"She showed up and showed out" - Simone Biles in awe of Sha'Carri Richardson's resilient personality as both look for redemption at Paris Olympics

By Anirudh

Modified Jul 22, 2024 17:12 GMT

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles has stated that she remains in awe of Sha'Carri Richardson's resilience and perseverance.

Over the years, Richardson has experienced her share of highs and lows. She has won two world championship titles, four Diamond League finals, and the U20 Pan American Championship. The most talked about incident in her career, however, happened in 2021, when she tested positive for banned THC metabolites following a mandatory drug test.

Richardson consumed cannabis following her mother's death, which led to the positive drug test. The 24-year-old later accepted a one-month suspension, which resulted in her missing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles expressed her admiration for the track and field sprinter.

"My top moment was Sha'Carri [Richardson]. I think she's just so resilient. She keeps pushing forward, she never gave up and then whenever she came back out to compete, she showed up and she showed out," she said in a video uploaded by Laureus.

Richardson is one of the favorites to clinch gold in the French capital. She was recently featured in a promotional video by apparel giant Nike.

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Sha’Carri Richardson: "I'm better at being myself"

Sha’Carri Richardson is set to make her Olympic debut in Paris - Getty Images

Widely considered one of the favorites to win gold in Paris, Sha’Carri Richardson showed she was in the right place physically and mentally when she recorded a world-leading time in the 100m event at the recent U.S. Olympic trials.

Richardson is also making waves away from the track, having been picked as Vogue's cover star for August. She said in the interview that following her suspension, she came back as a much better athlete.

“I’m not back, I’m better. I don’t just mean I’m a better runner, it’s beyond that. I’m better at being Sha’Carri. I’m better at being myself,” she declared.

“Every time you step on the track, it’s a validation of the time you’ve put in, the sacrifices you make on the daily. When I get on the blocks, it’s about getting the job done. I know there’s joy at the other end, at the finish line. But I also know I’ve got to earn that happiness,” she added.

Richardson qualified for the Paris Olympics by registering the season's best time of 10.71 seconds during the trials. She could become the first woman from the US to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100m event since Gail Devers at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The Texas native is also expected to be a part of USA’s 4x100m relay team.