"I have influence from the greatest of all: Florence Griffith Joyner"- When Sha'Carri Richardson opened up about her similarities with 100m WR holder

Sha'Carri Richardson once revealed that her energy on the track resembled that of the fastest woman in history, Florence Griffith-Joyner. The 24-year-old participated at the Paris Olympics, winning the silver in the 100m and gold as part of the US women's 4x100m relay team.

Richardson rose to fame with the 100m title at the 2016 AAU Junior Olympics and continued her momentum at the 2017 USATF Junior Championships. In her international debut event, she won the 4x100m relay gold at the Pan American U20 Championships in 2017. After joining Louisiana State University in 2018, the 24-year-old clinched the 100m victory at the 2019 NCAA Division I Championships, breaking the collegiate record in 10.75s.

Despite a successful season, Richardson forgoed her NCAA eligibility and turned professional, aiming to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She clocked 10.72s at a meet in Miami in 2021 and headed to the US Olympic Trials as the favorite.

Sporting fiery hair, long nails, and lashes, the reigning world champion clocked 10.77s at the US Olympic Trials. Richardson's unique look on the track prompted fans to draw a connection between her and the 100m world record holder, Florence Griffith-Joyner.

In a 2019 interview, the Texas-born athlete said that Flo-Jo's track personality significantly influenced her.

"I feel I have an influence from the greatest of them all: Flo-Jo. When she ran track, her stepping on the track, she brought a whole different scenery to the energy, to the atmosphere of track and field. And she didn’t let that stop her," Richardson said (via Olympics.com).

Though she qualified for the Tokyo Games, Sha'Carri Richardson tested positive for marijuana and faced a one-month suspension, which ended her debut Olympic dreams.

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Sha'Carri Richardson won the 4x100m relay gold at the 2024 Paris Games

Sha'Carri Richardson after winning the 4x100m relay at the Olympic Games Paris 2024: (Source: Getty)

Sha'Carri Richardson finished second behind Julien Alfred in the 100m at the Paris Games to win the silver. She then participated in the 4x100m relay event and anchored the US women's team to the coveted victory.

Richardson said about the win (via Olympics.com):

"The moment that [I realized] that when we won, the USA ladies. It was a phenomenal feeling for all of us."

She added:

"I was very comfortable with this team. I just remember trusting Gabby and knowing that she’s going to put this thing in my hand no matter what. [I wanted to] leave my best on the track."

Sha'Carri Richardson failed to qualify for the 200m finals at the Olympics after finishing fourth at the US Olympic Trials in 22.16s.