Sha’Carri Richardson will soon take off in the Paris Olympics in the hopes of winning a long-awaited gold medal, but who is the star athlete?
Richardson, 24, is heading into the 2024 games as the fastest woman on Earth after missing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she was suspended for one month after testing positive for marijuana.
She was a freshman at Louisiana State University in 2019 where she smashed 100m collegiate record, making her one of the 10 fastest women in history at the time.
Richardson left college to become a professional track and field athlete soon after and has not looked back.
Known for her colorful orange hair and long designer nails, Richardson is a hot favorite to dominate in the 100m and 200m races in Paris.
Newsweek contacted Richardson’s representatives by email for comment.
Is Sha’Carri Richardson Married?
The runner came out as bisexual in 2015 and paid tribute to the LGBTQ+ community in June 2021 by posting a rainbow emoji on her X, formerly Twitter, account following her epic win at the Olympic qualifiers that year.
Richardson spoke about a girlfriend in the same year, admitting she helped her form her distinct style.
“My girlfriend actually picked my color. She said it spoke to her, the fact that it was just so loud and vibrant, and that’s who I am,” she told USA Today in 2021.
But in a recent Vogue profile, Richardson said her personal life was now off-limits and would no longer reveal much about herself.
Where Does Sha’Carri Richardson Live?
The runner was born in Dallas, Texas, where she was raised by her grandmother Betty and her aunt Shay Richardson.
She currently lives in Florida to train, but has credited her family with helping her get to where she is.
Richardson even appeared alongside Betty and Shay in a Sprite commercial earlier this year.
“It was priceless for them to actually be able to share a moment with me of just reflecting on the journey that we all have had together,” she told Essence in May. “The sacrifices and the support they’ve given me just over my lifetime, to be able to sit in that moment with them…I feel like that was the greatest moment for me.”
Her biological mother died just before she was due to compete in the Olympic qualifiers, which she only learned about from a reporter. She described to Vogue a feeling of “emotional panic” after being told by the reporter about her death, which led her to use cannabis. She tested positive for THC, the intoxicant in marijuana, which she consumed in Portland where the drug is legal. However, cannabis is a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Richardson took responsibility for her actions, simply writing, “I am human,” at the time on X.
What is Sha’Carri Richardson’s Net Worth?
The star athlete is thought to be worth between $1 million to $5 million, with her salary ranging between $45,000 and $50,000, according to Essentially Sports.
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