Sha’Carri Richardson on the important role confirmed boyfriend Christian Coleman plays in her life.
Sha’Carri Richardson has opened up about the impact that 2019 World 100m champion Christian Coleman and her “person” have had on her life, following the duo’s all-but-confirmed romantic relationship.
For months, speculation had been swirling about a potential romance between the two sprinting stars. Their social media interactions and public appearances together fueled curiosity, yet neither Richardson nor Coleman had confirmed—or denied—the rumors.
The whispers began at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where both athletes enjoyed golden moments. Richardson claimed the women’s 100m title and a gold medal in the 4x100m relay, while Coleman secured victory in the men’s 4x100m relay.
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However, it wasn’t just their medal-winning performances that caught fans’ attention. Richardson and Coleman’s “cozy” interaction after her relay race raised eyebrows, leading many to believe their relationship went beyond national teammates.
Since then, speculation only grew stronger, especially as the two were frequently spotted together. The rumors were put to rest just before Valentine’s Day, when Richardson and Coleman appeared to confirm their relationship during the Super Bowl final—an event where Richardson also accepted a race challenge from popular streamer iShowSpeed.
In a recent interview with Essence, Richardson reflected on the people and influences that have shaped her life and career. While she refrained from naming Coleman directly, her comments strongly suggested the significant role he plays in her journey.
“I feel like my faith is something that as long as I keep that, everything else will have a domino effect and will follow,” Richardson shared, emphasizing her spiritual foundation.
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She also expressed gratitude for her family, saying, “I love my family and them reminding me of who I am no matter what is going on.”
However, it was her remarks about her partner that stood out the most. “I also appreciate my relationship (with) my person that continues on a day-to-day basis, helps me just see who I am, critiques me, lets me know my rights, my wrongs,” she explained.
Further fueling the conversation, Richardson also praised her training environment at Dennis Mitchell’s Star Athletics Club in Florida—a camp Coleman recently joined.
“My training environment, I go there and it is another safe place. They see me and understand the direction we want to go. We all come aboard together and we make it work,” she noted.
Richardson also opened up about the personal freedom she has discovered since rising to prominence as a senior athlete.
“I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the freedom that I feel now. At a certain point, it was about finding what true freedom is,” she reflected.
The sprinter described her journey toward fully expressing herself, saying, “I thought there were certain moments I would have to limit who I am… but freedom to just know that no matter what you want to do and no matter who you are, you can do it.”
She concluded, “I am always going to show you exactly who I am. No matter what, I want people to walk away from me and say, ‘I understand her.’ I cannot relate to being an athlete or being successful, but I can relate to being human.”
