Sha’Carri Richardson versus Gabby Thomas. After the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics, this is the next big discussion. While Richardson was slated to win gold in the 100m event, her silver medal, though a huge accomplishment, disappointed Americans. She did win a gold in the Women’s 4x100m Relay. However, in comparison to her, Thomas walked away with three gold medals. This started a huge debate.

Raes Take TV shared a post by Track Spice on X from August 15 that shows Thomas appearing in several interviews and talk shows, including The Daily Show, Vogue, and GQ. The original post labeled the neurobiology student as an “Icon“, and Raes TV’s post agreed with that and also went on to throw some subtle shade at Richardson.

“Can’t be the golden girl without the Gold. WC is cool, but you DEFINITELY can’t loose in the Olympics. Not in front of the world Jack. Don’t play that. They just switched Sha’carri out for Gabby faster than the women’s 4×4 relay,” read the caption of the post, evidently sneering at Sha’Carri Richardson for not fulfilling people’s expectations.

However, fans aren’t so sure that Richardson should be discounted like this. And they have good reasons too.

Thomas is much more experienced when it comes to the Olympics. Though she won gold in Paris, let us not forget her Tokyo 2021 performance. She made her Olympic debut in Tokyo and won a bronze medal in 200m and a silver medal in the 4×100-meter relay. She didn’t win a single gold back then.

Similarly, Paris was Richardson’s Olympic debut. Walking away with a silver and a gold isn’t that bad, is it? Despite it being a huge achievement, why were people disappointed? Well, Richardson set an expectation amongst her fans, and when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew because of an undisclosed injury, people were confident the American would blaze through the track. But Julien Alfred stunned everyone with her 10.72 seconds and grabbed gold.

She took the first-ever Olympic medal to her island country of Saint Lucia. But the same disappointed Richardson’s fans.

Both Richardson and Gabby are two of the most decorated and celebrated female sprinters in the USA right now. But the Paris Olympics has divided track and field fans. They wonder who is the better face for America’s track and field community. What did they say?

Did Sha’Carri Richardson disappoint her fans?

In the fan banter below Raes Take TV’s post, a fan comment made sure to show their support for Gabby Thomas. “She’s relatable to this generation but Gabby deserves all the praise and love, she’s a champion!!” confesses Justin’s comment.

Richardson surely has a shorter list of accolades than her teammate. Thomas is a celebrity name whose fame has transcended beyond the world of track and field. She is not just a star athlete, but a Harvard graduate and a science nerd. Yes, she studied Neuroscience with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy!

But Richardson is no less. Her ability to set herself apart from every other athlete has made her a household name and a role model. Hence, a fan mentioned, “Love Gabby, but Sha’Carri will always be in demand as long as she runs well bc of her personality.”

Well, not just her personality, but her story too has inspired many. While Paris was her Olympic debut, did you know that she was originally supposed to be a part of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics? Unfortunately, the former LSU star was disqualified after testing positive for THC- a banned substance. As per her admission, she used it to cope with the loss of her mother. Those who knew her story and saw her eventually win medals in Paris stood beside her.

“Sha’carri is still the girl idc how much yall try to tske her out her spot,” wrote a fan.

She even openly spoke about her mental health struggles. That’s something Simone Biles has done too. Her Tokyo 2021 mental health struggles led her to a redemption tour in Paris and she surpassed people’s expectations. People had similar expectations from Richardson.

• “SR is relatable & talented but lacks the champion mindset.“
• “Why would they be talking about Shacarri when Gabby got the most medals?“

Well, it looks like Richardson, and Thomas’s fanbases have quite a lot of valid pointers. But why not have many faces representing the sport? After all, track and field isn’t as popular as some other sports in the country.

To change this, World Athletics and USA Track & Field are working on a plan together. If things go as per their strategy, the sport could be the fifth most popular sport in the country by the time the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics comes close. Having several star athletes represent the sport in the US will only further help. Don’t you think?