Sha’Carri Richardson, the silver medallist in the 100m at the Paris Olympics, has been a vibrant and dynamic presence in women’s sprinting since she first gained attention in 2019. Despite her accomplishments, legendary sprinter Michael Johnson believes that Richardson has not yet reached her full potential.
Richardson gained global recognition when she stunned Jamaican stars Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to win the 100m title at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. She achieved a personal best time of 10.65 seconds, cementing her status as one of the fastest women in the world. Following that victory, Richardson solidified her reputation as a formidable competitor, even though she narrowly missed Olympic gold in Paris, finishing second to Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred. Nevertheless, Richardson ended the season with the fastest recorded time of 2024, clocking 10.71 seconds.
Michael Johnson, an eight-time world champion and four-time Olympic gold medallist, has expressed confidence in Richardson’s potential, particularly under the guidance of her coach, Dennis Mitchell. Johnson noted that Mitchell’s approach complements Richardson’s fiery personality, which is crucial for her growth as an athlete. In his view, Richardson has extraordinary talent but needs tailored training to maximize her performance at major championships.
Johnson shared his perspective during a Netflix docuseries on sprinting, where he spoke about the dynamic between Richardson and Mitchell. He also reflected on his long-standing relationship with Mitchell, who was once his competitor and later became a friend. Johnson believes Mitchell has the expertise and temperament to guide Richardson to further success.
Richardson’s journey to stardom began in 2019 when, as a freshman at Louisiana State University, she broke the collegiate 100m record at the NCAA Championships with a time of 10.75 seconds. This achievement made her one of the ten fastest women in history at just 19 years old. Two years later, she ran a personal best of 10.72 seconds, becoming the sixth-fastest woman of all time at that point and the fourth-fastest in American history.
However, Richardson faced significant challenges on her path to success. In 2021, she lost her biological mother and turned to cannabis for emotional support. This led to the invalidation of her 100m victory at the US Trials, making her ineligible to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Despite this setback, Richardson has rebounded, demonstrating her resilience and determination.
With the difficulties of the past behind her, Richardson and her coach are now focused on an iconic 2025 season. The pair aims to defend her 100m title at the World Championships in Tokyo and continue building on her remarkable achievements.