'Usually, she loses'- Former 100m world record exposes one of Sha'Carri Richardson's weaknesses

Former 100m world record holder has disclosed the shortcoming that Sha’Carri Richardson needs to address ahead of her title defense at the 2025 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The Jamaican-Canadian legend observed that tends to give up easily in a race when she senses that her competitors are on her neck during a and that’s something she needs to address since it will affect her in many races to come.

The case was evident at the women’s 100m semifinal where she had a slow start off the blocks and just relaxed before letting Julien Alfred win the race.

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Going into the final, the same mistake happened and Richardson was forced to win the silver medal despite being a huge favourite to win the race.

At the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels, the American sprint queen also failed in her execution and ended up finishing eighth in 11.23 seconds.

Donovan Bailey, being an experienced sprinter and analyst, warned that such a mentality is not healthy for someone like Richardson, one of America’s finest

“Here is one of the things I looked at, but I think that when I saw the semifinal, Julien Alfred was not going to play with her (Sha’Carri Richardson),” Bailey said in his podcast.

“What it showed again, no slight on anybody people, when Sha’Carri is beside someone who shifts when she shifts and if they stay with her, usually, she loses.

“It becomes difficult for her sometimes. However, it was her first Olympic Games, she won a silver medal. Melissa Jefferson is a soldier too.”

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Sha’Carri Richardson will be gearing up for title defense in the 100m later this year and she certainly has her work cut out as she chases the top honours.

She won the women’s 100m race at the 2023 World in Budapest, Hungary and just like any other sprinter, she has the intentions of retaining the title.

The Olympic 100m silver medallist will be up against the likes of Shericka Jackson, Tia Clayton, Olympic champion and her compatriot Melissa Jefferson among other top athletes.

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To prepare for the grueling task, she certainly has to put in more effort in training and also compete in a series of Diamond League Meetings ahead of the major event of the season.