Buckle up, folks! This is the race that’s going to blow the roof off the track! After all the whispers, rumors, and speculation about a potential beef between Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas, the wait is finally over after three years. These two titans of track might face off in the Ultimate Championship and trust me, this is going to be one for the history books. Ever since World Athletics dropped the bomb about the new Ultimate Championship, set to kick off in Budapest in 2026, fans have been going wild. Everyone’s hoping to see Sha’Carri and Gabby battle it out for the win but will they?

The inaugural championship is going down at the Budapest National Athletics Centre, and it’s going to be wild. Over 400 athletes will be racing in events like the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, and 5000m, plus the high hurdles and those epic 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relays. There’s a massive US$10 million prize pool, with each winner taking home $150,000. This event will happen every two years. Now, the question is: will it be possible for Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas to complete amid the beef going on between the two?

The drama behind Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas’ rivalry—What’s next?

The rivalry between Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas has been widely discussed in recent times. Their story commenced in 2021 when Richardson—the emerging talent in the 100-meter race—was barred from competing in the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive drug test for marijuana. Following her suspension of 30 days as a consequence of this incident, she was unable to participate in the anticipated 100-meter event in the Tokyo Olympics. Richardson shared that she turned to the substance to deal with the loss of her mother and received support from her fans, who went as far as considering a boycott of the Olympics in solidarity with her.

 

But Thomas, who was also aiming for gold at that time, voiced her frustration on social media, urging people to support all athletes, not just Sha’Carri Richardson: “There are so many black athletes who have put in YEARS of hard work for this moment—myself included. We want your support,” she posted. The tension didn’t stop there. Richardson, then in a now-deleted tweet, fired back, questioning why some athletes who hadn’t beaten her were commenting on her situation.

“Athletes that haven’t and will never beat me have a lot to say about or surrounding my situation. When most of them have said nothing to me showing their characters that y’all don’t see behind the races,” she wrote. Despite the drama, both women have continued to prove themselves on the track, with Thomas clinching Olympic gold in the 200m at the Paris Games in 2024, finishing with a time of 21.83 seconds. Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson took silver in the 100m behind Julien Alfred.

Now, with both women having secured their places as elite sprinters, fans are eager to see what’s next for them. The excitement surrounding their rivalry is far from over, especially after their performances in Paris. The question remains: could this new clash lead to an even bigger showdown in upcoming championships?

This dream team face-off will blow your mind

One fan was super pumped, saying, “The mixed 4x100m relay is going to bring so much excitement! Usain Bolt, Florence Griffith-Joyner, carl lewis Carl Lewis, as one of only four Olympic athletes to have won nine Olympic gold medals, a, and shelly who is  would be a dream team for the ages. Who’s on your fantasy squad?” Can you even picture it? That’s a lineup of legends right there.

Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive with eight Olympic golds and world records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Then there’s the late, great Flo Jo, who set the world records in the 100m and 200m back in ’88—still the fastest woman ever. Carl Lewis, with his nine Olympic gold medals, is one of the few to ever pull that off. And Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who’s the third-fastest woman of all time at 10.6 seconds in the 100m. This squad could totally take over any relay, right?

One fan shared their dream 4x100m fantasy team, saying, “My dream 4×100 m fantasy team is @Melissajanae21, Sha’Carri Richardson, @LylesNoah, and @fkerley99. That event should be in the @Olympics too along with steeplechase mile; 200m hurdles; and 4x200m, 4x800m, 4x1500m, mixed 2x2x400m, and mixed 2x2x800m relays along with SMR and DMR!” If that was the team, it would totally be the 2024 supers. Imagine it—Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, both having been the fastest man and woman of 2023. Sha’Carri Richardson took silver in Paris, while Lyles clinched gold in the 100m. That would be a squad to beat, no doubt!

One fan put together their dream fantasy team, saying, “Dream fantasy team – Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri, Coleman Gabby….” That’s definitely a team that would turn heads, especially with the rivalry between Sha’Carri and Gabby. The way things played out in the Paris Olympics makes it even more interesting. Richardson had been the face of US track and field since the 2023 World Championships, but in Paris, she didn’t quite hit the mark. She took silver in the 100m and helped Team USA grab gold in the 4x100m relay, but missing out on the 100m gold and failing to qualify for the 200m shifted the spotlight away from her.

Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas really made a statement, snagging gold in the 200m and becoming the first American woman to do so since Allyson Felix in 2012. She was also a key player in Team USA’s relay wins, taking gold in both the 4x100m and 4x400m. On top of her athletic success, Thomas has been earning praise for her academic achievements, holding a Master’s degree in Public Health, which has made her even more inspiring. With Richardson representing Nike and Thomas being the face of New Balance, the rivalry is only going to get hotter. But fans want to see them play as teammates, not competitors.

One fan added,

“Shelly Anne, Elaine Thompson Herah, Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson.” That’s a Jamaican dream team! And honestly, who can argue with that? Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a legend, with a personal best of 10.60 seconds in the 100 meters, making her the third-fastest woman in history. Elaine Thompson-Herah isn’t far behind, holding a personal best of 10.54 seconds, the second-fastest time ever. Even her 200m record time is considered as the third-fastest in history.

Oblique Seville has emerged as a rising talent, in Jamaica following Usain Bolt’s time in the spotlight. He showcased his skill by achieving a record of 9.82 seconds at the 2024 Racers Grand Prix where he outperformed world champion Noah Lyles. He then surpassed this feat by clocking in at 9.81 seconds at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Seville’s performance is definitely putting him in the spotlight as one of the top sprinters of the new generation. To top it off, Thompson stunned everyone in 2024, clocking a jaw-dropping 9.77 seconds at Jamaica’s Olympic trials, making him the fastest man of the year and adding a silver in the 100m in Paris. Jamaica’s sprinting talent is absolutely on fire right now!

One fan threw out this awesome matchup: “Shelly,Shericka,kishane ,Oblique 🇯🇲 Vs Fred,Noah,Shaccari,TT.” It would be absolutely crazy to witness a competition, between Jamaica and the USA. Envisioning the best sprinters from Jamaica going up against the talents from the United States is truly exciting stuff. If these two teams ever go head to head in a showdown of proportions; it’s a matchup that will surely be etched into the annals of history. However; there’s a twist, within the US team itself. With Fred Kerley and Noah Lyles already locked in a rivalry; tensions are sure to escalate as these two athletic powerhouses collide on the track!

Recently, Kerley has really raised the stakes in the situation! During his Instagram session, Kerley was very straightforward and mentioned that Noah Lyles should refrain from mentioning him if he wants to avoid any trouble. He even went on to say, “Noah can’t do that to me—no disrespect, but I’d slap the s**t out of him.” Even though they’re both from the United States of America, their rivalry is evident as they strive to become the leading sprinters.

Lyles had a massive 2023, winning three golds at the World Championships and snagging 100m gold at the Paris Olympics, while Kerley’s also been killing it with a 100m gold at the 2022 World Championships and an Olympic bronze in Paris. Let’s see what happens next because this could get seriously exciting!