Who Is Sha’Carri Richardson? 5 Things to Know About the Track Star

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Who Is Sha'Carri Richardson? 5 Things to Know About the Track Star

Sha'Carri Richardson's career is just getting started, but the track and phenom is already one of the most talked about athletes in recent memory. Born in Dallas, Texas, the sprinter shot to worldwide fame in June 2021 with her stunning victory in the 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. Her 10.86 time was impressive, of course, but she also charmed fans with her signature style — and the adorable hug she gave her grandmother after her win. "Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson," the athlete said during a press conference after the trials. "So my family is my everything. My everything until the day I’m done.” In July 2021, however, Richardson's Olympic dreams came to a possible halt after she tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana. As a result, she was hit with a 30-day suspension and her results from the Olympic trials were disqualified. Her suspension will stretch beyond the beginning of the Tokyo Olympics, but there's still a possibility she could compete in the 100-meter relay race. “I just want to take responsibility for my actions, I know what I did,” the runner said during an interview with Today. “I know what I’m supposed to do and what I’m allowed not to do, and I still made that decision. But I’m not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case.” [jwplayer IT4EfcFi-l3ahXupL] Richardson, who has been very vocal about her mental health battles, told Savannah Guthrie that the recent death of her mother had been a "very heavy" topic for her to deal with while competing in the trials. “People don’t understand what it’s like to have to — alright, people do,” she explained. “We all have our different struggles. We all have our different things we deal with, but to put on a face, to have to go in front of the world and put on a face and hide my pain, I don’t know. … Who am I to tell you how to cope when you’re dealing with pain? Or you’re dealing with a struggle that you’ve never experienced before? Or that you never thought you’d have to deal with?” The track star said that she learned of her mother's death from a reporter, who told her about it during an interview days before the trials were set to begin. “I was just thinking it would be a normal interview,” Richardson told Today. “But to hear that information coming from a complete stranger, it was definitely triggering, it was definitely nerve-shocking.” Keep scrolling to learn more about Richardson: [podcast_block]

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1. She Was Raised by Her Grandmother

Richardson grew up with her grandmother, Betty Harp, and her aunt. “My grandmother is my heart, my grandmother is my superwoman,” she said after the June 2021 Olympic trials. “To be able to have her here, at the biggest meet of my life and being able to run up the steps and knowing that I’m an Olympian now. ... Honestly, that probably felt better than winning the race itself.”

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2. She's One of the Fastest Women in History

In April 2021, the sprinter ran the 100-meter in 10.72 seconds, making her the sixth fastest woman of all time and the fourth fastest American woman of all time. When she was just 19, she ran the 100-meter in 10.75 seconds during the 2019 NCAA championships, becoming one of the 10 fastest women in the world as a teenager.

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3. She Counts Wilma Rudolph and Florence Griffith Joyner as Inspirations

The athlete has said her grandmother inspired her sparkly nails, but she's proud to follow in Flo-Jo's manicure footsteps. "If the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn’t have long nails," she told the Associated Press.

Both Griffith Joyner and Rudolph drive her when she's working toward her goals. “Those two were the mix of the athlete I wanted to be,” she explained. “An athlete that shows I know where I came from and been through things, but I’m not going to allow that to define me, and to always present myself in a way that is dominant — but that is also appealing.”

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4. Her Hair Color Choices Have Meaning

Richardson is famous for her brightly colored hair, which she chooses based on her moods. “It means to stand out so I am visible and able to be seen,” she told the Orange County Register of the yellow-orange shade she chose for the Olympic trials. “My girlfriend picked this color because it’s loud and, honestly, dangerous. She said you need to look the best and be the best.”

In an interview with the Olympics website, she further elaborated on her hue choices. “The color is based off how I want to feel," she explained. "Like, the red puts me in a very dominating mood. And sometimes I feel that can be overwhelming, so when I need to calm down I have black hair. The black calms me and makes me blend in instead of being extra."

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5. She Competed for Louisiana State University

Before going pro, Richardson ran for the LSU Tigers. She placed first in the 100-meter race at the 2019 NCAA championships and was the runner-up in the 200-meter. Both of her times were world records for athletes under age 20.