We don’t know about you, but we are then excited to cheer on the track star Sha’Carri Richardson at the Paris 2024 Olympics. At just 24 years old, she’s currently the fastest woman in the world. And as if that wasn’t fun enough to watch, she’s also one of the most stylish — just check out her intricately designed nails (which, in our opinion, deserve their own Instagram account).
For most of her big runs, Richardson’s fingertips are meticulously decorated with accessories like dangling charms, sparkling gemstones, and even stiletto accents. Her manicure of the moment “is based on my mood,” she explained to Nylon last month. “What am I bringing to the dance floor that day? I let my nails express that.”
Aside from matching the vibe and wanting to cross the finish line in style, there are more personal reasons behind her bold beauty statements, too. For one, she credits the women in her family for shaping how she presents herself: “My grandmother, my aunt, and my mother all influence the beauty I exude to the world on a daily basis, especially in big moments,” she said. She ahead of the Games in June. “They kept their nails well-groomed. Their hair was also something I saw a lot of attention to.”
Some fans have also noted that Richardson’s refreshing blend of aesthetics and sport is reminiscent of legendary sprinter Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner, who set the women’s world record for the 100m and 200m in 1988 — and rocked long, fierce nails while making history. And that’s no coincidence: Richardson herself has said that the late Olympian’s confidence inspired her to show off her own carefully curated nails. “Flo-Jo came out on the track and knew she was going to dominate,” Richardson said in a 2021 interview. Associated press interview. “The way she did it was graceful. I always liked that. If the amazing Flo-Jo had long nails, there was no excuse why I couldn’t have long nails.”
On August 2, Richardson debuted a new set at the Paris Games as she began competing for her shot at gold. To mark her debut, let’s take a look at some of her most impressive nails so far.
1. 2024 Olympics, Women’s 100 metres, Opening heats (August 2, Paris)
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two. 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony (July 26, Paris)
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3. 2024 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials, Women’s 100 meters (June 22, Eugene, Oregon)
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4. 2023 World Championships in Athletics, Women’s 200 metres, Finals (August 25, Budapest)
Sam Barnes/Getty Images
5. 2023 World Championships in Athletics, Women’s 200 metres, Heats (August 23, Budapest)
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6. 2023 World Championships in Athletics, Women’s 100 metres preliminary heats (August 20, Budapest)
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7. Diamond League 2023, Women’s 100m (July 16, Chorzow, Poland)
JANEK SKARZYNSKI/Getty Images
8. USATF LA Grand Prix 2023, Women’s 100m (May 27, Los Angeles)
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9. Diamond League 2022, Women’s 100m (May 28, Eugene, Oregon)
Soobum Im/Getty Images
10. Diamond League 2021, Women’s 200m (September 3, Brussels)
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11. Diamond League 2021, Women’s 100m (August 21, Eugene, Oregon)
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12. 2020 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials, Women’s 100 meters (June 19, Eugene, Oregon)
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13. 2021 USATF Golden Games, Women’s 100 meters (May 9, Walnut, California)
Harry How/Getty Images
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