"There is no me without her"- Sha'Carri Richardson reflects on her grandmother's support as she wins two Olympic medals in Paris

Sha'Carri Richardson expressed heartfelt gratitude to her grandmother, Betty Harp, noting that her life revolves around the latter. Richardson shares a deep bond with Harp, who raised the Olympian and always encouraged her athletic pursuits.

Sha'Carri Richardson has never opened up about her biological mother aside from acknowledging her passing in 2021, amid the Tokyo Olympic Trials. She was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, who endowed the Olympian with her tenacity and resilience. In an exclusive with Vogue, Harp reflected on how she raised the Olympian and always encouraged her to fight till the end.

"You start, you finish,’ “Whatever happens, you keep going, you hear?”

Sha'Carri Richardson made her Olympic debut in Paris and walked home with a gold and a silver. On ending her campaign successfully, the 24-year-old shared an Instagram story with her grandmother, expressing love and appreciation for her unending support.

"There is no me without her"

Sha'Carri Richardson and her grandmother; Instagram - @itsshacarri

Ahead of her debut at the 2024 Games, Richardson shared a piece of advice she received from her 'Big Momma'.

"Do your best & have fun- Big Momma," (via Marca)

The picture featured Betty Harp adorably leaning on a wall poster of Richardson (one of her Vogue cover pictures). Her face radiated pride for her granddaughter's Olympic qualification.

Sha'Carri Richardson stated that one of her biggest goals in life was to have her 'Big Momma' watch her compete on the Olympic stage.

"My grandmother is my superwoman. Honestly, that was one of my biggest goals in life - to have her see me compete in one of the highest levels, and be successful. From Day 1 up until now, always being in my corner, no matter what I did, no matter if it was good, no matter if it was bad." (via Marca)

Sha'Carri Richardson - "Everything I am, it’s because of that strong, wise Black woman"

The 24-year-old kept her grandmother above all as the foundation of her existence. She talked about having received help from several people along the course of life but nothing beats the 'wise Black Woman's' significance.

“Everything I am, it’s because of that strong, wise Black woman. Everything. I mean, I’ve been blessed, because I’ve had other people in my life who have helped me along. But the foundation, that’s her," she noted. (via Vogue)

The Olympian yearns for her grandmother's shelter, where she doesn't only fool around with her cousins but also indulges in heartwarming meals. Harp makes chicken and smothered potatoes, collard greens with fatback, and Texas toast with homemade sausage and eggs, something Richardson deeply misses when in Florida.