Prior to the Paris Olympics, speculation regarding a significant rivalry between Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson surfaced, suggesting underlying tensions within Team USA’s training camp.
Fight within training camps are not uncommon for athletes, particularly as emotions escalate in the lead-up to major competitions.
Nonetheless, a recent event involving two of Team USA’s leading figures—Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson—has sparked controversy once more, almost four months ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The two sprinters, who had previously had some public disputes, reportedly engaged in a physical altercation at a training camp before the event.
The tension between Thomas and Richardson has been building for years, with numerous public incidents intensifying their rivalry.
In 2021, when Richardson was disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive marijuana test, it marked a turning point in their already rocky relationship, as Thomas felt frustrated by the negative attention Richardson received.
Thomas, who was actively training for the Tokyo Games, expressed her worries regarding individuals boycotting the Olympics in support of Richardson.
“It really hurts to see so many black people choosing not to watch the Olympics this year. There are so many black athletes who have put in YEARS of hard work for this moment- myself included. We want your support,” she said.
In spite of the controversy linked to Richardson’s suspension, she made a triumphant return to the track, clinching a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter final at the Paris Olympics.
At the same time, Thomas, who won the gold medal in the 200 meters in Paris, has remained a prominent figure in the media; however, it seems that the friction between the two athletes has not entirely faded.
In August 2023, speculation arose regarding a fierce confrontation between Thomas and Richardson during a Team USA training camp.
As per sources familiar with the camp, the athletes’ conflicts escalated, especially concerning training timetables and team member choices.
A camp insider revealed that problems began when Dennis Mitchell’s coached athletes, among them Richardson, consistently arrived late to practice sessions, leading to Thomas’s frustration.
“It went from okay to now they are doing it on purpose,” the source said.
“They also wanted Kayla Davis to run in the relay because now she is no longer with Dwayne Rossi and she’s now with Dennis Mitchell. They also wanted Twanisha Terry to run, Sha’Carri to run.”
Richardson stirred up some controversy when she suggested that only athletes who compete in the 100m race should be included in the relay team, a statement that Thomas found quite upsetting.
To address the growing tension, Thomas is said to have confronted Richardson about her remarks, but the situation didn’t settle down right away.
Looking back on the incident, Thomas took to TikTok to share a message, making it clear that she wanted to distance herself from the ongoing drama.
“If you’re beefing with me, you’re beefing with yourself because life is too short and I’m truly blessed to be stressed,” she said.
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Adding to the tensions, there were also reports of a dispute between the coaches participating in the training camp, especially involving Mitchell and another unidentified coach.
The problems were said to be significant enough to impact the camp’s unity and readiness for the forthcoming World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
“There’s a lot of unresolved tension between some of the athletes and coaches right now,” one insider said.
“We can only hope that they get it right before the World Championships, or it could cost them.”
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