Michael Johnson sharply tears into Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic 100m performance, reveals big mental issue she must overcome

Michael Johnson sharply tears into Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic 100m performance, reveals big mental issue she must overcome

Mark Kinyanjui 18:00 - 08.08.2024

Johnson has teared into Sha'Carri Richardson's 100m Olympic final performance, comparing it to her World Championship win in Budapest a year ago.

American sprint legend Michael Johnson has expressed sharp criticism of Sha’Carri Richardson's performance in the 100m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she was beaten to the gold medal by Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred. 

The three-time NCAA champion, Alfred, pulled off a stunning victory in the Stade de France, clocking 10.72 seconds to secure her country's first Olympic medal in history. 

Richardson finished in second place with a time of 10.87 seconds, while her compatriot Melissa Jefferson took bronze with a time of 10.92 seconds. This marked the first time since the Atlanta 1996 Games that American runners had won two medals in the women's 100m event.

Despite Richardson's podium finish, many had expected her to claim the gold, given her strong performances leading up to the Olympics.

 Johnson, however, was not impressed and criticized Richardson for what he sees as a pattern of underperforming under pressure. He contrasted her Olympic showing with her victory at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where she won the 100m final from the unorthodox position of lane nine.

“She ended up getting an atrocious start in that semi-final. Sha’Carri had not proven herself to be a real championship racer like Noah [Lyles] did. 

"She had shown herself to be like what we saw in Kishane [Thompson in the men’s final], to tighten up at the end when under pressure,” Johnson stated, referring to Richardson's struggles in the earlier rounds.

Johnson went on to explain the circumstances that led to Richardson competing from lane nine at the World Championships, suggesting that it worked to her advantage. 

“In that semi-final, she tightened up and ended up having to qualify on time. In those semi-finals, they take the top two, so she was third. She had to wait for the other semi-finals to favor her to get in. Because she had a slow time in that semi-final and finished third, she ends up in lane nine, that benefitted her because she was able to run her own race.”

Johnson also addressed Richardson's lackluster start in the Olympic final, which he saw as the critical factor in her defeat.

 “We know Sha’Carri is fast, we know she has massive talent. Coming into these Olympics running fast times against the Americans and everybody else to get here. I am telling you the truth, people can love or hate Sha’Carri. You can call me a hater for saying this, but in that race, she was under pressure,” he said.

Elaborating further, Johnson noted, “She didn’t get a great start, never gets a great start, but that is fine as long as you can get through in the end. But that was one of her worst starts.

"Last off the blocks, and you have to get back in the race under pressure, but now, Julien is gone. Gone! She was not able to get back. That race was over before it started. It was surprising even to me. If you looked at her coming out before that race started, she did not look confident, she did not have a champion’s mindset.”

Johnson's candid assessment of Richardson’s performance has sparked discussion among fans and analysts alike, with some agreeing with his critique while others defend the sprinter’s achievements. As Richardson reflects on her Olympic performance, the world will be watching to see how she responds in future competitions.

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