Black women athletes are getting ready to showcase their talents in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and show off their hair as a means of self-expression and cultural heritage.
Embracing their natural hair, prominent athletes such as Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Venus Williams, and others have commemorated significant milestones in their athletic careers.
According to NBC News, Black athletes’ hair has always come under criticism. Tennis player Venus Williams was previously reprimanded for having “distracting” beaded hair and trailblazing gymnasts Biles and Gabby Douglas were mocked for not having their hair “done.”
Nonetheless, this year’s Olympics promise to be a game-changer for Black women athletes who want to look stylish while maintaining their kinky, curly hair.
Here are 5 Black women athletes who will be making a statement with their hair.
Kendal Ellis
The 28-year-old 400-meter runner said she planned to showcase her kinky hair texture in Paris.
Per NBC News, Ellis remarked, “It was one of the first things I thought about!” after she qualified for the grand occasion.
She shared her plans to wear a sew-in — hair extensions sewn over her braided hair that is similar to her natural hair texture, noting, “I want to do a more natural-looking style because I think it’s important to have that representation on such a large stage.”
Ashleigh Johnson
Johnson, a 29-year-old water polo goaltender who is competing in her third Olympics, said her relationship with her hair has drastically improved since her first Games in 2016. She keeps it short and natural.
She also stated that she will wear colorful cornrows near her head beneath her swim cap to assist her glide through the water at the Olympics.
Johnson remarked, “Having a protective style is a big part of maintaining my hair’s health right now. I feel like I’m helping my hair. I can reach my hair goals while also competing at this level.”
According to Johnson, Black women in sports seem to bond over hair a lot. They share where to get trends like silk presses and put each other in touch with hair stylists and braiders. Johnson noted that she enjoys experimenting with her hair and seeing other Black women do the same in sports.
Brittany Brown
The 29-year-old sprinter, who was born in California, earned the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships. She also triumphed in the women’s 200-meter final at the 2024 World Athletics Diamond League in Norway.
As she prepares to make her Olympic debut in Paris in 2024, Brown, who will compete in the 200-meter sprint, pointed out, “If you look good, you run fast!”
Many athletes struggle to find stylists to do their hair when they travel to competitions. To enable her to do her hair while on the go, Brown said she learned to cornrow by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Anna Cockrell
Before she cut her loose curls into a short style with tapered sides last year, Cockrell, a 26-year-old track and field star, was known for wearing her big bouncy curls, with a few braids and accessories in front to keep her hair out of her face.
The 400-meter hurdler told NBC News, “I feel a lot freer with my short hair.” She added that she has a sort of ritual to prepare for every meet. “I shampoo twice then condition. I use a hydrating shampoo. I like to go into a race feeling fresh.”
Cockrell also said her alone time doing her hair is “almost meditative.”
She stated, “It’s a time for me to be very intentional and be alone and listen to a podcast or listen to music and just be with myself and have a task versus laying in bed and being nervous.”
Sha’Carri Richardson
To celebrate her comeback at the 2023 U.S. Track and Field Championships., the 24-year-old record-breaking runner threw away her trademark orange hair wig and showed off her natural hair, which was braided at the back with loose tendrils of hair falling free in front of her face.
She recently told Vogue on the set of her cover shoot, “I’m not gonna change the confidence that I have in myself ever. But at the same time, I have learned there is a way that I can carry that so much more gracefully. That’s where that moment came from.”
She added, “My lane is my catwalk. We glam up! We put it on! When we step forward we’re ready no matter what. Look good, feel good, do good. That all relates to the mental aspect, the emotional aspect, and ultimately the physical.”
Throughout her career, Richardson has taken inspiration from the fashionable Olympic sprinters Gail Devers and Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as “Flo-Jo.”
Photos via Instagram
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