'There's never a finish line' - Sha'Carri Richardson on mental health challenges that accompany life in the global spotlight

American sprint queen Sha’Carri Richardson's popularity is immense and comes with a significant amount of public scrutiny and criticism. Gladly, she has found a way to adapt to its challenges, especially mentally.

The 25-year-old Dallas native, in a candid conversation with tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, spoke openly about the mental health challenges that accompany life in the global spotlight, which she described her mental wellness as a continuous process without a final destination.

"There’s never a finish line—it’s ironic me saying that," Richardson reflected. "Particularly us being in front of the world... we have to be very mindful of what state of mind that we’re in," she said on the Williams sisters' Stockton Street podcast.

Richardson continued, "My mental health journey has been a journey for me that I am strangely figuring out as life is going on. It’s learning that life is forever a rollercoaster, but it’s still the best ride to be on."

Looking ahead, the 2023 world 100m champion credited the strong Black women in her life for shaping her into the person she is today.

"The feminine energy I received was the power, but the nurturing as well, together. That kind of fuelled me to do the things that I do today," she said.

With personal goals still to achieve and a home Olympics at LA28 on the horizon, Richardson is also embracing her role as an influencer. As she continues to evolve—getting "better, not back"—she hopes to inspire the next generation.

"I think that being in sports is a big inspiration that I want to pass down to people watching, to my own children, because of the character that it builds," she concluded.

After a torrid 2025 season that concluded at the World Championships in Tokyo, where she managed to get to the 100m final and lost her world title, Richardson will aim to shift her focus to next season, gunning to be back on her perch as the world's best female sprinter.