When it comes to sporting influence in track and field, not many active athletes compare to Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles. Whether it be Richardson’s Flo Jo-esque colored hair and long nails or Lyles’ flamboyance – oh, and who can forget the revolution he started with his take on “world champions” – there’s no denying their aura. But after a season of ups and downs, their rather disappointing track record (no pun intended) recently seems to have continued…
It came at the hands of an annual list. But before getting to that, let’s go back a couple of days. And a couple of weeks.
This season has been a rollercoaster for Sha’Carri Richardson. But she couldn’t quite end it on a high, one she certainly felt after the 4x100m final at the Olympics. At the Diamond League finals in Brussels, the 24-year-old settled for eighth place in the 100m with an 11.23, subsequently withdrawing from the 200m event the following day and ending her season. As for he didn’t make an appearance at all.
At the Paris Games, Lyles contracted COVID-19 before the 200m – the event he was most looking forward to, hoping to redeem himself after his bronze in Tokyo. However, he fell short yet again and had to settle for third once again with a time of 19.70. Due to his diagnosis, the 27-year-old withdrew from his last event—the 4x100m relay. Making an appearance at the US Open finals in New York, Lyles said, “I ended my season. We decided that after the COVID situation, we are just going to call it there.”
In the present, Sports Illustrated has unveiled its second annual list of the 50 leading personalities and sports influencers. During the process, various factors are taken into account, including leadership, style, and success. It features a who’s who of global influence, including athletes, executives, and dealmakers. It falls into four categories: athletes, executives, influencers, and icons. Athletes are defined as those who “push limits, redefine success, and have an outsized impact between and outside the lines.”
