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She’s been turning heads ever since she first sprinted onto the track scene, but it’s not just her speed that has people talking. Now that it’s Olympics season, Sha’Carri Richardson’s girlfriend and dating history have been drawing plenty of curiosity, even as the sprinter keeps that part of her life largely private.
Richardson’s journey in the spotlight hasn’t always been smooth. In 2021, a positive marijuana test during the US Olympic trials led to a suspension that kept her out of the Tokyo Olympics—a setback that could have defined her career. But Richardson isn’t one to stay down for long. Her triumphant return at the 2024 Olympics wasn’t just a comeback; it was a statement. “I’m not back, I’m better,” has been her mantra all year.
Related: Get to know Sha’Carri Richardson’s biological and adoptive parents
But while Richardson is happy to talk about her professional journey, this hasn’t always been the case when it comes to her personal life. In the past, Richardson has been open about her sexuality, letting fans know in 2015 that she’s bisexual. “My family know im bi,” she wrote in a tweet at the time. Since then, however, the Olympian has been pretty tight-lipped about her love life. “There are things Richardson just won’t talk about,” wrote journalist Maya Singer in an August 2024 Vogue profile. Naturally, this has only fueled more curiosity about who might be supporting the track star behind the scenes.
Get to know Sha’Carri Richardson’s girlfriend and dating history
While Richardson doesn’t share too many details about her love life, that doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at what we do know about her romantic history. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Janeek Brown (2019-2022)
From 2019 to 2022, Sha’Carri Richardson was in a relationship with Jamaican hurdler Janeek Brown. The pair were pretty public with their relationship, with Richardson occasionally referring to her girlfriend in interviews. After a big win in 2021, for example, she shared a sweet detail about Brown during an interview with USA Today: “My girlfriend actually picked my [hair] color. She said it like spoke to her, the fact that it was just so loud and vibrant, and that’s who I am. She just wanted me to be able to make a statement.”
But as with many relationships, things weren’t always smooth sailing. After their split, Richardson took to Instagram with some serious allegations. “I was in a relationship with a Jamaican athlete that never cared about me from the jump. I was abused and stole from, yet protected her from the judgement of her country and family while they dragged me,” she revealed at the time, according to Sportskeeda.
Brown later responded to these allegations in an Instagram Live, admitting to at least one instance of abuse: “I was abusive once that there’s physical evidence of, and we moved on, and even after then I was trying to move on from that. We still got nowhere,” she shared. The hurdler chalked up their relationship troubles to personal issues. “I was going through something. I was finding myself,” she said. Since then, Richardson has said little about this relationship, and it seems the pair have both moved on.
Christian Coleman (2024, rumored)
In early 2024, fans started to wonder about a potential romance between Richardson and fellow U.S. sprinter Christian Coleman. Now, let’s be real—there’s about as much solid evidence for this as there is for Bigfoot. But that hasn’t stopped folks from speculating!
What we do know is that Coleman has some seriously nice things to say about Sha’Carri. At a press conference, he called her “somebody who’s at the forefront of women empowerment” and even dubbed her “a beast.” While this could mean Richardson and Coleman have something going on, it could also just as likely be chalked up to mutual respect between two top athletes.
Mystery partner (2024)
While Richardson was busy bringing her silver-medal-winning performance to the 2024 Olympics, she also managed to give fans a tiny peek into her personal life. The sprinter took to her Instagram Stories to show off a stunning bouquet of roses, complete with a teddy bear sporting a necklace calling her the “love of my life.”
Following that, she shared a post celebrating National Girlfriend’s Day, which got fans buzzing even more. Clearly, there’s someone special in Richardson’s corner. But is this mystery gift-giver the same person as her rumored romance with Coleman? Or is there a completely new player in Richardson’s love life?
One thing’s for sure: Richardson’s keeping this relationship under wraps tighter than her starting blocks. While that won’t stop fans from being curious, for now, let’s just be happy Richardson is getting her flowers—literally and figuratively!
