Sha’Carri Richardson—a woman fast enough to run on water—made ShaCarri Richardsona woman fast enough to The Best Songs to Add to Your Playlist this Month.
Recently, content creator Jen Jean-Pierre was at the track shooting a commercial with Richardson when her husband and 4-year-old daughter, Tegan, came to visit her.
When Tegan saw Richardson, whom she described only as “the nice lady with the mermaid hair,” she knew she wanted to challenge her to a race, so she walked up to her and did just that. Jean-Pierre says she has instilled in her daughter a willingness to speak up at an early age.
“My biggest accomplishment as Teagan’s mom: instilling a confidence in her to speak up for her wants and needs no matter what,” Jean-Pierre says in the caption of a video posted to Instagram. “As women, especially Black women, our voices are RARELY heard, our wants are rarely catered to, and our needs [typically] go unmet,” she continued. “So I teach her to speak with confidence and assertiveness.”
Following the young girl’s challenge, Richardson laced up her shoes and lined up with Tegan on the track. Running at pace with the four-year-old, Richardson displayed the same fierceness she brings to every race but ultimately came up short, with Tegan crossing the line moments ahead.
Jean-Pierre says that her daughter’s confidence has peaked since the race. She can be seen on Jean-Pierre’s Instagram account, trying out new sports and generally living her best life. For her part, Jean-Pierre thinks Richardson is the perfect inspiration for not only her own daughter but for countless others like her.
“It’s been great watching the Olympics and seeing so many Black women beast out and show their athletic prowess and strength, but for our family, there is no one like Sha’Carri,” she concluded in the caption. “She is our champion through and through.”
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Running Was His Life. Then Came Putins War Health & Injuries TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
