When the 2025 season kicked in, everyone had pretty high hopes for Sha’Carri Richardson. After all, she was the reigning 4×100 Olympic champion as well as the 2023 100m champion. Her 2023 win, which she captured with a sensational 10.65 seconds, had everyone sure that the same success would follow her this year as well. And this chance to prove herself came in the best way possible because the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo this past week served as a trailer of what the fans might see at the World Championships a few months later.

But things took a much more unexpected turn. Sha’Carri clocked a surprising 11.47 seconds, her slowest 100m since May 2021, landing her in fourth place. Australia’s Bree Rizzo snatched first place with 11.38 seconds, followed by Twanisha Terry (11.42s) and Canada’s Sade McCreath (11.46s). Sha’Carri, sporting a compression sleeve on her calf, had a shaky start–something we rarely see from the usually explosive star.

Her fourth-place finish in the very stadium hosting the 2025 Worlds naturally sparked whispers about her form. Jaws dropped, and questions immediately started swirling: Was this just a minor stumble or a major red flag for the sprint sensation? Well, her training partner, Canadian Olympic medalist Aaron Brown, quickly stepped in to calm the nerves. He reminded everyone that Sha’Carri has a history of slow starts to her season.

“She’s had times where she’s opened up and didn’t look like she was up to the task,” he told CBS Sports, “and then Prefontaine rolls around and she’s winning and blowing her way, looking like old Sha’Carri, smoking them,” Brown emphasized that with her wildcard entry to the 2025 Worlds, Sha’Carri doesn’t need to be in peak form in May. “She needs to be ready in September,” he stressed.

“She doesn’t even have to go to trials and light it up like she normally does. So she has time to build it up and take her time.” So, as the Prefontaine Classic approaches, the question remains: Can we trust Brown’s confidence and Sha’Carri’s history of peaking when it truly matters? Or was Tokyo more than just a warm-up?

Sha’Carri’s rollercoaster caller 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s journey on the track has been a wild ride, a mix of breathtaking triumphs and tough setbacks that keep us all watching. Back in 2017, as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, she exploded onto the scene with a mind-blowing 44.07 in 4x 100m relay at the Pan American U20 Athletics Championships, instantly making her a ‘look for’ star.

She turned pro with Nike, and in 2021, she looked set for Olympic glory after running a blazing 10.75s at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But then, a positive marijuana test delivered a gut-punch, earning her a one-month suspension and snatching away her Tokyo Olympics dream. Heartbroken, she vowed to rise again. 2022 was a bit of a wobble, as she missed the World Championships 100m final.

People started to wonder if her dazzling speed was a flash in the pan. But then came 2023, and Sha’Carri silenced the doubters. She dominated in Budapest, snagging the 100m world title with a blistering 10.65s and adding a 200m silver. Fast forward to her 2025 season debut at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix. Fans were on the edge of their seats, but it was a bit of a shocker.

She finished fourth with a slower-than-expected 11.47s, her slowest 100m since 2021, clearly struggling out of the blocks. Her training partner, Aaron Brown, ever the calm voice, quickly reminded everyone, “She’s had times where she’s opened up and didn’t look like she was up to the task.” With the 2025 Worlds returning to Tokyo, the big question is: Can Sha’Carri once again pull off another epic comeback and reclaim her throne?