Sha’Carri Richardson became a breakout star during the track and field Olympic Trials last month thanks to her lighting-fast speed – she’s currently ranked as the sixth-fastest woman of all time – and her sense of style. The athlete has been praised by supporters for wearing long eyelash extensions, acrylic nails, and her fiery orange hair colour. Richardson also has several tattoos, one of which she recently explained the significance behind in an interview.
Richardson has a dragon tattoo on her left arm, and in a special promotional video for NBC, she briefly opened up about why she got it. “The dragon is misunderstood,” she said. “It’s seen as evil and destructive and everything. But the meaning of my dragon is fortune, authority, and good luck.”
In some cultures, dragons can also symbolise fearlessness, power, and wisdom, which is quite fitting considering how boldly she stands in her self-assuredness. Richardson explained in the video that many of her naysayers have described her as “arrogant, cocky, [and] ruthless” – just a few problematic terms that are commonly thrown at women athletes – though she chooses not to let that shake her confidence.
“When I come onto the track and you see me performing a certain way, it’s because of the belief that I have in myself,” she said.
