Olympic word weekly: Challenging year continues for Sha'Carri Richardson, Michael Johnson takes responsibility over Grand Slam Track's payments delay

Sha'Carri Richardson has endured a difficult few weeks, and her tough period continued as she missed out on a podium finish in the Diamond League event in Poland. The bigger concern remains the fact that she has not broken the 11s mark so far in 2025.

The weekend also brought thrills in Silesia, where Kishane Thompson got revenge on Noah Lyles in their eagerly awaited 100m showdown. But it wasn’t just Lyles who suffered a setback in Poland, Richardson also fell short, finishing outside the podium while her training partner, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, powered to the win.

Meanwhile, GST founder Michael Johnson has issued an apology for missing payments and admitted the series won’t continue in 2026 without solutions.

Away from the track, swimming legend Michael Phelps delivered a strong statement on the USA Swimming dispute, criticizing weak leadership and demanding reform. In gymnastics, social media has been buzzing with retirement rumors surrounding Olympic champion Suni Lee, while 17-year-old Hezly Rivera stole the spotlight with her first senior all-around national title at the US Championships.

Every week, countless Olympic-related stories emerge, both on and off the field. In this edition, we’ve picked six major storylines, with Sha'Carri Richardson's struggles once again leading the headlines after her most recent Diamond League race.

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1. Sha'Carri Richardson faces more setbacks in Silesia

Sha'Carri Richardson - Source: Getty

The struggles continue for Sha'Carri Richardson in her 2025 campaign. The reigning 100m world champion finished sixth in Silesia, clocking a season’s best 11.05s, the slowest of the three Americans in the field. Her training partner, Melissa Jefferson, stormed to victory in 10.66s, while Jacious Sears placed fifth in 11.00s.

Richardson has had a slow start to the year, racing at only four events. She has yet to break 11 seconds. Earlier in the season, she finished fourth in Tokyo and ninth at the Prefontaine Classic.

Before the Prefontaine meet, Sha'Carri Richardson revealed that an injury in February had delayed her season. In late July, following her arrest at the airport over an alleged altercation with boyfriend Christian Coleman, Richardson withdrew from the U.S. Championships semifinals after running 11.07s in the heats.

Two years ago, in the 2023 World Championships, Richardson captured the 100m title in 10.65s. While 2025 has been far from her best, she still has a guaranteed place at September’s World Championships as defending champion.

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2. Kishane Thompson stuns Noah Lyles in Olympic rematch

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9 - Source: Getty

The men’s 100m in Silesia delivered the showdown fans were waiting for. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson exploded out of the blocks and crossed the line in 9.87s, holding off Noah Lyles, who ran a season’s best time of 9.90s. Kenny Bednarek rounded out the top three.

The clash rekindled memories of last year’s Paris Olympic final, where Lyles edged out Thompson by five-thousandths of a second to take gold. This time, Thompson flipped the script, securing one of his biggest wins of the season.

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3. Michael Phelps demands change in USA Swimming

Michael Phelps - Source: Getty

Michael Phelps stepped in with a detailed statement following criticism of US swimmers’ underperformance at the World Championships. China topped the medal table with 36 medals, while the US finished third with 32.

Phelps clarified that the criticism was not directed at athletes but at USA Swimming’s leadership, which he said has been failing athletes for nearly a decade. He cited poor management, lack of accountability, and insufficient support as key issues, and shared that a letter he previously sent to leadership went unanswered.

Calling for transparency and reform, Phelps outlined three steps for change and even offered his help in fixing the issue.

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4. Suni Lee retirement rumors grow

Suni Lee - Source: Getty

Suni Lee’s absence from major competitions this year has fueled speculation about her future. She skipped the Xfinity Championships and US Nationals, and with the FIG website listing her as “retired”, rumors have only intensified. But as of now, Lee has not commented on this.

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5. Hezly Rivera captures first senior all-around title

Hezly Rivera - Source: Getty

Rivera delivered a breakout performance at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in New Orleans. Rivera won the senior all-around crown with a combined score of 112.000, securing her spot on the national team. She also added three apparatus titles to her name.

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6. Michael Johnson addresses Grand Slam Track crisis

Michael Johnson - Source: Getty

Grand Slam Track’s debut season continues to be overshadowed by financial troubles. Reports suggest millions in appearance fees and prize money remain unpaid to athletes, and June’s fourth and final meet was canceled.

On August 15, founder Michael Johnson issued an apology, admitting the shortcomings and acknowledging that the series will not continue in 2026 unless a solution is found.