Sha’Carri Richardson Ran Into Her Grandma’s Arms After Becoming America’s Fastest Woman

When the Olympics 2021 kick off in July in Tokyo, all eyes will be on track star Sha’Carri Richardson—and not just because of her vibrant hair.

On June 19, Richardson secured her spot on the U.S. team and her status as America’s fastest woman during the 100m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials. As you can see in the video, below, the 21-year-old runner practically flew threw the race, with a time of 10.86. While that was a show-stopping performance in and of itself, it’s what she does next that exemplifies what a star she really is.

Following her win, Richardson kept running straight into her grandmother’s arms. “Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson,” she told NBC. “My family is my everything, my everything until the day I’m done.”

During that same interview, the soon-to-be Olympian revealed she recently suffered the loss of her biological mother ahead of this important qualifier. “I’m still here. Last week, finding out my biological mother passed away and still choosing to pursue my dreams, still coming out here, still here to make the family that I do still have on this earth proud,” she said. “And the fact [is] nobody knows what I go through. Everybody has struggles and I understand that, but y’all see me on this track and y’all see the poker face I put on, but nobody but them and my coach know what I go through on a day-to-day basis.”

You can watch the race as well as Richardson’s interview, below. 

This will be Richardson’s first Olympics, and she will be competing in both the 100m and 200m races. In a separate NBC video, it was revealed that her orange hair symbolized “running on fire.” 

“I just want the world to know that I’m that girl,” she said. “That every time I step on the track, I’m gonna try to do what it is that me, my coach, my support team believe I can do, and the talent that God blessed me to have, every time I step on a track.”

The Olympics 2021 kick off on July 23.