Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson Shuts Down Critics Who 'Talk Mess About Me' Heading Into Prefontaine

Sha'Carri Richardson
Sha'Carri Richardson

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Sha'Carri Richardson is preparing for her return to racing on the public stage, and she's not letting the critics get in her way.

The sprinter, 21, is set to compete at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon, but before she hits the track, she's shutting out any negative energy.

"I wish the people that talk mess about me was cute at least," the athlete wrote on Twitter Thursday.

In an earlier tweet the same day, Richardson replied to a fan who called out the "obsession" with trying to "break" the athlete's confidence.

"The love y'all show me, I'll never let the hate overshadow that. Positivity is sooo much greater than negativity," Richardson wrote in response. "That's why God always win and the devil fails."

RELATED: Sha'Carri Richardson Says 'I Am Human' Amid Suspension from Olympic Team for Positive Marijuana Test

Richardson is back to racing after she was suspended from the Olympic team in July following a positive marijuana test. While she emerged as a gold medal contender with her impressive results at the Team USA Olympic track and field trials, Richardson was not included on the U.S. roster after failing her drug test.

Despite the Olympics setback, Richardson is confidently gearing up for a comeback. In a TikTok posted Wednesday, the track star appears makeup-free with her natural hair as she mouths along to a 2017 clip of Nicki Minaj accepting an award and saying, "I took a couple … You know, I took some time off to rest."

Sha’Carri Richardson
Sha’Carri Richardson

As the screen flashes, Richardson transforms her look, appearing in eyelash extensions and a platinum blonde and blue hairstyle.

"It's game-time, b------," she mouths. "You have no idea."

Richardson will be racing against Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson on Saturday, all of whom took home medals in the women's 100m event at the Tokyo Games.

She'll be competing in the 100 and 200m races alongside Team USA members Allyson Felix and Gabby Thomas.

RELATED: Sha'Carri Richardson Is 'Glad' She's Not Perfect as She Sets Sights on World Championship: 'Enjoy the Games'

In a Friday interview with the Today show, Richardson reflected on watching the Olympics from home this year after being suspended.

"It was a moment of bitterness, but at the same time it was sweet because it just gives me more time, it gives me more to show the world that I'm here to stay," Richardson told anchor Tom Llamas. "And it just guarantees that I'm going to be here just a little bit longer in the game, but definitely watching it made me want to push forward and just grow from that."

In a previous interview with the Today show, Richardson predicted her victorious return to racing.

"I just want to let y'all know, this'll be the last time the Olympics don't see Sha'Carri Richardson. And this'll be the last time the U.S. doesn't come home with the gold medal in the 100."

Richardson also issued a warning to her future competitors: "I feel sorry for anybody who lines up against me when I come back."