Benjamin Richardson feels he’s been forgotten since getting injured at the Paris Olympics ahead of the 4x100m relay where South Africa won a sensational silver without him.
But he’s eager to remind the nation of his talents this season.
Richardson, who became South Africa’s second-fastest 100m sprinter of all time when he clocked 9.86sec last year, had played a key role in helping the relay team qualify for the Games earlier in 2024.
“It was disappointing, quite heart-shattering, especially with me and Akani [Simbine] being the main people in the team because we both had the sub-10s,” Richardson said of the hamstring injury that struck in the 200m heats a few days before the relay.
“But [overall] it all panned out, they still got their medal, and I’m happy about that, but yeah, it was a bit heart-shattering not being able to compete and come back with some silverware.”
With Richardson out, schoolboy Bayanda Walaza was drafted into the team to make history alongside Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana and Simbine.
But what hurt Richardson the most was being forgotten for his efforts in the build-up to the Olympics, which included beating Wayde van Niekerk to the South African 200m title. “What affected me … was how people just forgot about me in terms of what I had done before all of that and so it’s like I haven’t been recognised.
“I could have run a 9.6, 9.7, and I’d have still been forgotten just because I got injured … I know I would have been in the relay team and I’d have also come back with a medal, but because I wasn’t in it, I was forgotten.”
Richardson won the 100m silver at the under-20 world championships in Nairobi in 2021, behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who won the 200m Olympic gold at Stade de France.
The 21-year-old wants to make his own mark in the 2025 season, with the focus being the world championships in Tokyo in September.
“[My goal this year is] to win as much as I can. To make a few finals [in Japan], make the 100m-200m finals, come back home with some silverware whether it be in the relay or an individual medal.”
In Paris, Richardson clocked 9.95sec, the second-fastest time of his career, but missed a spot in the 100m final by two-hundredths of a second. “I’m really working on getting my races [fine-tuned] and getting consistent sub-10s, so 9.9, 9.8 … The easier you make that for yourself, the better you know you’re gonna make that final and not have to worry about it.”
He needs to hold his poise throughout the race, instead of getting distracted by his rivals over the final metres. “Coach Paul [Gorries] said I’d have made the final if I had just focused on my own race and kept my form. But, instead, I saw Fred Kerley and I panicked a bit and started leaning [for the line] a bit too early, and that cost me.”
The urban planning student at North-West University in Potchefstroom spends the little free time he gets at home on the sofa, watching Netflix or on Playstation. “I’ve been trying to go outdoors, but I’m a bit of a lazy person, so that’s not happening as of yet.”
Richardson admitted the injury — the first serious one of his career — changed his outlook. “I’ve worked harder now. I’ve taken more care of myself, starting to eat right, starting to stretch and do daily things that help the 1% improvement to make me better and faster. So, hopefully, by the next Olympics I can get another relay medal — and even one for myself.”
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