If Florence Griffith Joyner had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn't" - When Sha'Carri Richardson defended her look at Tokyo Olympic trials
Sha'Carri Richardson has always been a style icon. Sporting a fiery orange, styled half-up and half-down hair, long lash extensions and longer acrylics, and long nails, Richarson has always made heads turn on and off the track.
It is no secret that Richardson adores and takes inspiration from Florence Griffith Joyner - also known as Flo-Jo and one of America's track and field legends. She was an American style icon during her heydays. Richardson even took to social media many times to document her inspiration.
Although she missed the Tokyo Olympics due to a suspension for testing positive for a banned drug, she owned the Tokyo Olympic trials at the Hayward Field. Clocking an impressive 10.86 seconds in the 100m trials, she found the pinnacle in the team sheet for the Olympics.
However, a month later, her world turned upside down when she tested positve and underwent a 30-day suspension resulting in missing the world's biggest sporting showdown.
She was banned due to testing positive for THC, an intoxicant found in marijuana, after taking the drug to cope with emotions upon learning about her biological mother's death.
In an interview with the Associated Press, a day before the Tokyo Olympics trials at the Hayward Field in Oregon, Sha'Carri Richardson said she adored the way Griffith Joyner dominated the track.
"Flo-Jo came to the track and knew she was going to dominate. The way she did that was graceful. I always liked that. If the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn't have long nails," Richardson said in the interview.
Sha'Carri Richardson nominated for Women's World Athlete of the Year 2023 award
Cut to 2023, Sha'Carri Richardson is now one among the 11 nominees shortlisted for the Women's World Athlete of the Year 2023 award.
The illustrious list of athletes - including Shericka Jackson, Femke Bol, Faith Kipyegon, and Yulimar Rojas - have been selected by an international panel of athletics experts. This list comprises representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.
The winners will be announced on December 11 on the World Athletics social media pages.
Sha'Carri Richardson is coming into the event on the back of an impressive outing at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest where she won two gold medals. These medals came in the women's 100m and 4x100m relay and a bronze medal in the women's 200m events.
In another novel move, the Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees have planned to honor one of America's greatest sprinters.
Sha'Carri Richardson could soon have a track field at the Dallas Stadium named after her. The sprinter hails from Dallas and completed her elementary and high school at the Dallas Independent School District.
The track field at John Kincaide Stadium, which is a part of the Jesse Owens Athletic Complex, could be renamed as the Sha’Carri Richardson Track soon.