Raised by Grandmother, Everything You Need to Know About Sha’Carri Richardson’s Parents

Sha’Carri Richardson, whose victory at the 2021 Olympic trials was nullified due to a positive marijuana test, triumphantly returned after three years for another Olympic shot. She marked a milestone on her “I’m Not Back, I’m Better” tour by sprinting the 100 meters in 10.71 seconds at the US Track and Field Trials on June 22. This performance made her the fastest woman in the world for 2024 and secured her a spot in France, where she again clinched a gold and a silver.

Richardson edged out Melissa Jefferson, the 2022 US champion, by 0.09 seconds (10.80). Twanisha Terry finished third with 10.89 s and also earned a place on the women’s 100-meter team. But there’s something common between these girls: their coach, Dennis Mitchell, under whose tutelage they have all flourished. And guess what? Right now, the coach is just astonished by his girls’ game. What untold riches lie in the wake for Richardson now?

Sha’Carri Richardson is putting on some of the best performances of her life right now. Although Richardson’s triumphs are known far and wide, not much has been made public about her private life. In fact, Richardson rarely talks about her parents publicly, and in the past, she has also stated that her family dynamic is quite sensitive and complicated to understand.

Who are Sha’Carri Richardson’s parents?

According to a Buzz South Africa report, Sha’Carri Richardson is the daughter of Shayaria Richardson, who sadly passed away in 2021. While not much information is available about Shayaria, it is claimed that she was also a track and field athlete, like her daughter. Shayaria’s own success in track and field also inspired Sha’Carri to fall in love with sprinting early on. At the age of nine, she came across a plaque of her aunt’s medals, which sparked her interest in the sport.

Though Sha’Carri Richardson won the women’s 100m U.S. Olympic Trials by stopping the clock in 10.86 seconds. She was considered the favorite to win gold in Tokyo. However, her Olympic career was halted when she was disqualified because of failing a d**g test just weeks after the Olympic Trials, as she tested positive for marijuana use. Richardson later revealed that she had indulged in the banned substance in order to cope with the news of her biological mother’s passing, who had died just a week before the Olympic Trials. That was the most difficult phase for Richardson, one she lost her mother and her profession because it was just a week before she was going to compete at the Olympic trials.

While speaking to NBC in 2021, the sprinter had said, “This year has been crazy for me. Going from just last week, losing my biological mother, and I’m still here.” The world champion had not divulged the circumstances in which her mother passed, but later apologized for indulging in a banned substance and saw her ban through. It was also reported that Sha’Carri Richardson has publicly expressed her gratitude to her mother, who decided to bring her into the world. Despite having a distant relationship between mother and daughter, Sha’Carri said, “I am grateful for her giving me life, bringing me into this world … and I will always love and respect her for that.” 

However, Richardson has never publicly talked about her father, and not much has been reported on the relationship between the two. In fact, neither of her parents was around their daughter much, and she was brought up by her grandmother and aunt.

Sha’Carri Richardson was raised by her grandmother (Betty Harp) and aunt (Shay Richardson)

Sha’Carri Richardson was born on March 25, 2000, in Dallas, Texas. Richardson was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and an aunt from an early age. Despite not talking much about her parents, Richardson has always maintained that only her family and her coaches know about her daily struggles and that she appreciates them a lot.

This was reiterated in her NBC interview when she said, “I’m highly grateful for them. Without them, there would be no me. Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson. So my family is my everything. My everything until the day I’m done.” The track star values her family over everything, and that also led her to face some tough times just before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when her biological mother passed away. However, all that is in the past now, and Richardson is in the form of her life as she credits her grandmother and aunt for helping her throughout her athletic journey.

How Sha’Carri Richardson’s family shaped her athletic journey

Sha’Carri Richardson’s tale is one of speed and triumph, but also of the amazing women who nurtured her. Without her biological parents in the picture, it was her grandmother, Betty Harp—”Big Momma” to everyone who loved her—and her aunt, Shay Richardson, who became mom by default, with love, advice, and constant support. Sha’Cari Richardson often recalls how both her grandmother and aunt were influential in her joining track and field at an early age. It was due to their efforts and Richardson’s hard work that she went on to enroll in the athletic program of the prestigious Louisiana State University.

After lighting up the NCAA, the world champion has now made her mark on the world stage as well. But the LSU alum has not forgotten the hard work of her family. Richardson claimed that her grandmother expressed that and accolades. This instilled a great work ethic in her, and she is displaying that by creating history regularly. Her aunt, Shay, wasn’t just a maternal figure; she was also her first track coach, the one who first saw her potential and helped nurture her passion for sprinting.

Richardson’s evolution from her memorable performance at Hayward Field in 2021 to her present stature underscores her remarkable personal development. Despite her absence from the Tokyo Olympics, she dedicated herself to self-improvement, guided by the support of her family and coach. As she aptly puts it, “Every time I step on the track, I’m going to try to do what it is that I, my coach, and my support team believe I can do, and with the talent that God blessed me to have.” It’s evident that she is pretty close to her coach, who very well knows this sport.

Richardson also mentioned how her family helped and supported her in her times of distress. She said, “I’m highly grateful for them. Without them, there would be no me. Without my grandmother, there would be no Sha’Carri Richardson.” Thus, with all the support coming her way, Sha’Carri Richardson participated in the Paris Olympics and claimed one silver in the 100 m and one gold in the 4 × 100 m relay.