Usain Bolt Advises Sha’Carri Richardson To Talk Less, Train Harder
Eight-time Olympic Gold medalist Usain Bolt has advised Sha’Carri Richardson to quit trash-talking and focus on training harder, whilst also recommending a song off his debut album, Country Yutes, to help the American sprinter.
In an interview with the New York Post, Usain Bolt explained that Richardson’s trash talk only fuels her Jamaican competitors to be even more determined to beat her. “I would tell Sha’Carri to train harder and to be focused and not say too much … If you talk that big talk you have to back it up,” he told The Post.
Richardson, who received a one-month ban after testing positive for cannabis and subsequently missed out on the Tokyo Olympics, was given a chance to redeem herself at the Nike Prefontaine Classics. Ahead of the race, Richardson used a 2017 Nicki Minaj meme that went viral on TikTok, saying, “I took some time off to rest and now it’s game time, b-tches. You have no idea!”
However, Richardson’s actions failed to match her words as she finished last in the 100-metre dash, while the Jamaican golden girls, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson gave a whopping 1-2-3 sweep victory.
Following this, Richardson withdrew from the 200-metres.
Though not impressed by Richardson’s attitude, given the historical rivalry between American and Jamaican sprinters, Bolt admitted that he was shocked that Sha’Carri finished in last place.
He said, “I actually watched the race it was on my birthday … so all my friends were there. We stopped everything just to watch the race. I knew Elaine [Thompson-Herah] was going to win.
“I knew she [Elaine] was going to run a fast time but I didn’t expect Sha’ Carri to come in last though.”
“But it was like, ‘Oh s–t’ but the memes kept coming quick. You know Jamaicans they were laughing and just going in at her [Richardson]. It was just one of those things.”
“Jamaicans were vexed because she was talking a lot of s–t before the actual race, it is just one of those things,” he said. “Jamaicans don’t like when people talk s–t about us because we are a very proud people. So if you talk about us we are gonna want you to back it up. It definitely gave those women the extra push [to win.]”
Bolt also shared his experiences with American sprinter Justin Gatlin going into the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. “That was my thing with Justin Gatlin — because he’s the one that was always talking — so that gives me that energy like, ‘All right you think you’re gonna win let’s go!’”
Gatlin, however, finished second to Bolt in the 100-meter final.
In recommending his debut album, Country Yutes to Richardson, Bolt added that it could help Richardson to mentally prepare for her next race.
“I would recommend my full album. I would give her the whole playlist to Sha’Carri. For me she’s been through a lot you know, she’s lost her mom.”
“So one of the songs on the album is called ‘R.I.P. My G’ it’s about one of my friends and I lost a couple years ago. So it’s little bit of everything on this album it is for everybody.”
“It’s a vibe song, hard times, positive music, it says a little bit of everything — that’s why I think people really love it because everyone has their own personal favorite,” he added.