becomes National Issue, Track Legend Michael Johnson Questions Coach’s Style of Training: “Athletes Today Defer 100% to Their Coaches”

Sha’Carri Richardson is firing on all cylinders for next month’s World Championships in Budapest. After experiencing some turbulent times in the past 2 years, the 23-year-old prodigy is on a roll. With some great performances in the recent U.S. Championships, Richardson is set to compete in a few races before the World Championships.

However, a sports publication and former athlete have raised concerns about her health, given her competing in multiple races in a short time. One former Olympian took to Twitter to question the strategies being implied by Richardson and her coach.

Michael Johnson questions Sha’Carri Richardson’s coach

The world of track and field was stirred up recently when U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson retweeted a tweet from the Track and field reports. This tweet discussed the training strategy of Dennis Mitchell, who coaches the highly talented Sha’Carri Richardson. Richardson recently ran two 100m races on the 16th and 18th of July and will also compete in another on the 23rd of July. The tweet sparked discussions about the rationale behind such an intense training schedule. While retweeting, Johnson, a multiple Olympic gold medalist also wrote, “Been a while since I was an athlete. Do athletes today defer 100% to their coaches and don’t participate at all in these decisions?” 

As an athlete who has experienced the highest levels of competition, Johnson’s insights carry significant weight. He also implied that the dynamics between coaches and athletes may have evolved since his time on the track. However, his query raised an essential point about the importance of athlete-coach collaboration in optimizing performance and preventing potential burnout or injury.

Read more: Video: Track Sensation Sha’Carri Richardson Roars to a Blistering 21.61s Run at the US Championships

Running multiple 100m races in such quick succession can be a physically and mentally demanding task. Particularly given the intense nature of the sport. With only minimal rest between races and the added challenge of travel days, the strategy seemed to push the boundaries of what is considered conventional in the world of track and field. Richardson’s 2 out of 3 races in a week have given her a mixed bag of results so far.

Richardson’s recent track and field performances

After some great runs in the U.S. Championships, Richardson is all set to prove herself in her very first World Championships next month. Her 1st out of 3 races in a week finished with her defeating Shericka Jackson at the Diamond League in Poland. Richardson came first with a time of 10.76 seconds and defeated Jackson by just .02 seconds. In her 2nd race, she was bested by Julien Alfred, who defeated her with a time of 10.89 seconds in Hungary. This was Richardson’s first 100m defeat of the year. The 23-year-old came into the race with a blistering record of 8-0. She has been competing constantly and her latest loss came in her 8th race in 13 days. This suggests that maybe her intense routine is finally taking a toll on her performances.

With 1st and 2nd place finishes so far, it remains to be seen how Richardson will fare in this challenging week of racing and whether her coach’s approach will yield the desired results.

Watch this story: Sha’Carri Richardson Gets Green Flag for World Championships as Olympic Athlete Won the Women’s 100m in USA Track and Field Championships