Sha'Carri Richardson ( ; born March 25, 2000) is an American

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

sprinter who competes in the

100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at ...

and

200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400-metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slight ...

. Richardson rose to fame in 2019 as a freshman at

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

, running 10.75 seconds to break the 100 m collegiate record at the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

Championships. This winning time made her one of the ten fastest women in history at 19 years old. In April 2021, Richardson ran a new personal best of 10.72 seconds, becoming the sixth-fastest woman of all time (at the time) and the fourth-fastest American woman in history. She qualified for the

2020 Summer Olympics The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...

after winning the women's 100-metre dash with 10.86 in the United States Olympic Trials. On July 1, it was reported that Richardson had tested positive for

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...

use following her 100 m final at the U.S. Trials, invalidating her win and making her ineligible to compete in the 100 m at the Olympics. After successfully completing a counseling program, she accepted a one-month period of ineligibility that began on June 28, 2021. In July 2023, she became the US national champion in the women's 100 metres at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, running 10.82 seconds. Richardson won gold in the

100 m The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at ...

at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, beating

Shericka Jackson Shericka Jackson (born 16 July 1994) is a Jamaican Sprint (running), sprinter competing in the 60 metres, 60 m, 100 metres, 100 m, 200 metres, 200 m, and 400 metres. In the 100 m, she’s the fifth fastest woman of all time, ...

and

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (''née'' Fraser; born December 27, 1986) is a Jamaican track and field Sprint (running), sprinter competing in the 60 metres, 60 metres, 100 metres, 100 m and 200 metres, 200 m. She is widely regarded as ...

in a new championships record time of 10.65 seconds. On the penultimate day of the 2023 World Championships, she also won gold as part of Team USA in the women's 4 × 100 m relay final with a championship record of 41.03 seconds. On June 22, 2024, Richardson defended her title as the US national champion in the 100-metre sprint event by winning the women's 100 m final in 10.71 seconds ( WL), qualifying for the

2024 Summer Olympics The 2024 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad () and branded as Paris 2024, were an international multi-sport event held in France from 26 July to 11 August 2024, with several events started from 24 July. P ...

in Paris, France, where she won the silver medal in the 100 m and gold in the 4 × 100 relay.

Childhood and early career

Richardson was born in

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, Texas. She is of African-American descent. She was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and an aunt. She graduated from Carter High School, where she ran track and won Texas state titles in the 100 m and 200 m.

2016–2017: Junior career

As a teenager, Richardson won the 100 m title at the AAU Junior Olympics — the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States — in 2016, then another title at the USATF Junior Olympics in 2017.Shacarri Richardon
IAAF. Retrieved August 11, 2019. She made her international debut at the 2017 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships, where she won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 meter relay alongside Gabriele Cunningham, Rebekah Smith, and Tara Davis.

2018–2019: Louisiana State University

In 2018, Richardson enrolled at

and began competing for the LSU Lady Tigers track and field team. She was a finalist in the 60-meter dash at the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. At the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, the 19-year-old completed the second-best female one-day double in history after

Merlene Ottey Merlene Joyce Ottey (born 10 May 1960) is a Jamaican-Slovenian former track and field sprint (running), sprinter. She began her career representing Jamaica in 1978 and continued to do so for 24 years before representing Slovenia from 2002 to 20 ...

, breaking two world U20 records. She won the 100 m with a time of 10.75 s, setting a collegiate record and improving

Marlies Göhr Marlies Göhr ( Oelsner, born 21 March 1958 in Gera) is a former East German track and field athlete, the winner of the 100 metres at the inaugural World Championships in 1983. She ranked in the top 10 of the 100 m world rankings for twe ...

's 42-year-old world U20 best. In the 200 m, she placed runner-up by less than one hundredth of a second in a time of 22.17 s, breaking

Allyson Felix Allyson Michelle Felix (born November 18, 1985) is a retired American track and field athlete who competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. She specialized in the 200 meters from 2003 to 2013, then gradually shifted to the 400 meter ...

's record set at the

2004 Athens Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

. She also ran in the 4 × 100 m relay which finished second. Four days after the NCAA Championships, she announced she would forgo collegiate eligibility after her first year, and sign a professional contract. She trains with former Olympic sprinter

Dennis Mitchell Dennis Allen Mitchell (born February 20, 1966) is an American former college and international track and field athlete, who was a member of the gold medal-winning team in the 4 × 100 metres relay race at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Athletics car ...

and is sponsored by

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...

Professional career

2020: Tokyo Olympics and suspension

Richardson qualified for the

with a 100-meter time of 10.77 seconds at the 2020 United States Olympic Trials. It was 0.13 seconds faster than

Javianne Oliver Javianne Oliver (born December 26, 1994) is an American female track and field sprint (running), sprinter. Oliver finished second in the 60 meters at the 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships for the University of Kentucky. ...

, who finished second. A urine sample that she submitted tested positive for THC metabolites indicating recent cannabis use, which put her participation in the Olympics in doubt. After successfully completing a counseling program, she accepted a one-month suspension by the

United States Anti-Doping Agency The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA, ) is a non-profit, non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization and the national anti-doping organization (NADO) for the United States. To protect clean competition and the integrity of sport and prevent ...

(USADA) that began on June 28, 2021. While Richardson was ineligible for the Olympic 100 meters due to the suspension ending on July 27, 2021, she could have been eligible for the Women's 4 × 100 relay scheduled for August 5, 2021. However, she was not selected, thereby missing the Olympics entirely. Richardson stated that she took the drug to cope with the pressure of qualifying for the Olympics while mourning the recent death of her biological mother. Her suspension was criticized by many individuals and organizations in favor of liberalizing cannabis policies, including

NORML The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML ) is a social welfare organization based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for the reform of marijuana laws in the United States regarding both medical and non-medical use. Ac ...

, members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, and other members of Congress. U.S. President

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

also suggested that drug-testing rules governing athletes could be changed. USADA responded to the criticism by pointing out that as a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, it has an obligation to enforce it in the United States. Furthermore, they stated that changing those rules might be problematic, as the vast majority of the world's nation states consider consuming marijuana a criminal offense. In response to the controversy, in September 2021, the

World Anti-Doping Agency The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA; , AMA) is an international organization co-founded by the governments of over 140 nations along with the International Olympic Committee based in Canada to promote, coordinate, and monitor the fight against d ...

announced that it would conduct a review regarding the prohibited status of cannabis. Cannabis has remained a prohibited drug for Olympic athletes since 1999, though in 2013 the World Anti-Doping Agency increased the level of THC metabolite allowed from 15 ng/mL to 150 ng/mL. Richardson returned to the track at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic, placing ninth – last place – with a time of 11.14 seconds. The Tokyo medalists, Jamaicans

Elaine Thompson-Herah Elaine Sandra-Lee Thompson-Herah (born 28 June 1992) is a Jamaican sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 metres and 200 metres. Regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, she is a five-time Olympic champion, the fastest wom ...

and

, repeated their placements.

2023: World Champion

Richardson wins the 100 m final at the 2023 World Championships On April 8, 2023, she ran the fourth-fastest 100 m by a woman in all conditions, clocking 10.57 seconds with a strong, illegal 4.1 m/s tailwind to win the women's final at the Miramar Invitational. It converts to 10.77 s in still conditions. In May 2023, she secured her first

Diamond League The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising fifteen invitational athletics meetings. The series sits in the top tier of the World Athletics one-day meet competitions. The inaugural season was ...

victory, winning the 100 m in

Doha Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...

with a new meeting record of 10.76 s (+0.9 m/s). In July 2023, Richardson participated at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. On July 7, 2023, Richardson became the US national champion in the 100-metre sprint event by winning the women's 100 m final in 10.82 seconds, qualifying for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. On the third day of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she won her first major individual title on the international stage, winning gold in the women's 100-metre sprint event in a championship record of 10.65 seconds. On August 25, 2023, she won bronze in the women's 200 m final in 21.92 seconds, finishing behind USA teammate Gabrielle Thomas (21.81), and defending women's 200 m world champion

(21:41 CR). She would also go on to win gold as part of Team USA in the women's 4 × 100 m relay final with a championship record of 41.03 seconds. Her relay time of 9.65 seconds was the fastest in history. Sha'Carri's teammates in this event were Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, and Gabrielle Thomas.

2024: Paris Olympics

Richardson began her 2024 season competing in the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon in May, winning in a time of 10.83 seconds. Coincidentally, Elaine Thompson-Herah, the winner of this Diamond League meeting in 2021, finished in last place with a time of 11.30 seconds. "I feel great about my race. I feel like I'm continuing to grow and develop into a mature young lady and a mature athlete", Richardson told the media following her victory. At the 2024 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Richardson defended her title in the women's 100-meter sprint event, winning the final in 10.71 seconds on June 22, 2024, and qualifying for the event at the

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. She did not qualify for the 200 m, however, finishing fourth in the final of the qualifier. At the Olympics

Richardson finished second behind

Saint Lucia Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...

Julien Alfred Julien Alfred (born 10 June 2001) is a Saint Lucian Sprint (running), sprinter. She won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metres, 100 metres event, setting a new List of Saint ...

, who had a faster start out of the blocks and never relinquished her lead. In the women's 4 × 100 relay, Richardson ran the race's

anchor leg The anchor leg is the final position in a relay race. Typically, the anchor leg of a relay is given to the fastest or most experienced competitor on a team. The athlete completing the anchor leg of a relay is responsible for making up ground on the ...

; after a shaky handoff from teammate Gabrielle Thomas, Richardson propelled the U.S. women from third place to first, clinching her first Olympic gold medal. Before crossing the finish line, Richardson turned her head to stare down her closest competitors in one of the game's iconic moments.

Personal life

In 2021, a week before her qualifying race for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Richardson's biological mother died. She knew nothing of her mother's death until she was asked about it by a reporter. Richardson is noted for her long nails and colorful hair on the field, and she has stated that her style is inspired by that of Florence Griffith-Joyner. Richardson is sponsored by

. She wore Nike's Air Zoom Maxfly spikes at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. In 2021, Richardson stated that she has a girlfriend. She gave a Twitter shout-out to the LGBTQ community immediately after her win in June 2021. Richardson identifies as

bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...

. In 2025, she was rumored to be dating fellow track athlete

Christian Coleman Christian Coleman (born March 6, 1996) is an American professional track and field sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 m and 200 m. The 2019 world champion in the 100 meters, he also won gold as part of men's 4 × 100-meter relay. He ...

Achievements

International competitions

Circuit wins

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

: Doha Diamond League ( ), Chorzów Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Zürich Weltklasse **

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

: Prefontaine Classic, Zürich Weltklasse

National titles

* NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships ** 100 m:

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

* AAU Junior Olympics ** 100 m: 2016, 2017 *

USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport. Since the year 1992, in the years which feature a Summer Oly ...

** 100 m:

Namesakes

In 2023, a track at John Kincaide Stadium was renamed the Sha'Carri Richardson Track. November 10, 2023 was declared Sha'Carri Richardson Day in Dallas, Texas.

Awards

* Night of Legends Award 2023: Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year

References

External links

*
Sha'Carri Richardson profile
at LSU Tigers track and field * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Sha'Carri 2000 births Living people African-American track and field athletes American female sprinters African-American LGBTQ people American bisexual women American bisexual sportspeople LGBTQ track and field athletes LGBTQ people from Texas Bisexual sportswomen LSU Lady Tigers track and field athletes Track and field athletes from Dallas United States collegiate record holders in athletics (track and field) USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners 2021 in cannabis 21st-century African-American sportswomen 21st-century American LGBTQ people World Athletics Championships winners NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field 21st-century American sportswomen Diamond League winners