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Sha'Carri Richardson has opened up on how her family has fueled her to succeed over the last couple of years.
Reigning Olympic silver medalist Sha’Carri Richardson has revealed the pivotal role her family has played in her journey to becoming one of the world's most celebrated sprinters.
From the unwavering support of her grandmother Betty Harp to the guidance of her aunt Shay Richardson—whom she fondly calls "Mom"—Sha’Carri credits her success to a dedicated "village" that has stood by her through triumphs and challenges.
“Without them, there would be no me,” Richardson shared in an emotional post-race interview with NBC Sports. “Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha'Carri Richardson. My family is my everything — my everything until the day I'm done.”
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How mastering 'emotional' control after loss to Julien Alfred fuelled Sha'Carri Richardson to anchor USA to 4x100m relay Olympics gold
Richardson has explained how mastering the art of emotional control after falling short of getting gold in the 100m fueled her into anchoring team USA to 4x100m relay Olympics gold.
Sha’Carri’s biological mother passed away in 2020, a week before she clinched her first Olympic berth during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Although not much is publicly known about her biological mother, Richardson expressed gratitude for the life she was given.
"I am grateful for her giving me life, bringing me into this world ... and I will always love and respect her for that," she said during a press conference.
After her mother’s passing, Richardson’s grandparents took over as her primary caregivers. Despite the love and support from her grandmother and aunt, Sha’Carri grappled with feelings of abandonment.
In a candid interview on Quibi’s Prodigy series, she revealed, “I always was asking myself, ‘What's wrong with me? Why is it that you don't want to be here?’ If my mother doesn’t want to be around me, then I was like, I’m pretty sure nobody wants to be around me.”
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Her aunt Shay, however, assured her that she would never leave. “I’m not going to give up on you. I’m never going to leave you. I’m her mom. I didn’t have to birth her to be her parent,” Shay told her.
These affirmations, Sha’Carri shared, changed her life and gave her the confidence to pursue greatness. “Understanding you may not come from ideal circumstances, but at the same time, it’s not where you start ... it’s the direction you want to go,” she told NBC DFW.
Sha’Carri’s grandmother, Betty Harp, has been her anchor. From cooking and watching TV together to cheering her on at major events, Harp has been a constant in her life. “My grandmother is my heart. My grandmother is my superwoman,” Richardson said in a 2021 interview with USA Today.
Harp played an instrumental role in igniting Sha’Carri’s interest in athletics. When young Sha’Carri discovered her aunt Shay’s collection of medals, she declared her desire to earn her own. With Harp’s encouragement, Shay began training her niece, setting the foundation for a stellar track career.
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13:30 - 21.12.2024
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Richardson's journey has not been without setbacks. After earning a spot at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with a dazzling 10.86-second performance in the 100-meter race, her dreams were temporarily derailed due to a suspension for testing positive for THC.
Despite the disappointment, Sha’Carri’s family remained by her side, providing the support she needed to make a strong comeback.
In 2023, Richardson stormed back onto the global stage, winning gold medals in the 100-meter and 4x100-meter relay at the World Championships. At the Paris Olympics the following year, she claimed silver in the 100 meters behind Julien Alfred and added another gold in the 4x100-meter relay.
For Richardson, her family is more than just a support system—they are her source of energy and inspiration. “My family never allows me to forget who I am and where I come from. Little do they know—they recharge me,” she told Vogue. “I can go out to the world and handle whatever comes my way because I know when I come home, that is what is going to continue to be my fuel.”
With her grandmother and aunt by her side, Richardson has not only conquered the track but also embraced the lessons of grace and humility. “I know that no matter what I do, no matter what decision I make, it comes from me,” she reflected. “I am not going to change the confidence that I have in myself ever, but at the same time, I have learned that there is a way I can carry it more gracefully.”
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