Sha'Carri Richardson has disclosed the words Gabby Thomas told her as she was handing over the baton in the 4x100m relay that fueled her to victory at the Paris Olympics.
Sha’Carri Richardson has opened up about how listening to Gabby Thomas’ voice helped her overcome challenges and anchor Team USA to victory in the women’s 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympic Games.
In an interview with Refinery29, Richardson explained that she only hears Thomas’ voice in the relay and if it’s not her voice, then she doesn’t hear anybody else. The reigning world champion noted that Thomas’ voice usually sends her to a place of determination and gives her the confidence to keep going.
As she was being handed over the baton by Thomas in the women’s 4x100m relay, Team USA were already trailing behind and Richardson claimed that listening to the reigning Olympic 200m champion enabled her to put in the work and surge in front for a win.
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“Absolutely, during the 4x1, I don't hear anybody else but Gabby. If it's not her voice, I can't hear it. Everything else is a blur. Gabby’s voice automatically sends me into a place of determination and it sends me into a place of I know what time it is,” Richardson told Refinery29.
The Olympic 100m silver medallist added that once the baton is handed to her in any relay race, she usually knows what she has to do.
Richardson explained that her compatriots, including Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry and Thomas had done their part in the relay and it was her turn to throw down the gauntlet and show the world what Team USA is capable of.
“I know she did her part. Now she is trusting me. Now she is believing in me. Now she is expecting me. She has every right to, because she did her thing to get me to go into a different phase, to continue to transfer that energy and that speed in which we did,” Richardson said.
“So she gives me the stick. She says, “Stick!” I get the stick. And she tells me to “Go! Go!” She doesn't stop after just telling me to get the stick. She’s encouraging me on the way down the track.”