“June is here and I truly have no fear for the rest of the year.” Sha’Carri Richardson didn’t hesitate when she made that bold claim. But her season opener in Tokyo told a different story. At the Seiko Grand Prix, she finished fourth with a time of 11.47 seconds, while Bree Rizzo took the win. However, it’s not the first time Sha’Carri has had a slow start—last season, too, she struggled early in the Diamond League. Yet, she bounced back in style, landing on the Olympic podium in the women’s 100m. Well, with the Olympic chapter now closed, all eyes are on the upcoming World Athletics Championships. Surprisingly, Sha’Carri has only run one 100m race so far this season. Meanwhile, her competitors across the globe are clocking impressive times. In the midst of this, a respected voice from the track and field world has stepped in to share their perspective.

The Jamaican National Senior Championships served as the gateway to the World Athletics Championships. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had already declared it would be her final race on home soil. And the 38-year-old sprint icon didn’t disappoint, securing her spot on the national team for the 13th time in her career. Not far behind, Shericka Jackson also earned her place on Jamaica’s 100m squad for the upcoming global championships. But with Elaine Thompson-Herah missing from the lineup, the big question remained: who would claim the third spot? That’s when Coach Rob stepped in with his insight.

In the latest episode of his podcast, SCU track and field coach Rob made a point to highlight Tina Clayton. “They have three women, who clearly have a full-on claim to be in the World Championship Final. I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but let me break this down for you real quick. Tina Clayton is a problem,” he said. And what made Tina such a “problem”? At the Jamaican National Senior Championships, she stunned the field in the women’s 100m final, taking first place with a time of 10.91 seconds (+0.1 m/s), finishing ahead of both Shelly-Ann and Shericka. Rob also brought up Shericka’s name during the podcast, acknowledging her presence in the tightly contested field.

After a Paris Olympics season hampered by injury, Shericka Jackson took a new approach this year, making consistent appearances at meets throughout the season. She didn’t let her fans down at the Jamaican National Senior Championships either, finishing second with a strong 10.88 seconds. Reflecting on her run, Coach Rob noted, “She [Shericka] didn’t have the greatest start, but by the time she kicked it into gear, she was able to start making a whole lot of ground on the field.” And As for Shelly-Ann, Rob was clear: “Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price got to go there.” Bringing all three together—Tina Clayton, Shericka Jackson, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce—Coach Rob summed it up confidently: “We now have a pretty good idea of what Jamaica is working with. Jamaica is going to be fine.” And that’s exactly where the pressure starts to mount for Sha’Carri Richardson.

Coach Rob believes that Sha’Carri Richardson’s performance at the Prefontaine Classic could be a major turning point in her season. However, she won’t have an easy path—she’ll be up against two of her toughest competitors. One of them is Julien Alfred. But who’s the other? That’s the big question.

Sha’Carri Richardson’s big event entry will not be easy 

Heading into the Stockholm Diamond League, Julien Alfred made her intentions clear: “Winning the Olympics has given me more confidence.” And she backed it up with her performances. In her 100m season opener at the Oslo Diamond League, Alfred clocked a swift 10.89 seconds (+1.1 m/s). Just three days later, she stunned the field again—this time slicing 0.14 seconds off her mark to post a blazing 10.75 (+0.9 m/s). That time now sits as the second-fastest in the world this season.

The only woman ahead of her? Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. At the Philadelphia edition of the Grand Slam Track series, Jefferson-Wooden scorched the track with a 10.73 (+1.4 m/s), stamping her authority on the event. Now, all three—Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden—are set to clash in the women’s 100m at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend. However, Coach Rob has already admitted, “Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is at least proving to me that I was wrong to put her with the rest of the field.” With Alfred riding high on Olympic confidence, Jefferson-Wooden in top form, and Coach Rob’s eyes firmly fixed on the outcome, Sha’Carri has a lot riding on this race—and even more to prove.