“You Keep Showing Up”: Sha’Carri Richardson Reveals How Her Mindset Affects Her Track and Field Journey

There is a reason Sha’Carri Richardson is one of the most decorated athletes in the world. While qualifying for the Olympics might seem like a routine that comes once in four years, for Richardson, it is not the same. Having made an intense mental connection with track and field by now, Richardson turns up daily to grind under the sun. The US sprinter goes for practice every day at the Montverde Academy of Florida, much to the surprise of her training partners. 

When asked about why Richardson is so dedicated towards running, even when the Olympics are not around, her reply came as an eye-opener. Talking about how she winces, grits her teeth and pushes through the pain, the 24-year-old replied, “You keep showing up… No matter what. Most people, they only think of track every four years. The Olympics, that’s all there is—those few seconds on TV. But for me, track is my life on a day-to-day basis. Everything I do—what I eat, what I drink, if I stay up too late—it’s all reflected on the track. Every choice. That’s what the world doesn’t see.”

For instance, Richardson seemed to be running a bit late for her practice once. When asked, her teammates informed that the US sprinter had an appointment with a dentist. While most athletes would have skipped the day, Richardson showed up. And immediately after a light warm-up, she got set on her mark and started her sprinting practice. Well, it is this exact grit and determination that has made Sha’Carri Richardson a frontrunner to clinch gold at the Paris Olympics. 

Sha’Carri Richardson aims for Paris glory 

Richardson started off her 2024 season confidently but without victories. Running 200m in the Xiamen and Shanghai Diamond League, Richardson clocked 22.99s and 23.11s respectively. She was overshadowed by Torrie Lewis and Daryll Neita, who had scores of 22.96s and 22.62s. However, this setback did not thwart Richardson’s self-belief going forward into the season. And when it was time for her to express herself at the Olympic trials, Richardson went like a tracer bullet through the tracks. 

Appearing in the first round of the heats, Richardson clocked 10.88s. However, what came into the limelight was the fact that Richardson ran with her shoelaces untied. Ultimately, Sha’Carri Richardson clocked a season’s best time of 10.71s to storm her way into the Paris Olympics. Although her dreams of achieving a double suffered a setback via a failed 200m attempt, Richardson will still be eyeing a 100m gold in Paris. Thus, with eyes set firmly on gold, it will be interesting to see whether Sha’Carri Richardson can actually do justice to her name in the upcoming Olympics.