"Sha'Carri did what Sha'Carri was supposed to do" - NFL star Shannon Sharpe on 24-year-old's side look during Paris Olympics relay final

Sha'Carri Richardson was commended by former US football tight end Shannon Sharpe and wide receiver Chad Johnson for her glance at the runners behind her as she approached the finish line of the women's 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics 2024. She ran the anchor leg as the USA swept the win in 41.78s, alongside teammates Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson, and Twanisha Terry.

Richardson, the reigning 100m world champion, arrived in Paris as the favorite for the event but her 10.87s run was only good enough for the silver, behind Saint Lucian sprinter Julien Alfred. However, her anchor leg performance in the 4x100m relay turned heads in Paris.

Before crossing the finish line in first, Richardson glanced back at the competition, who were all a few dozen meters behind. This caught the attention of Sharpe, who hosts the Nightcap podcast alongside Johnson. In the episode, Sharpe and Johnson lauded the Olympic champion's 'no playing' mindset in the Paris finals.

"Sha'Carri did what Sha'Carri was supposed to do, track down everybody. She got the baton in fourth and as long as it was close, she coming to get you," said Sharpe. (6:18)

Johnson added further commentary on Richardson's moment on track, saying:

"I'm not sure if she was looking at her competitors or if she was looking at that camera to the far right of her to let people know 'you know what time it is'..." (TS - 6:59)

Sharpe added:

"She like, 'bye girl, stop playing.'" (at 7:10)

Richardson missed out on the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in the wake of a failed drug test. She was at the time coping with the loss of her mother, which, Richardson shared, was behind her use of a recreational drug. A couple of years later, the 24-year-old made waves on the World Championships stage, winning the 100m and 4x100m relay gold at the 2023 edition of the Worlds.

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Sha'Carri Richardson on Paris Olympics relay team: "I was very comfortable with this team"

After Sha'Carri Richardson left the German and French teams behind to take the 4x100 victory, the 100m Olympic silver medalist shared that it was a "phenomenal" moment for the USA team:

"The moment that [I realized] that when we won, the USA ladies. it was a phenomenal feeling for all of us," said Sha'Carri Richardson. (via Olympics.com)

She especially expressed appreciation for 200m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas, who handed her the baton in the 4x100m relay finals, both at the 2023 Worlds and the 2024 Olympics.

"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," she added.

Thomas won four golds at the Games, winning in the 200, 4x100m, and 4x400m relay events. She was one of the dominant athletes on the Olympic stage this year.