Known for Honoring Flo-Jo, Sha’Carri Richardson Spills Tea on How Big Momma Inspires Her Style Before Paris Olympics

“Y’all love talking about my hair & my nails like the greatest woman to ever enter the game didn’t run in style,” Sha’Carri Richardson once said, giving a nod to the legendary track and fashion queen Florence Griffith Joyner. Flo-Jo turned heads not just with her unbeatable speed but with her dazzling outfits, nails, and hair, which are still iconic even three decades later, much like her records.

As Sha’Carri gears up to bring this American legacy and gold back to the Olympics in 2024, she’s embracing Flo-Jo’s spirit in her speed and style. “If the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn’t have long nails,” she shared. But did you know that Sha’Carri’s grandmother, Betty Harp, has played a huge role in this tribute to Flo-Jo?

Sha’Carri Richardson reveals her biggest style influencer

In an interview with Wonderland Magazine, Sha’Carri Richardson opened up about her latest partnership with the Beats by Dre team, her Paris Olympics goal, and the massive impact her family has on her life. When asked about always having her nails and hair done, both on and off the track, the 24-year-old replied, “When you look your best, you feel your best. And just like with everything else, if I’m going to do it, I’m going to give 100 percent. That’s something my Big Momma taught me.”

She explained how she puts the same energy into her look and style, adding, “As far as personality, I’m going to be me and show up as me.” Sha’Carri Richardson was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and her aunt, and usually refers to her aunt as her mother and her grandmother as “Big Momma.” Raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and her aunt—whom she calls her mother—Sha’Carri often refers to her grandmother as “Big Momma.”

She has always had amazing things to say about her grandmother, often giving her sweet shout-outs after races. Together, they captured hearts at the 2021 US Trials when she ran straight into her grandmother’s arms after qualifying for the Games. Now, on her path to Paris to fulfill her grandmother’s biggest goal, Sha’Carri has opened up about how important her family is to this dream.

The women behind the reigning 100-meter World Champion

Sha’Carri Richardson once opened up about her family, saying, “Without them, there would be no me. Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson. So my family is my everything. My everything until the day I’m done.” When Wonderland Magazine asked the reigning 100-meter world champion where it all began and how her grandma influenced her, she explained, “The women in my family have had a significant influence on my life. From style to the music I listen to, I can see them in everything I do.”

She also talked about how her family keeps her grounded and how important it is for her to stay connected to them. Sha’Carri Richardson once expressed that her grandmother is her superwoman, emphasizing that Betty Harp’s goal in life was to see her compete at the highest levels in the sport.

As she pursues her dream at the Paris Olympics, aiming to bring back Olympic gold in the 100m for America for the first time since Gail Devers in 1996, it’s evident that her family serves as a tremendous driving force in her journey, both on and off the track. What do you think about this heartwarming family dynamic? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!