The 26-year-old had proclaimed her 2026 season would be “something legendary,” but so far, it has been anything but that. Sha’Carri Richardson opened her season with a fourth-place finish at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League, followed by a similar finish in Xiamen a week later. But she regained her momentum since then and recently clocked her fastest time in two years: 10.77 seconds at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Winter Garden, Florida. Some weren’t impressed with her performance, but one track-and-field expert made it his mission to defend her.

“Sha’Carri ran a wind legal 10.77 and some are not impressed 🤷🏾,” Vance Johnson wrote on X. “I think people have forgotten the level of talent Sha’Carri has. Track athlete run a good time and people are like it’s just a 10.7 😂😂😂, now if she run that in China then I will believe 😂😂.  A wind legal 10.7 is a 10.7 no matter where you run it at….” That is her quickest time in the 100m since June 2024 (10.71). 

Only Adaejah Hodge has run faster in 2026 — the 20-year-old clocked 10.63 in early June, breaking the collegiate record and taking over fifth place on the all-time list for the 100m. It means that in the history of women’s 100m, only four have ever gone faster than Hodge. 

But that collegiate record belonged to Richardson herself — she ran 10.75 at LSU in 2019. After that, the Olympian only broke sub-10.80 once in 2020 (10.79 in July). 2021 was her breakthrough: three sub-10.80 runs, including 10.72 at Miramar and 10.77 at Olympic Trials.

However, her biological mother’s death affected her, and officials suspended Richardson from the 2021 Olympics after a positive test for a banned substance. It meant that 2022 was a rough year, but she powered through. By 2023, she had recovered to break sub-10.80 five times. That included two Diamond League meets, the USA Championships, and the World Athletic Championships.

She won all those meets, including the 2023 World Championships (10.65). Since then, she’s struggled — breaking sub-10.80 just once. In fact, throughout 2025, she only broke sub-11 once, marking a tough season for the American.

Not quite what she expected either, and it’s also why one X user replied to Johnson with, “She hasn’t been very consistent the last year or two. Fas time today, slow time tomorrow. Melissa, S Shelly and Sherica are consistent.” They aren’t wrong, as the evidence does show that while capable, Richardson is far from consistent.

Another user wrote, “We know she can run 10.4. Why should we be impressed?” The user is likely referring to Richardson’s 10.57 in 2023, albeit with a +4.1 wind at the Miramar Invitational. That is by far her fastest time and one of only two times in her career that she has broken sub-10.70.

Even then, whether critics believe it or not, Richardson has been talking about a turnaround for months. In fact, before the season began, she boldly predicted that 2026 would be remembered as something ‘legendary’.

Sha’Carri Richardson prophesies ‘legendary’ season

People have not expected much from Richardson’s 2026 season, given how poorly 2025 went. However, so far, the American sprinter has certainly earned her fair share of plaudits. She began the season late after off-field issues, but started strong by winning the Stawell Gift before arriving at the Diamond League.

Things didn’t quite go to plan as Richardson finished fourth in back-to-back DL 200m meets, but has since put that behind her. In fact, since her Xiamen loss, the 26-year-old has won all three of her races, albeit in the 100m. That includes the USATF LA Grand Prix and the Star Athletics Sprint Series, which goes according to the prophecy she set for herself.

“Honestly, for myself, I’m super excited for this season because I have a feeling that it’s going to be something legendary — not legendary just on the track, but legendary as the woman that I’m designed to be,” Richardson said, as per Olympics.com.

“I’m super excited to take on the challenge to do that in front of the world… and stand firm in everything that I know I have been working on.”

Whether that 10.77 is enough to silence the doubters remains to be seen. However, it has already reminded the track world of the level Richardson can reach. And if her recent form is any indication, the season she promised would be “legendary” may finally be taking shape.