Sha’Carri Richardson recently revealed the deeper meaning of her phrase, “I’m not back. I’m better,” and the explanation will give you chills.
Sha’Carri has been through a lot over the last several years. In 2021, while dealing with the unexpected death of her biological mother, she failed a drug test after testing positive for marijuana. She was subsequently barred from competing in the 2021 Olympic Games. Richardson never shied away from admitting that her actions were wrong — even issuing a public apology to take accountability — and instead went back to work on her craft.
In 2023, at the Track and Field World Championships, Sha’Carri ran a 10.65 100-meter race. Her official time was the fastest on record in the history of the race at the event. Afterward, she confidently said, “I’m not back. I’m better.” In a recent interview with Maya Singer of Vogue, she explained what that phrase meant:
“I don’t just mean I’m a better runner,” Richardson tells me when I ask about her credo. “It’s beyond that. I’m better at being Sha’Carri. I’m better at being myself.”
