It’s been months since Sha’Carri Richardson last blazed down a track — since Brussels, to be exact. At the Memorial van Damme meet, the reigning world champion in the 100 meters closed her thunderous 2024 season with a whisper, finishing eighth in a race that barely made headlines. And now, it’s May 2025. Tik, tok (Not the app), on the clock — the countdown begins. In just four months, Sha’Carri will have to step into the fire again. She will have to defend her title on the biggest stage: the World Championships. But when will she lace up and race again?

Back in February, the Texas native gave fans their answer. In typical Sha’Carri fashion, bold and unapologetic, she announced her 2025 season debut: July 5, at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene. The Pre Classic, one of the most anticipated stops on the Wanda Diamond League circuit, is where she’ll face the world once again. But while she’s been off the track, the fire hasn’t died out — it’s only moved online.

On May 9, track and field journalist Raes Take sparked a fresh flame with a fiery post on X (formerly Twitter). His words weren’t subtle: “They not far off! What the?! The disrespect!! I hope Juju beat the brakes off that woman now! Y’all are out of line!!! Nothing personal…just business on the track!.” The track world lit up — not because of the shout, but because of the spark that ignited it. Earlier that day, Raes Take TV had posted: “We literally agreed as a track community to end the debate and give the title of Worlds Fastest to the Olympic champion.” Actually, that statement set the tone: Julien Alfred, the Saint Lucian sprint queen who shocked the world by winning the 100m gold at the Paris Olympics, was now, by Raes’ measure, the “World’s Fastest Woman.” It didn’t sit right with everyone, though.

Track fan Jonny jumped in to push back, replying: “Shacarri has the faster PR, World title and ran the fastest 100m last year between them both. Juju did win the Olympics so I understand, so I mean they are not far off from calling her the world’s fastest women. This year Worlds will settle this.” The debate had legs — and it started to sprint. But here’s the breakdown: Sha’Carri owns a personal best of 10.65 seconds, set in Budapest when she stormed past the field to win the 2023 World Championship. Julien Alfred finished fifth in that same race with 10.93 seconds.

In 2024, Sha’Carri Richardson clocked the world-leading time — 10.71 seconds. No woman ran faster that year. And yet, as per Raes Take’s logic, the Olympic gold medal outweighs those stats. So what does “World’s Fastest Woman” really mean? Is it the athlete with the fastest time? The defending world champion? Or the most recent Olympic gold medalist? The truth?

Is Sha’Carri Richardson the world’s fastest woman? 

Last year, The Lap Count tried to put the debate to rest with a mic-drop of a take: “It doesn’t freaking matter.” They weren’t wrong. The phrase “World’s Fastest Woman” might look great splashed across a magazine cover or shouted on a talk show, but in the actual world of track and field? It’s not a title. It’s marketing. It’s not official. And it’s not awarded. It’s not even in the rulebook. It’s a narrative with a plot and a storyline: one that sells, lives in headlines, hot takes, and fan wars. Even sprinting legend Michael Johnson weighed in last year, slicing through the noise with calm authority: “‘Fastest Man or Woman In The World’ sounds like a title, but in reality it is an opinion.” 

That’s it. Just opinion. So why does it spark such a firestorm every time it’s brought up? Because titles—real or imagined—matter to us. Because we want a crown to point to. A name or a face, or a hero. And right now, that spotlight swings between two: Sha’Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred. Julien: the Olympic champion, who stunned the world in Paris. Sha’Carri: the World champion, owner of the fastest time last season and the queen of comebacks.

Ultimately, it depends on who you ask. But one thing is certain — this debate won’t end with just a war of words on X. It’ll be settled on the track. And on July 5, when Sha’Carri Richardson steps into the blocks at Hayward Field, the world will be watching. So will Juju fans. So will the doubters, the believers, the tweeters, and the quiet ones who just love a good race. Because this year, it’s more than just about medals. It’s about titles, pride, and legacy.

And the fight for the crown opinion of track and field fans for the World’s Fastest Woman is just getting started.