Sha'Carri Richardson thrives off the doubters
- 02 August 2024
In August of 2023, Sha'Carri Richardson dashed towards the finishing line of the 100 metre World Championships in Budapest. In the lead, she raised her arms some five metres away from the tape in pure joy. Five metres is as wide as the Grand Canyon in the world of athletics. For Richardson, what you see is what you get, and what you saw was a 23-year-old phenom from Dallas officially become the fastest woman in the world. Why shouldn't she celebrate like it?
Here, Sha'Carri shares how preserving her sense of realness comes from surrounding herself with the loved ones who'll tell it to her straight, how she views the role of honesty in sport and the thrill she takes in defying the haters.
I'm inspired whenever someone tells me I can't do something. Growing up, when I noticed I was really good at athletics, one of my first role models was Wilma Rudolph. She was literally told from her childhood that she could never walk because of her polio, and she went on to become a champion.
I want my style to separate myself from every other competitor at the starting line. My other big role model was Flo-Jo (Florence Griffith Joyner), definitely. She looked different from the other runners every time she stepped onto the track. You knew she was going to flow. I thought from an early age, if I'm going to do athletics, I want to be at the top just like her.
My generation of female runners need more insight about what to expect at the professional level. I didn't get that when I turned pro, so I want to give that back to the next generation of runners. They deserve to know what they next level of competition is like.
Part of being more than an athlete means being human. When you step onto the track, yes, we see you as a superhero. But I'm not perfect. At the end of the day, you're going to see me eat, you'll see me shop, you'll see me enjoy my family and friends just like the next person. Being a real person is always something I want to reiterate when I use my platform.
A few years ago, I realised I have to be aware of everything I say. It was when my social media followers jumped in 2019 after I broke the collegiate record in the 100m. Everything I tweeted went viral. I thought, whoa, I'm a role model. If y'all are looking at me like that, why wouldn't girls and boys look at me the same way?
"I want to create greatness and give the world a show".
Sha'Carri Richardson, fastest woman in the world
Girls can be role models for boys, and vice-versa. Whoever is putting forth what you want to see for yourself, you can see that person as a role model. Like, I love watching American footballers. They're not holding back. You see the grit, the energy, the tenacity, everything. You're in their world now. When I step onto the track, you're in my world.
Realness needs realness. My family keeps me grounded. They're the ones who can tell me, Sure you run fast, but I still know that little girl from Dallas. When I get on that line, I'm representing all of those people who believe in me and who check me with honesty. Without Team Sha'Carri, there's no Sha'Carri Richardson.
I need to keep up a personal routine to keep my mental health number one. I do way less social media than I used to. I do more breathing exercises. I've been writing more, which is new for me. I used to think sitting down and putting my thoughts down on paper was a waste of time, but no, it's a whole different source of relief for me.
Having a coach who respects what makes you different is a game-changer. My coach and I have a great relationship, and a lot of that comes from how he understands what makes me different. And I'm a lot of different [Laughs]. He knows my personality is core to who I am, so he encourages me to be that person. He doesn't try to change me. I trust him wholeheartedly.
When people think Sha'Carri Richardson, I want them to think someone who's real, someone who knows her reality, her goals, her abilities. Someone who's not comparing herself to the person in front of her or behind her. I want to create greatness and give the world a show.