Sha’Carri Richardson Won’t Let Tokyo’s Track and Field Setback Affect Her Bid for the Paris Olympics

The pièce de résistance of the track world has a message for the French Capital that – she is here to besiege and stake claim! Sha’Carri Richardson has definitely earned the GOAT title in track and field. But just like everyone else out there, she has red on her ledger and hopes to wipe the slate clean with her litmus test that is Paris. Tokyo saw her popularity points drastically declining due to her botched drug test driving a spanner in her works, but with 2024 being an incredible year for her, she’s back and better than ever.

From winning the NCAA Championships to the Paris Olympics, Richardson has had an incredible run. Now, with the mega games around the horizon, she is ready to add an Olympic gold to her growing kitty of medals. While preparing for it isn’t an easy feat, Richardson has proven that she’s up for the task. Claiming to consume THC back in Tokyo in 2020 to cope with her mother’s death and with the subsequent bereavement, this year, she is ready to let the ghosts of her past vanish into the afterlife. In 2024, despite losing her sprinting momentum by a little to Jacious Sears, that isn’t stopping her. Even so, harkening back to her 2020 saga is pertinent. What really went down back then?

Richardson’s brunt with drugs and controversy – a tale to tell

Richardson was just coming off the high of effortlessly winning the 100m U.S. Olympics trials. Her stellar performance, with an astounding score of 10.86 seconds, helped her secure a spot in the U.S. Olympics team. But before she could even turn her dreams into reality, a positive drug test for THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) led to a month-long suspension. 

While the drug was legal in the state where the Olympics Trials were held, they’re still banned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The news sent a shockwave, with people picking sides over the use of recreational drug use by professional athletes. Richardson was privy to this knowledge, but gracefully accepted her faux pas and the ban. 

Richardson spoke about the ban on NBC’s Today show, stating “I know what I did, I know what I’m supposed to do … and I still made that decision.” She further clarified that she made the decision to cope with the emotionally distressing news of her mother’s demise right after clinching her 100m win at the trials. While many assumed that the ban would cause a major setback to Richardson’s career, she remained resilient. She stood by her belief that every setback is a setup for a major comeback instead. Keeping this in mind, she was now going to focus on her next big goal: The Paris Olympics.

 Paris is but a stone’s throw away

We are now in 2024, and Richardson hasn’t strayed away from her goal. After winning at the USA Track and Field Championship, she let the world know, “I’m not back, I’m better.” This motto has helped define her approach to both sports and her life. With a new sense of purpose, a now transformed Richardson is pumped for Paris. 

She has continued to remain consistent throughout, by winning gold in the 4x100m relay and 100m track events at the 2023 World Championships. A feat that gave her the title of being the fastest woman in the world for that year. 

Richardson is as much as a star on the track, as she is outside it. As the newest brand ambassador for Olay, she mentions how this collaboration is so significant to her. While Olay has been an essential part of her childhood memories, this also drives home the point that her influence is just as impactful beyond athletics. She has also carved brand partnerships and deals to bolster herself, with the likes of Nike, Powerade and also has her journey, along with other track stars unveiled on celluloid eponymously titled Sprint by Netflix.

Her commitment, vying for Olympic glory, has remained undeterred. “I ain’t going nowhere, I’m locked in, I’m working… I have no plans of letting life, adversity, any obstacle stop me from being in Paris,” Richardson let us in on her mindset for the Olympics.

Sha’Carri Richardson may have her eyes set on the French Capital, but she certainly has a lot to prove and redeem herself from the Tokyo upset. From taking accountability of an unfortunate mistake, to slowly working her way through her adversities, Paris will surely set her against tough contenders.

The world will be on the edge of their seats as Sha’Carri Richardson blazes past all her setbacks swiftly. But will that be enough to achieve what she’s truly vying for – Olympic glory? Only time will tell.