Sha’Carri Richardson set the tone for her own comeback story a year ago when she won the 100m US title, and then the World Championship, and brashly proclaimed: “I’m not back, I’m better.”

Now, with a trip to her first Olympics approaching, come new questions: Is she still better than a field of the fastest women on the planet? And can she handle the pressure that is unique to the Olympics?

The 24-year-old favorite in the Olympic 100m has been open and honest about her quest to become a more appreciative, mindful version of the person whose positive marijuana test at the 2021 US Olympic trials was her unfortunate introduction to a world that knew little about her.

But in the three years that have encompassed both her stunning fall and her inspiring comeback, she has given few details of what happened. She has dropped clues about the death of her biological mother and the bout with depression following that
tragedy.

All of this mystery, turmoil and, ultimately, success have made Richardson larger than life and left her enthusiastic and growing fan base wanting more. Some on social media are keenly into what hairstyle and fingernails she will show off when she runs.

It has also made her more than a mere celebrity sprinter. She is a young, famous, Black woman whose suspension evoked arguments about race, drugs, anti-doping rules and an Olympic ecosphere that is still largely run (and reported on) by older, white men.

“It’s not a goal of mine to be known,” Richardson said. “But I definitely don’t want to be known for one thing. No one does. It’s important for me to be the best person I can be in all that matters to me, like family, community and the work that I do.”

Richardson is not the Simone Biles of these Olympics, but once gymnastics is over and the spotlight heads to the track, there will be no more compelling character.

“The entire world was caught up in the magic of who Sha’Carri is,” said Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross, who covers track for NBC. “And we’ve had a wonderful opportunity to watch her deal with all of that, and to mature and grow.”