Sha’Carri Richardson made her Olympic debut, winning by a large margin. The 24-year-old pro sprinter finished the women’s 100-meter race in just 10.94 seconds.
Viewers watched as Sha’Carri beat her competitors by a large margin during the Paris Olympic Games event on Friday, August 2. The Dallas, Texas, native started the race with a steady pace, quickly gaining enough momentum to put her several feet in front of the other runners.
After completing the event, Sha’Carri told NBC News that making her Olympic debut was a “phenomenal feeling” after a long, strenuous journey in her running career.
Welcome to the Olympic Games, Sha’Carri Richardson! #ParisOlympics
📺 E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/qxtT9xLALw
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 2, 2024
“To be at the Olympics is a phenomenal feeling,” she said. “To be an athlete here, competing with the energy here with a great appreciation for track and field … I’m super excited and eager to compete on the Olympics stage.”
Previously, Sha’Carri opened up to Vogue about her path to Paris. As for what brought her this far in her career, Sha’Carri noted, “You keep showing up. No matter what.”
“Most people, they only think of track every four years,” the athlete explained during the interview that was published on July 9. “The Olympics, that’s all there is — those few seconds on TV. But for me, track is my life on a day-to-day basis. Everything I do — what I eat, what I drink, if I stay up too late — it’s all reflected on the track. Every choice. That’s what the world doesn’t see.”
Sha’Carri credited her mother, whom she calls “Big Momma,” as the one who shaped her growth as a person.
“Everything I am, it’s because of that strong, wise Black woman,” she said at the time. “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.”
As for how she feels whenever she sets foot on the track, Sha’Carri compared the process of racing to playing chess.
“Every move you make is leading to checkmate,” she said. “So the Olympics, OK, that’s checkmate, that’s the moment an athlete dreams about. But every race I have leading up to that matters too — that’s my opportunity to grow, so, by the time I’m on the track in Paris, I know I’ve done my trial and error. … Because if all I’m doing is looking ahead, then I can’t be where I need to be. Which is here, now.”
