'I think She'll Be Fine' - Justin Gatlin Defends Sha'Carri Richardson After Slow Season Opener in Tokyo

Justin Gatlin Defends Sha'Carri Richardson After Slow Season Opener in Tokyo

'I think She'll Be Fine' - Justin Gatlin Defends Sha'Carri Richardson After Slow Season Opener in Tokyo

Abigael Wafula 16:10 - 23.05.2025

The 2004 Olympic Champion has urged fans not to rush to judge Sha'Carri Richardson after her slow season opener, insisting it is still early days.

Sha’Carri Richardson opened her 2025 season at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix last weekend but failed to meet the expectations of fans.

She was competing for the first time since the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels in 2024, and fans expected her to win the race, but she faded to a fourth-place finish, crossing the finish line in a time of 11.47 seconds.

Australia’s Bree Rizzo won the race in a time of 11.38 seconds ahead of American Twanisha ‘Tee Tee’ Terry, who came in second in 11.42 seconds. Canada’s Sade McCreath rounded up the podium in the race, crossing the finish line in 11.46 seconds.

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Fans have already started expressing worry concerning Sha’Carri Richardson’s form, but American sprint legend Justin Gatlin has calmed the uncertainty down.

Justin Gatlin: American Sprint Legend Defends Sha’Carri Richardson

Sha'Carri Richardson season opener
Sha'Carri Richardson is the reigning world 100m champion

The 2004 Olympic 100m champion went down memory lane on the time he was competing and revealed that he never dropped fast times while competing in Tokyo.

He further pointed out that Sha’Carri Richardson is just competing in her first race of the season, and there is not much to judge from that.

According to Justin Gatlin, fans should not be quick to judge Sha’Carri Richardson at the moment and be patient with her to compete in two or three more races before they make a conclusion on her form.

“I never ran fast when I went to Japan, maybe it was the air, the environment, the food, I don’t know what it was, but it seemed hard for me to get up and go,” Justin Gatlin said on the Ready Set Go podcast.

“I think right now, when you look at her, this is her first race out, not really too pressed on it. You’re flying on the other side of the world, so jet lag is going to take effect.

“A couple of athletes have already been in season, so let’s see what happens in the next couple of races, then you can really decide. I think she’ll be fine, she’ll be good.”

In the 2024 season, Sha’Carri Richardson also started her season on a slow note but peaked before the Paris Olympic Games, where she won a silver medal in the women’s 100m and gold in the 4x100m relay.

However, Richardson did not maintain her form until the end of the season, finishing a disappointing eighth in the women’s 100m at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.

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