After months of speculation and silence, Sha’Carri Richardson is finally set to make her long-awaited season debut and the world will be watching.
The reigning world champion announced via social media this week that she’ll take to the track at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo on May 17-18.
“Go time 🌟,”Sha’Carri Richardson posted to her 486,000+ followers on X (Formerly Twitter).
Season Debut Under the Spotlight
Sha’Carri Richardson’s absence from the early 2025 outdoor season has been one of the sport’s biggest talking points. While sprint stars like Julien Alfred, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Twanisha Terry, and Melissa Jefferson have already opened their campaigns, Richardson has kept fans guessing, until now.
Track analyst Anderson Amerloe of The Final Leg Track & Field believes Richardson’s delayed start isn’t necessarily a red flag.
“This is Sha’Carri’s first race since Brussels last year, where she didn’t have a great outing,” Amerloe noted on his YouTube channel.
“But before that, she won in Zurich ahead of Julien Alfred and took silver at the Olympic Games in Paris. She also clocked a 10.71 at the U.S. Olympic Trials, the fastest time of the season.”
That 10.71, set in Eugene, reminded the world of Richardson’s top-end speed, though a poor showing in the chilly Brussels meet saw her finish a distant eighth.
Is a Sub-11 Possible?
Amerloe believes a sub-11 clocking is within reach.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she opens up with something in the 10.9 range,” he predicted.
“Whether it’s 10.99 or 10.90, it’s realistic. The important thing is that she’s healthy and sharp, especially in her first 10 to 15 meters, historically the weakest part of her race.”
Sha’Carri Richardson’s wild card status as the defending 100m world champion also means she hasn’t been chasing qualifying times, allowing for a measured build-up to her season opener.
“Maybe that’s why she’s waited,” Amerloe speculated.
“But the anticipation makes it all the more exciting.”
Who’s Lining Up Against Her?
In Tokyo, Sha’Carri Richardson will headline a women’s 100m field where she’s the clear favorite with a 10.65 personal best. Fellow American Twanisha Terry poses the biggest challenge, boasting a 10.82 best that makes her a serious podium threat.
Beyond the American duo, Australia’s Bree Rizzo (11.23) and a trio of Japanese sprinters, Midori Mikase, Manaka Miura, and Hinami Yamanaka, round out the lineup. With most of the field’s personal bests in the mid-11s, Sha’Carri Richardson enters as the woman to beat.
But as any sprinter knows, one brilliant start or one costly stumble can change everything.
