Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lead the nominee list for the USATF Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year award as Sha’Carri Richardson is snubbed.

Despite walking away with two medals in her maiden Olympics in Paris, Sha’Carri Richardson didn’t make the nominee list of the USATF Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year award, which has Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in contention.

Richardson blazed to an Olympic 100m silver medal behind Julien Alfred and anchored Team USA’s women’s 4x100m relay squad to a famous gold medal despite receiving the baton in third position to cap off her brilliant outing in Paris.

With her exclusion from this year’s USATF Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year nominee list, a new winner will be crowned after Richardson won the award for the 2023 season in recognition of her outstanding accomplishment that year by becoming the world 100m champion, 200m bronze medallist, and 4x100m champion.

Top 5 fastest women in history: Sha’Carri Richardson’s position unchanged despite Paris Olympics loss

Meanwhile, the nominees on the list all became Olympic champions in Paris, recording iconic performances and are deserving of being on the list.

Thomas was crowned track’s golden girl after winning three gold medals in the women’s 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m, while McLaughlin-Levrore successfully defended her Olympic 400mH title in a new World Record (WR) – her sixth time breaking the WR and played a vital role in the 4x400m gold medal-winning relay squad.

Others on the list are:

• Valarie Allman – Olympic Discus champion
• Masai Russell – Olympic 100mH champion
• Tara Davis-Woodhall – Olympic long jump champion