Remember when Sha’Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman stirred the rumor mills in 2023? Their brief interaction at the World Championships in Budapest left fans scratching their heads. While many were elated watching their favorites bag incredible victories, it soon turned into full-blown speculation. Were the two speedsters secretly in a relationship? Even though neither of them publicly addressed the rumors, fans believed otherwise. 

If their multiple outings weren’t enough proof, sleuthing fans would often overanalyze their social media interactions. Despite putting two and two together on several occasions, they could never confirm or debunk the speculations. However, after nearly a year of breadcrumbs, the sprinters added more fuel to the fire, and fans can’t help but rejoice over the biggest hint they’ve received so far. But what really happened?

Christian Coleman gives Sha’Carri Richardson a shoutout

The sprinters have often interacted with each other via Instagram stories before. In fact, they wished each other on their birthdays earlier this year, leading to many hawk-eyed fans connecting the dots. For the first time, on November 30, Christian Coleman indirectly addresses the speculation by sharing an image of Sha’Carri Richardson on his Instagram story. However, here’s what seals the deal for the fans. He captioned it, “🥹🖤”

The 2x Diamond League champion’s shoutout was in response to the Paris 100m silver medalist’s Instagram story. The Dallas native shared an image of her alleged beau sitting on the staircase like he was waiting for someone. She even captioned it with three emojis, one of them being a black heart. But wait! It gets better. Earlier today, the 24-year-old shared a carousel of snaps for Thanksgiving, and it sent their fans into a frenzy. 

In one of the images, Sha’Carri Richardson was at a football game, engulfed in a mystery man’s arms. Even though the image doesn’t reveal much, it is undeniable that the man in question was Christian Coleman. She captioned the wholesome post, “life. thankful for everything.” This only confirmed all the suspicions due to their shared location earlier this year. The rumored couple was vacationing in Cancun, Mexico. While the reigning 100m world champion was at a Nike event, Coleman’s posts looked eerily similar. However, what do the fans think? 

Track & Field community feels vindicated after their latest posts

Keeping track of the “under the wrap” relationship proved to be quite a whirlwind for fans. After their celebration at the 2023 World Championship in Budapest, the community has ardently been following every move the sprinters made. From public outings, social media interactions, and sneaky vacations, fans couldn’t decipher if the Olympians were together. But the latest posts are good enough to confirm months of speculation. 

One fan rejoiced, “So happy for them🥰. All the best guys 🤞” They might not have confirmed the relationship outright, but this fan was ecstatic nonetheless. Another fan stated, “Beautiful couple. THE power couple in sports right now.” Apart from being compatriots, they share a long list of accolades between them. Would it be wrong to dub them with a worthy title? This fan doesn’t think so. 

After securing the 100m world title, Sha’Carri Richardson clinched gold in the 4x100m relay in Budapest. Moments before this, Christian Coleman had bagged the 4x100m relay gold as well. The men’s team watched as the women scorched past their competitors. However, as soon as the 24-year-old ran past the finish line, her alleged beau hugged her in front of a raucous crowd. Since then, they’ve added more medals to their resume, the latest for Richardson being at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

A fan apologized to Track Spice, “You have been right the entire time my apologies they’re dating.” The track and field blogger had speculated on their relationship for months now, but it wasn’t well received by some. Another fan exclaimed, “This what y’all been feining for talking bout sum “finally”💀.” Could this possibly be considered a full-circle moment for the community? However, one fan pointed out, “She’s probably the reason he’s not winning.” Maybe not everyone was happy for the sprinters. 

From the images Sha’Carri Richardson shared, she wore something that looked eerily familiar in one of them. What was it, you ask? It was a gold and diamond-plated necklace with her initials inscribed on it. But here’s where it gets exciting. Many fans realized that Christian Coleman was previously wearing something similar.  Track Spice was one of the few that pointed it out on X. On the other hand, while the 28-year-old had emerged victorious at the Millrose Games and the World Indoor Championships earlier this year, his Parisian stint wasn’t as successful as Richardson’s. Confirmation or not, fans couldn’t help but gush over these wholesome updates.