Sha’Carri Richardson has navigated plenty of roadblocks in her pursuit of Olympic glory. Some self-imposed. Some not.
Considering all the American sprinter has been through over the last three years, tentatively grabbing the baton from teammate Gabby Thomas with the U.S. in third in the women’s 4×100 meter relay final on Friday felt sort of normal.
Beating others in a race from here to there is what Richardson does for a living. And with one thrilling dash down the final stretch in Stade de France, the gold that had been just out of reach for so long finally became tangible.
Richardson chased down Germany’s Rebekka Haase and Britain’s Daryll Neita during an electrifying final leg to lock down the first Olympic gold of her career. And she did it with the style and swagger that’s become her signature, win or lose.
She caught Haase and Neita with 40 meters to go. With 20 meters left, Richardson turned to her right and glared at her competitors, each now a full step behind. At the finish line she leaned forward and high-stepped.
The 24-year-old from Dallas went so fast, it took a moment for the scoreboard to catch up.
