Reigning world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson has finally been honoured with a track to her name.
Following her dominant exploits last season, a track in Dallas was set to be named after the Olympic 100m silver medallist but the dates on when it would happen were yet to be announced. However, D-day finally came and Richardson travelled to Dallas for the ceremony.
After her two gold medals and a bronze from the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees discussed naming the track at John Kincaide Stadium to the Sha’Carri Richardson Track.
Sha'Carri Richardson had a successful 2024 season with multiple wins, despite a disappointing finish at the Diamond League final.
Speaking after the ceremony, Richardson expressed her gratitude and noted that she owes so much to Dallas following the support the netizens have accorded her. Richardson explained that it has been a beautiful journey starting her career in Dallas and going ahead to compete on big stages.
“I thank you all for all the support and I’m proud to have come out of ISD. I’m proud to have come back and I must say I started my career on this track. To have a track named after me is a huge honour but it also means I have a responsibility to Dallas. I will never ever let people forget where I came from and that’s Dallas,” Richardson said.
“That’s why I would say reflecting on my time competing on this track has literally shown the growth of my journey from where I started to where I’m going. It has shown that where you start is not where you finish but it’s just about how you apply where you want to go and I’m honoured,” she added.
Discover five key races from Sha'Carri Richardson's 2024 season, including Olympic silver and dominant Diamond League victories.
This season, Richardson had quite a turbulent season, missing out on the gold medal in the women’s 100m at the Paris Olympic Games as she was a favourite to win. She, however, bounced back to claim top honours in the women’s 4x100m relay.
The American sprint queen also failed to live up to the billing at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels as she faded to an eighth-place finish in a time of 11.23 seconds. She now shifts focus to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan where she intends to defend her 100m title.