Sha’Carri Richardson soared at the 2024 Paris Olympics, dazzling fans with a gold medal in the 4x100m relay and a silver in the 100m final. Her blistering finishes made it clear, she was back, better than ever, and ready to chase history. Yet, fast forward to 2025, and that same fire didn’t show up in Tokyo.
At the Golden Grand Prix, her first race of the 2025 season, Sha’Carri Richardson finished fourth in the 100m, clocking 11.47 seconds. A headwind of -0.9 m/s certainly slowed times across the board, but this was still her slowest race since 2021, a fact that grabbed attention fast.
Australia’s Bree Rizzo took the win in 11.38, while Sha’Carri’s training partner TeeTee Terry finished second (11.42), and Canada’s Sade McCreath claimed third (11.46). Sha’Carri, meanwhile, struggled off the blocks and never quite found her rhythm. For an athlete whose explosive start and electrifying finishes have become her signature, this was more than a hiccup.
Why the Concern?
Sha’Carri’s Richardson slow start wouldn’t be such a headline if not for the timing and the stakes. This isn’t just any season. The 2025 World Championships are coming to Tokyo, the very city where she was supposed to make her Olympic debut in 2021 before a suspension cut those dreams short. That history makes every race on Japanese soil deeply symbolic for her, and every performance under the Tokyo lights feels magnified.
And then there’s her delayed start to the season. Last year, Sha’Carri hit the ground running early, opening her Olympic year in March and stacking up competitive races through spring and summer. By the time the Paris Olympics rolled around, she was sharp, battle-tested, and on fire, posting a season’s best 10.71 and securing that silver medal.
This year, her season opened mid-May. One race. One 11.47. And plenty of questions.
A Champion’s Past, a Challenger’s Present
History shows Sha’Carri Richardson is no stranger to bouncing back. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, she silenced doubters by blasting a championship record of 10.65 in the 100m, defeating sprint royalty like Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson (10.72) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.77). She followed that up with a personal-best 21.92 in the 200m and another relay gold.
That Budapest campaign proved what’s possible when she’s locked in, not just physically, but mentally. And it’s that mental edge fans are watching for now.
The Tokyo performance raised familiar concerns, fitness, preparation, focus. Is this just early-season rust, or a sign that the grind of elite sprinting is catching up? The clock is ticking.
Can She Sharpen Up for Tokyo?
The good news for Sha’Carri Richardson is she’s been here before. Slow starts have preceded career-defining highs. But if she’s aiming to reclaim her place atop the podium and, more importantly, dominate when the World Championships arrive in Tokyo, she’ll need to find her form fast.
Track and field is unforgiving. One race can shift narratives, but so can a comeback. As we’ve learned with Sha’Carri, doubting her too early can be risky business. But with the world watching, the next race isn’t just about times, it’s about statements.
