Sha’Carri Richardson’s highly anticipated return to the track wasn’t supposed to spark a wave of concern. But as the reigning world champion in the 100 meters stepped onto the start line in Tokyo for her 2025 season debut, things went unexpected. Richardson, finishing fourth in a modest 11.47 seconds, looked like a shadow of the explosive force fans have come to expect. And it wasn’t just the time that raised eyebrows. It was the way she looked and moved, even before the gun went off.
Noah Williams, speaking on Track World News, didn’t mince words as he dissected Richardson’s run. “Yeah, so first before I saw the video of the race, I saw a photo of her… and she looked visibly smaller in the arms,” Williams revealed, noting that Sha’Carri’s typically powerful upper-body build seemed diminished. That observation, he said, immediately set off alarm bells. And what followed in the race only confirmed his concerns. While her signature form remained, Williams noticed something missing. “It was less pop,” he said. “That quick burst that acceleration that we’re so used to… it just wasn’t there,” added Williams.
The signs of trouble weren’t just physical. Richardson, who has always been known for finishing strong despite often trailing in the first phase of her races, seemed to lack her trademark fight. Williams highlighted what troubled him most. Not her rusty start, or the tight finish behind Bree Rizzo, TeeTee Terry, and Sade McCreath. But her body language at the end. “She… put on the brakes with about seven meters to go in that race and uh… threw in the towel,” he said bluntly. For Williams, that was the most disturbing part, “My least favorite thing to ever see from an athlete is giving up before the race is over.”
Colin Waitzman echoed the worry, suggesting that Richardson’s early-season debut might have been forced. According to Waitzman, running an 11.47 in those conditions, even with a mild headwind, was more than just a bad day; it was historically off her pace. It marked the slowest adjusted time Richardson has posted since her collegiate days in 2019. That drop-off, he hinted, suggested something deeper: perhaps a physical setback or a strategic miscalculation. Either way, Richardson didn’t look ready. “At no point in that race did Sha’Carri look like the Sha’Carri that we know,” Waitzman said.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Round 1 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Sha’carri Richardson of United States in action before going on to win heat 1 REUTERS/Phil Noble
While some might write off the sluggish opener as early-season rust, the optics were undeniably troubling. Richardson wasn’t just out of sync. She looked physically different, moved without her usual fire, and finished without her usual resolve. “She kind of just held in like thirdish,” Williams noted, describing a performance that seemed flat rather than fierce. And as the countdown to the USATF Championships begins, doubts are swirling. The field this season is stacked. Names like Julien Alfred and Melissa Jefferson loom large. Against that level of competition, this version of Richardson, Williams implied, won’t cut it.
With just over two months left to rediscover her form, Richardson will need more than training time. She’ll need to reignite the spark. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. But right now, from the shape she’s in to the spirit she showed on the track, the alarm bells are ringing louder than ever. Meanwhile, Noah Williams was not the only person who was concerned about the Sha’Carri Richardson situation.
Coach Rob weighs in on Sha’Carri Richardson’s shaky start
Sha’Carri Richardson’s name commands attention, but after a lukewarm showing in Japan, it’s not just fans doing the talking. David Robinson, better known as Coach Rob, stepped in. And he offered a sobering yet optimistic take on the star sprinter’s season. Known for his sharp insights on the Coach Rob Track and Field YouTube channel, the American coach didn’t hold back while assessing what lies ahead for Richardson. “Sha’Carri is going to have to show up at the World Championship, and anything less than winning a gold medal in the 100…” he began, pausing before making his stance clear—expectations are sky high.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – AUGUST 21: Sha’Carri Richardson of Team United States reacts after competing in the Women’s 100m Semi-Final during day three of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 21, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Coach Rob didn’t focus on the loss itself, but rather on what it symbolizes. For him, the key issue isn’t whether Richardson is capable, she’s already proven that. It’s whether she can channel that potential when it matters most. He stated, “As far as the 100, which is clearly her best event, we are expecting her to win.” While he acknowledged the depth of the current sprint field, including elite challengers, the narrative remains. That Richardson has set her own bar, and it’s gold or bust.
Though Robinson speculated that the 200m might not yield a gold this season, he left room for the unknown, noting her undeniable talent. Still, the focus remains on her crown event. In his eyes, it’s not about chasing redemption—it’s about reclaiming supremacy. “That is the prevailing narrative,” he said. And for now, that pressure is very real.
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