Track and field olympian Sha’Carri Richardson is a phenom for more than one reason. Her story first emerged when she was a freshman at Louisiana State University (LSU) where she  ran a 10.75, breaking the 100-meter college record. This brought the spotlight right on Richardson, making her a favorite at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Richardson came from a tough family. Her mother abandoned her at a young age, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Growing up in that situation, she felt intense pressure on her back and even attempted to take her own life in high school. She greatly prides herself in overcoming those obstacles and remains open about her mental health today. 

Despite her struggles, Richardson was deemed a child prodigy. After being inspired by her aunt’s high school medals lying around the house, Richardson took her first step in the sport at a mere nine years old. At 16, she raced in the Amateur Athletic Union (AUU) Junior Olympics and won the title of champion. The following year, she competed in the 2017 USATF National Olympic Junior Track & Field Championships, where she placed 1st in the 100-meter race and 3rd in 200-meter race. By the end of her high school career, she won five Texas state championships. When she got to LSU in 2018, she ran the fastest 60-meter dash in the country. Soon after, she fulfilled one of her biggest dreams by participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

In her run for the Tokyo Olympics, she was disqualified for being under the influence of marijuana and removed from the competition. For the following year, she was nowhere to be found. Her appearances were low in number and made everyone question what happened to the expected star. But at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, she popped her name back in their mouths by winning the women's 100-meter. “I’m not back, I’m better,” she said.

Richardson’s story is the epitome of “never give up.” After being on the rise for so long, she tripped on an obstacle, and that fall was enough to force a pause in her career. Richardson didn’t let that pause take her down, and instead worked to claim back her spot.

More than anything, her energy and passion, and especially her true expression regardless of what others think are what captured the support of numerous fans. In the words of Richardson herself: “I always never give up. Never allow the media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself to define who you are. I would say always fight, no matter what, fight.” 

Information retrieved from The Guardian, The New York Times, Andscape, ESPN, NPR, and Olympics.com