On Sunday, 21-year-old sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was deemed America’s fastest woman in the final trials for Team USA in the 100-meter dash; between her confidence, ability, and style, she’s single-handedly bringing star power to the Tokyo Olympics, which kick off on July 23. In the lead-up to the sprint, an announcer proclaimed, “When you stand five feet one inch tall, you get told your entire life what you can and cannot do. That chip on her shoulder is because every time she’s been told that, she’s been able to overcome those odds and get it done.†And Sha’Carri did, pulling ahead with 10.86 seconds, shooting past second- and third-placing future Olympians Javianne Oliver and Teahna Daniels.
For contrast, Usain Bolt’s top time is only a second and a third faster, and he’s six-foot-five. After winning the finals, Richardson ran up into the stands to embrace her grandmother. She also revealed something heartbreaking to an NBC interviewer, saying, “My family has kept me grounded. This year has been crazy for me. Going from just last week, losing my biological mother, and I’m still here.†She continued by expressing gratitude for her family, saying, “Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson. My family is my everything. My everything until the day I’m done.â€