Sha´Carri Richardson wants to be the fastest woman in the world. She also attracts attention with colourful wigs chosen by her partner and long nails
She is 21 years old and doesn't exactly fit the stereotypical athlete box. She is characterised by her prominent eyelashes, long nails and also coloured hair. No wonder she doesn't just attract the attention of the purely sporty type. While her running career began in high school, it wasn't until her first year at Louisiana State University that she began to attract attention from the community, where she collected a number of awards, including the prestigious freshman sports award and the Bowerman Award, the highest individual honor for a college athlete. But after her first year, in June 2019, Richardson announced she was quitting her studies to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a professional athlete.
A sports sensation with the support of her grandmother
But the journey towards dreams isn't always entirely pleasant. Immediately before a key race that subsequently made Richardson a member of the Olympic team, her mother died. However, the athlete described her relationship with her as a very sensitive subject and soon after her victory she ran into the audience to hug her grandmother Betty Harp, who has supported her in her sporting career since childhood. "My grandmother is my heart, she's a superwoman. To have her here and to run across the finish line knowing that I'm an Olympian was just amazing," Richardson said, adding that her family is what keeps her moving forward. "My family has kept me grounded. This year has been crazy, I lost my mom last week, but I'm still here. Even though my mother passed away, I am determined to pursue my dreams and make my family proud," she said soon adding that everyone faces different challenges in life but she still doesn't give up.
In any case, the runner has already made significant progress in fulfilling her dreams by qualifying for the Olympics alone. As she said, "being an Olympian, no matter what else, is truly a dream, my dream since I was growing up. And actually, it's every athlete's dream. So to say I'm happy is still an understatement."
Rainbow Sha'Carri
But Richardson is in the media spotlight not only because she has become a "sports sensation" overnight. In fact, the athlete is also attracting interest because of her (perhaps not very traditionally sporty) appearance. Already at the qualification race she impressed with her long coloured nails and bright hair colour. It is the colour of her hair, or rather the alternation of wigs, that seems to be a defining characteristic of Richardson. And it is also the hair that is behind her public declaration of herself to the LGBT community.
Although Richardson has never made her orientation a topic before (why else, if there was real equality in the world, sexual orientation shouldn't be a big deal), the orange shade she chose for the race was actually, in her words, the work of her friend - who chose orange because it is unnoticeable and also a bit of a danger sign - and actually reflects the nature of the runner. Richardson herself then took to social media to share a rainbow-themed emoji.
Moreover, as the official U.S. Olympic website states, Richardson uses different hair colors to express herself in a certain way. "The color comes from how I want to feel. For example, red can put me in a very combative mood. When I want to calm down, I have black hair. Black calms me down and I simply blend in. And blond, that's the color for the trip home to Texas. Or for when I want to feel at home," explained the athlete herself. And she also told NBC Sports that she has some more tricks up her sleeve with her hair, so everyone should be looking forward to the Olympics...
In the footsteps of Florence Griffith Joyner
Richardson is also being compared to three-time Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner, who is also known for her unmissable style on the track. And Richardson herself often cites her influence. "I want the world to know that I am THAT girl. The way Flo-Jo performed was very elegant, and I always liked that. And if the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there's really no reason why I couldn't have them too," she summed up.
Richardson will be competing at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, scheduled for July 23-August 8, 2021, and has already been challenged to attempt to break the current world record of 10.49 seconds for the 100-meter dash (which is previously unbeaten by the aforementioned Joyner). Richardson responded by saying, "my journey has just begun. "
