5 things to know about Dallas native, sprinting sensation Sha’Carri Richardson

Carter HS graduate Sha’Carri Richardson is now an Olympian after winning the 100-meter final at last month’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in a season-best 10.71 seconds.

Richardson, outside of the Olympics, has won everything in her path. She’s taken home numerous prep, collegiate and world championship titles.

The Dallas native takes the track at the Stade de France in Paris with her only solo event being the 100-meters after she failed to qualify for the U.S team in the 200-meters. Her Olympic journey will begin on Friday, Aug. 2 at 4:50 a.m. in the preliminary rounds of the women’s 100 meters.

Here are five things to know about Richardson.

1. She made history her first year of college

In 2019 as a freshman at LSU, Richardson broke the collegiate record in the women’s 100-meter dash by winning in 10.75 seconds at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin. It was the fastest time in the world that year and broke the collegiate record (10.78 by LSU’s Dawn Sowell) that had stood since 1989.

LSU coach Dennis Shaver’s reaction to the history mirrored Richardson’s typical focus on the future: He had to start getting Richardson prepared for the 200 about 40 minutes later.

But later reflecting on the milestone, Shaver still wasn’t shocked.

“When you have high expectations, you’re not surprised when great things happen,” Shaver said. “She’s a cool cat.”

2. She’s a five-time state champion

While her sophomore year of high school might’ve appeared to be a success — she won the 100m Class 4A state title and finished second in the 200 — Carter coach Lauren Cross recognized a change in her pupil’s demeanor.

Richardson couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“I’m not going to lose anymore,” she told Cross then. “I’m going to work hard. I don’t care — blood, sweat, tears. I’m going to achieve these times and goals.”

Richardson graduated from Carter in 2018 as a five-time individual state champion (three titles in the 100 and two in the 200). She also won two 4x100 relay gold medals and two team titles with Carter. She was named The Dallas Morning News’ Girls track athlete of the year in 2017.

3. She missed the Tokyo Olympics

Her voice wavered as she apologized for failing a drug test during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials because of marijuana use, a result that kept her from competing in the women’s 100-meter dash at the Tokyo Olympics.

Richardson accepted a 30-day suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for THC, the active agent in marijuana.

While Richardson’s suspension, which backdated to June 28, ended before the women’s 100-meter heats started July 30 in Tokyo, the test result disqualified her trials performance and U.S. team selection.

She took responsibility for violating anti-doping rules to cope with the death of her biological mother days before her trials races. She said she used marijuana to “hide my pain” while grappling with the unexpected news, their complicated relationship and the mounting outside pressure ahead of the biggest races of her life.

Richardson was set to arrive in Tokyo as a favorite for gold in the 100 meters, an event the U.S. hasn’t won since 1996, and as one of the most recognizable athletes at the Games.

At a meet in April 2021, she logged a 10.72-second finish, the sixth-fastest women’s 100-meter time in history at the time. At the trials, Richardson captivated viewers with her fire-orange dyed hair that flowed free from a ponytail, trademark long fingernails and outgoing personality.

4. ‘I’m not back, I’m better’

After returning to competition Richardson wasn’t immediately successful. In her first performance since her Olympics-dooming suspension, she finished last among nine women in the 100-meter dash at the Prefontaine Classic on Aug. 21, 2021.

But moments later, she reverted back to typical form: proud, defiant and confident in assuring fans her result didn’t foreshadow what was to come.

“Count me out if you want to,” Richardson said in an on-track interview with NBC just after the race. “Talk all the [expletive] you want because I’m here to stay. I’m not done. I’m the sixth fastest woman in this game, ever. And nobody can ever take that from me. Congratulations to the winners, but they are not done seeing me yet. Period.”

Richardson’s trackside declaration would prove to be prophetic.

The Dallas native qualified for her first-ever World Track and Field Championships in July of 2023 with her wins in the 100m and 200m at the U.S. Track Championships last summer.

“I’m here to say, ‘I’m not back, I’m better,’” Richardson declared after completing her comeback and taking the women’s 100m national title.

Richardson would go on to take the world by storm in winning the gold medal at the 2023 World Track and Field Championships in the 100 meters in a time of 10.82 seconds.

5. Olympic Trials victory, berth to Paris

After the most successful year of Richardson’s career in 2023, she only had one bullet point left on her sprinting resume to fill in: become an Olympian.

She did just that at last month’s U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials when she blew away the field and won the 100 meters in a season’s best time of 10.71 seconds.

Richardson entered the stands at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon shortly after her victory and found her grandmother Betty Harp. Harp, who was shown frequently on the NBC broadcast, raised Richardson.

Richardson will head to the Olympics as a favorite for the gold medal, as she’s not only the 2023 World Champion in the event, but with her 10.71 in Eugene being the fastest time run in the world this year by more than half a second.

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