As the 2025 U.S. Nationals light up Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Sha’Carri Richardson’s once-dazzling glow is flickering. The 2023 world 100m champion, who scorched to a championship record of 10.65 seconds in Budapest, was the track’s golden star. Her 10.71-second world lead at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials cemented her as a fan favorite. Then something went off…

At the Prefontaine Classic on July 5, 2025, things unraveled. Battling whispers of a February injury, Richardson struggled to a ninth-place finish in the 100m, clocking a sluggish 11.19 seconds against a -1.5 m/s headwind. Can she reignite her fire at the Nationals, doubling as trials for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo? Or someone else will take her place?

Well, fans are vouching for another name instead. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is stealing the show. At the same Prefontaine Classic, she outran Olympic champ Julien Alfred, blazing to a 10.75-second win, edging Alfred’s 10.77, despite the headwind. Her 10.73-second world lead at the Philadelphia Grand Slam Track meet in June already turned heads. Jefferson-Wooden, a Paris 2024 100m bronze medalist and 4x100m relay gold medalist alongside Richardson, thrives in her training group with Richardson and Twanisha Terry. With a personal best of 10.73, is she ready to eclipse her teammate in Eugene?

As the Nationals unfold, Sha’Carri’s resilience faces a tough challenge, while Jefferson-Wooden’s star rises fast. And fans are delivering their verdict. Who will sprint to glory and secure a spot in Tokyo?

Fans rally behind Melissa over Sha’Carri at U.S. Nationals

Well, as the 2025 U.S. Nationals approach, the buzz around Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, is electric, but the fan fervor is shifting. Sha’Carri Richardson, the 2023 world 100m champ, isn’t the darling of the track world right now. Instead, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, fresh off her 10.75-second upset over Olympic champ Julien Alfred at the Prefontaine Classic on July 5, 2025, is stealing hearts. Social media’s ablaze with fans betting big on Jefferson-Wooden, with some dismissing Richardson’s chances outright. One bold X post declared, “No we won’t. We will see Ju, Melissa and somebody else,” suggesting Richardson’s out of the top three. Why are fans turning on their former sprint queen?

The sentiment’s clear: Jefferson-Wooden’s untouchable. After her world-leading 10.73 seconds at the Philadelphia Grand Slam Track meet on June 1, 2025, fans are all-in. “Shacarii wont make top 3. Melissa Jeff & Terry will go 1-2!” another X user predicted, hyping Jefferson-Wooden and teammate Twanisha Terry.

Another fan, impressed by Jefferson-Wooden’s cool-headed Prefontaine win, posted, “I’m thinking Melissa Jefferson will take first place. She was too calm at Prefontaine. She’s got more to give for sure.” The confidence is infectious, but is it warranted?

Some fans are downright ruthless. “No way. Melissa will crush the field and Sha’Carri won’t even place,” one X post scoffed, echoing reports of Richardson’s 11.19-second ninth-place flop at Prefontaine. Others doubled down: “If I was a betting man I would put my money on Melissa,” and “I don’t see her running down Melissa Jefferson this year.” The boldest claim? “Nobody on earth is beating Melissa Jefferson.” With fans this fired up, can Jefferson-Wooden live up to the hype in Eugene?