Sha’Carri Richardson is a name that has dominated the track world not just with her speed but also her incomparable aura. Richardson faced a major setback in the Tokyo Olympics back in 2021. Despite winning the 100-meter dash in the trials for Tokyo, Richardson could not secure her berth in the Olympics. It was officially announced that she was subjected to a 30-day suspension for testing positive for THC, the intoxicant found in marijuana.

Devastated by the sudden demise of her mother, Sha’Carri Richardson could not gather herself, and the rising graph in the track realm took a backseat. However, Richardson was determined to make a comeback that would be loud enough to announce her victorious return. And she did it. Showing off a personal best of 10.65 seconds in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, she secures a gold in the 100-meter dash. Not only did she win an individual gold but also bagged another gold in the relay and a bronze in the 200-meter. And with such a victory feat, she announced, “I’m not back; I’m better.” However, as it appears, her accolades and wins are still not enough to make her secure a place in the list of top female athletes of track veterans.

Making a comeback in the Worlds, Richardson was gearing up to face the most formidable rivals of hers in the ultimate competitive realm. The 2024 Paris Olympics. However, by this time Sha’Carri Richardson has already attained a larger-than-life status. Richardson continued to rise as she timed 10.71 seconds, and as a national champion of the US, she secured a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics. And with this, she raised the bar of expectations for the track and field community. Although she bagged a team gold in Paris for the US, she failed to win an individual gold medal. In the 100-meter she was just a step behind Julien Alfred and won a silver medal. Still, her list of achievements did not earn her a position among the top five female sprinters.

In a recent episode of Ready Set Go, Rodney Green and Justin Gatlin revealed their choices for the top five female athletes of all time. Rodney Green mentioned the names of Allyson Felix for the fifth position, followed by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the fourth. Then he took the names of Gail Devers and Marion Jones for the third and second positions, respectively, and gave the top podium to none other than Florence Griffith Joyner. With 11 Olympic medals, Felix became one of the top choices of Green, whereas Richardson has just secured just 2 Olympic medals to date. However, on the other hand, Marion Jones, although she has won three golds in the World Championships, has no Olympic medal to flaunt.

Not just Green, but in the list of Justin Gatlin too, Sha’Carri Richardson did not secure a place. Rather, Gatlin took the names of her Jamaican rivals Elaine Thompson Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Gatlin chose Elaine for the way she grabbed two doubles in two consecutive Olympic games. He next took the name of Gail Devers for the third position for the way she competed in five consecutive Olympics. Then Gatlin mentioned Felix’s name for the second position for being the “most decorated” female sprinter. And Gatlin too could not take any other name but Flojo’s for his most favorite female track athlete ever. While Richardson did not secure a place in these lists, she has redefined the track realm with not just her physical prowess and accolades. Rather, it’s also her charm, confidence, and fashion statement.

Sha’Carri Richardson redefines track and field with bold advocacy and fashion game

Well, as mentioned earlier, Sha’Carri Richardson is so much more than her track and field achievements. The US track and field sensation has had a significant impact on the community as a whole. It was Sha’Carri Richardson who broke the stereotypes and introduced fashion in women’s track and field. Richardson’s name has become synonymous with colorful wigs, large nails, and fancy eyelashes. Due to her bold outlook, the US sprinter is often compared with the legendary Florence Griffith-Joyner.

After all, Richardson ardently believes in Flo-Jo’s philosophy: “Dress good to look good. Look good to feel good. And it feels good to run fast.” And remember, her journey was not easy. Back when she made her debut, Richardson was trolled significantly for her choices. However, turning the tide, Richardson has now established her own style statement and is often trending for her fancy picks. And that’s not all. 

Sha’Carri Richardson has actively advocated for the barriers that female athletes have to face. She explained how there is little to no money in the sport. And while events like Athlos NYC are trying to address the issue, the media coverage is still lagging behind significantly. This results in a lot of female athletes being deprived of lucrative contracts and brand endorsements. Richardson also got vocal about the intense online trolling and sexualization that female athletes have to face. 

They are often criticized for their style picks and, even worse, for their body types. In a recent interview with Essence, Richardson addressed the issue, saying, “I feel like that does a disservice to some of our women athletes—who may not be the biggest names or have the biggest contracts, but they still are people.” Thus, with so much of an impact on the current track and field scenario, the ignoring of Sha’Carri Richardson from the list does indeed feel a tad bit sad.