“Go time 🌟,” Sha’Carri Richardson posted to her 486,000+ followers on X, as she revealed her upcoming event in Japan. The reigning world champion’s social media announcement sent ripples through the track world, ending months of speculation. While the outdoor season has surged forward, unveiling rising stars and familiar champions, one lane has remained conspicuously empty—until now. After months that left fans refreshing schedules and scanning entry lists, the magnetic force of American sprinting will finally explode from the blocks at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo this weekend (May 17-18). But how can it go? How fast? How fierce? How ready? A prominent voice in track and field offers insight into what lies ahead!

Track analyst Anderson Amerloe of “The Final Leg Track & Field” believes Richardson’s delayed season debut isn’t cause for concern but makes her return all the more intriguing. “This is Sha’Carri’s first race since 2024 at the Brussels Diamond League, where she finished kind of, you know, down in the pack, not a really great race for her,” explains Anderson Amerloe  in his YouTube channel.”Prior to that, she did win the Zurich Diamond League, actually ahead of Julian Alfred in that race in the hundred. And prior to that, she got the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, just behind Julian Alfred there as well.”

That Brussels finale wasn’t kind to Richardson, who struggled mightily in chilly conditions and finished a distant eighth behind Olympic champion Julien Alfred. It was a humbling conclusion to an otherwise stellar season where she blazed to a world-leading 10.71 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, to go with two Olympic medals. “She’s coming off a season’s best in 2024 of 10.71 seconds, which was the world lead,” Amerloe notes. “But now the question is, what is she going to be able to do in her season’s opener for 2025? This, of course, has been highly anticipated because every other top sprinter on the women’s side has opened up their season—Julian Alfred, Shelly-Anne Fraser-Price, Shericka Jackson, T.T. Terry, Melissa Jefferson—everyone across the board.”

Her absence stands in stark contrast to the flurry of early-season activity. Is it strategic? Her wild card status as defending world champion means she doesn’t need to chase qualifying times. “One thing to keep note is that she has the wild card to the world championships in the 100 by way of being the defending world champion from 2023 in Budapest,” Amerloe explains. “So maybe that’s a factor as to why she hasn’t opened up her season yet.”

What should we expect in Tokyo? “I would not be surprised if she opens up with sub 11. I think that’s probably very realistic,” predicts Amerloe. “I probably predict around 10.9 something, right? I don’t know if it’s 10.99 or 10.90, who knows.” Beyond the clock, technical execution will be key as Richardson returns to the spotlight. “The big thing is that hopefully she’s just healthy,” Amerloe emphasizes. “Hopefully she’s able to work on her start, you know, her execution in the first kind of like, you know, 10 to 15 meters or so, which is probably the weaker part of her race. We really know she have really strong top end speed ”

A Brief overview of Sha’Carri Richardson’s field

Sha’Carri Richardson is lining up—and all eyes are on her. With that blazing 10.65 personal best, she’s the undisputed favorite in this women’s 100m field.

But who’s chasing her? Fellow American Twanisha Terry isn’t far behind with a sharp 10.82, making it an all-USA front-row threat.

Then come the international challengers—Bree Rizzo from Australia (11.23), and Japan’s own trio: Midori Mikase, Manaka Miura, and Hinami Yamanaka, all clocking mid-11s.

It’s a race that looks like Richardson’s to lose, but as any sprinter knows, one great start—or stumble—can change everything