“Stomach pain is bad”- Sha'Carri Richardson's LSU ex-star Natoya Goule opens up on how menstruation affects her body after years in track

Athletics - Commonwealth Games: Day 9 - Source: Getty
Natoya Goule at Commonwealth Games 2022. Source: Getty

Sha'Carri Richardson's LSU former track and field star Natoya Goule opened up about how menstruation continues to affect her body after more than 20 years in the sport. She shared that while the pain may have reduced with time, its impact continues to remain as significant.

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Goule recently competed at the London Diamond League, where she featured in the 800m discipline, finishing eighth in a time of 1:59.27min.

Following this performance, she was asked in the post-race interview what the physical challenges are which she has experienced in her long-time career. She reacted to this, saying (8:51 onwards)

“Oh, you know, I'm big on period poverty. Period and stuff. As a woman, you know, it might be the pain might be less now, but the effect is the same. Whenever a lot of athletes are on their menstrual like that will affect them a lot.”
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The 34-year-old added:

“Stomach pain is bad and it put on like um water weight on you. So for me to perform the way I want to perform, I have to be at a certain weight and if the water weight is on me and I'm too big, that will let me sluggish.”

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She competed in the girls’ long jump at the ISSA Jamaican Championships in 2004 while in Class Four, one of her first major tournament appearances, which marks over 20 years in her track and field career as of 2025.

Natoya Goule represented the LSU track and field team, winning two NCAA titles for them, before later transferring to Clemson, where she claimed her third national title. As a result, she was inducted into the Clemson Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.

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Notably, Sha'Carri Richardson also competed for LSU after enrolling in 2018 and turned professional in June 2019, following her NCAA title win in the 100m.


Natoya Goule shares the message that she would like to tell her younger self

Natoya Goule at Diamond League Silesia. 2024 Kamila Skolimowska Memorial. - Source: Getty
Natoya Goule at Diamond League Silesia. 2024 Kamila Skolimowska Memorial. - Source: Getty

Natoya Goule opened up about the message she would like to share with her younger self. In a quote shared on the official Instagram page of Athlos, a meet founded by Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, the Jamaican middle-distance runner expressed her thoughts, adding:

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“Girl, you gonna be all right. You are doing great. You will make it. You will make your family proud. You'll make your parents proud. You'll make Jamaica proud.”
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Ohanian reacted to this statement by Goule, adding:

“Gotta speak it into existence”
Screenshot of Alexis Ohanian’s Instagram story. Credits- @athlos
Screenshot of Alexis Ohanian’s Instagram story. Credits- @athlos

She was also a part of Athlos' inaugural edition, running in the 800m distance, where she placed third with a 1:58.63min run.

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Edited by Abhiruchi Rout
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