“Is she a little bit like Flo-Jo?” This was what NBC commentators were pondering once they happened upon the exuberant Sha’Carri Richardson, who seems to be a likeness of the great Flo-Jo. Ever since she burst into the scene, Richardson has been on the frontlines – the person who has picked up the torch left behind by the iconic Florence Griffith Joyner. The two have a lot in common, from their abilities to their pop-culture impact.

Florence Griffith Joyner was pretty much a trendsetter when it came to her sartorial statements and overall aesthetics – possessing both style and substance. With this aesthetic came a recurring trend of many celebrities aping the late Flo-Jo’s iconic looks. In 2018, Beyonce spared no opportunity to dress up as the track icon for Halloween, down to her Adidas leotard in fluorescent purple, her lustrous black hairdo, and the works. Now, 26 years after her untimely demise, we witness another worthy heir and successor to the inimitable Flo-Jo.

Sha’Carri Richardson might be all of 24, but her sense of style oozes with drip and elan. She was seen with long painted nails and vivid wigs in a profusion of colors at the World Championships and Diamond League as well, closely mimicking Flo-Jo. However, despite her apparent greatness, Sha’Carri Richardson can’t seem to escape the internet trolls. 

One such instance happened in 2019 when Richardson first became a big name in sports. The former Louisiana State University champion broke the 100m collegiate record with a ridiculous 10.75s dash, even though she attended LSU for just a year. This score was her claim to fame. Suddenly, she was ruling the roost as a new-age track and field superstar. But that opened her up to some nasty trolling, particularly because of her different yet reminiscent hair. The trolling became so extreme that even Flo-Jo’s daughter had to step in to show Richardson her full support.

With many continuously trolling Richardson for her nails and hair, she gave them a fitting reply through her Instagram account. The then-freshman posted two pictures of Flo-Jo, writing, “Y’all love talking about my hair & my nails like the greatest woman to ever enter the game didn’t run in style. Keep hating the player.” This statement by Sha’Carri Richardson brought on an unexpected ally for her – Mary Ruth Joyner, Flo-Jo’s daughter. In an encouraging comment, Mary wrote, “Don’t worry about them. Just keep being the best and doing you. Congratulations.” 

Flo-Jo’s influence extends traditional boundaries with her clapping back at her naysayers, too, in the past, who questioned her quirky and flashy fashion choices by saying, “Don’t know, I’ve just always been attracted to having long nails, and I wanted to decorate them.” While the hate Sha’Carri Richardson got for her aesthetics when she started out may have been hurtful, she never showed signs of it affecting her. And Mary Ruth Joyner’s support would’ve only increased her self-confidence and helped her embrace who she really is. In fact, in 2021, she made a very compelling case for her fashion sense.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Sha’Carri paid tribute to Flo-Jo, saying, “The way she did that was graceful. I always liked that. If the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn’t have long nails.” Was this and her 2019 post enough to silence the trolls? Sadly, it wasn’t. But it did show the huge amount of respect Richardson had already garnered in the sporting world while just being a freshman. But that was the beginning. Now, Richardson’s similarities to Flo-Jo haven’t just become the talk of the town but are also celebrated.

Two talents and fashion icons: how Sha’Carri Richardson carried Flo Jo’s torch

The core philosophy of Flo-Jo was to “dress good to look good. Look good to feel good. And feel good to run fast!” Richardson, too, has bought into it completely. From her ditching her wig during the U.S. Track and Field Championship in 2023 to wearing some of the most zany items, Richardson has become a fashion icon just as Flo-Jo did back in the day. Richardson flaunts vivid nail designs, and innumerable body ink has cemented her as a modern-day Flo-Jo.

Richardson, in 2023, also mentioned that fashion is the cradle of civilization for her. She did away with her wig during the U.S. Track and Field Championships ahead of her 100m race. There was a clear-cut rationale behind this as well. “I want to show you guys that I am still that girl, but I am better. I am still that girl, but I am stronger. I am still that girl, but I am wiser. So I had to shed old and present new.” How far does her visual panache go, though?

In an article by The Guardian, Eric Darnell Pritchard, a professor at the University of Arkansas’ English department, added, “We see it in Richardson’s statement ‘I am that girl,’ but we also see it in her aesthetics. It is imperative for black women to do and be supported in doing it because it is not space that is freely given to them in the world.”

However, the core difference between Flo-Jo and Richardson is that they have highly distinct tastes. While Flo-Jo’s iconic one-legged bodysuits became a core part of pop culture, Richardson’s myriad tattoos and creatively painted nails have had a similar impact. Both embraced the contributing factors that may have led to some trolling because they believed in their abilities.  

That’s what turned them into inspirational figures – they knew when to strike back. And they certainly understood the value of being their authentic selves.