Texas is undoubtedly one of those states that captures the essence of America in every way. And when it comes to the embodiment of the Texan life in the sporting world, Dallas native Sha’carri Richardson shines brightly. The “fastest woman in the world” is preparing hard for the Paris Olympics lately. Amid that, she revealed her not-so-popular connection to the Lone Star State that has a role to play in her Paris Olympics quest. Pop icon Beyonce being one of Richardson’s main driving forces probably isn’t the first to come to mind, but it looks like it’s not entirely made-up.

In a recent interview with Essence.com, the 2023 World Championships gold medalist Richardson talked about how Texas and the Cowboy Carter singer factors into her Olympic dream. She talked about how things are always larger-than-life in Texas and discussed how she and her fellow Texan Beyonce display that mindset to the core. “I feel like our slogan is “Go big or go home.” And it’s always been that in everything that you do, put everything into it. If you’re not going to do it to your fullest, you shouldn’t do it at all,” said Sha’Carri.

According to her, representing Texas on a global stage is fulfilling and keeps her to stay focused. “And I just want to keep that motivation going for me to put on for Dallas, Texas, going into the world, going into the summer for the [Olympic] Games. I just want to continue to show that big things come out of Texas“, noted the 100m sprinter. Likewise, Beyonce is also an out-and-out lover of everything Texas, and Sha’Carri hailed that spirit.

Her album Texas Hold ‘Em is a tribute to the state and Sha’Carri thinks it’s the very thing that makes things all the more romantic. “Beyoncé, being a fellow Texan herself, honestly, it is something that I feel like even in the state, we just have always had that mindset“, confessed the track and field phenomenon in the interview. Considering all facts, Richardson needs all the motivation that comes her way.

Sha’Carri Richardson’s big plans

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics didn’t turn out to be a great event for many athletes. But for the 24-year-old, it was more of a disastrous affair, to say the least. After testing positive for marijuana, Richardson was barred from participating in the tournament. Going under the radar for months, she prepared to get back into shape and in 2023 showed what was on her mind by decimating her competition in Budapest. Now, it looks like her ambitions are bigger than ever. Recently, Sha’Carri took to social media to showcase how her life has become a fairytale as posters of her newest venture with apparel giant Nike took over the streets and walls of her hometown.

As fans speculate about Sha’Carri’s participation in Serena William’s husband Alexis Ohanian’s latest project, the 776 Invitational, it looks like the former LSU Tigers athlete has no desire to put a halt to her momentum. However, it still waits to be seen if Sha’Carri can first pull off a statement performance in France in July, and pay the proper kind of tribute to Beyonce and her lasting legacy.