Passion J. Richardson

Passion Richardson
Track and Field, 2000 Sydney

Passion Richardson is an Olympic Bronze medalist from the Sydney Olympic Games representing the United States in Track and Field. Passion’s father served 22 years active duty in the Army. She was born at Fort Bragg, NC and her family, including one brother, moved many times as they grew up.

Passion attended school in Florida, Alaska, Ohio, Mississippi, and Kentucky over her childhood. Running was part of her life at every stop along the way.

Passion was highly recruited by the time she was ready for college, and she chose the University of Kentucky in Lexington where she competed from 1993 to 1997. Her outstanding college honors included:

All American – four times

• 55 Meters (1994)
• 55 Meters (1996)
• 4X100 Relay (1996)
• 100 Meters (1997)

Gold Medal – 1997 World University Games – 4X100 Relay
University of Kentucky Record holder – 100 M (which she still holds) and 60 M (broken Jan.22, 2012)

Upon graduation from Kentucky, Passion set her goal to make the 2000 Olympic Team. On her way to achieving this goal, she earned national and international honors:

• Silver medal 1997 Pan American Games
• Silver Medal 2000 USA National Indoor Track & Field Championships

Once Passion qualified for the 2000 Olympic team she earned her spot on the Women’s 4 X 100 Relay impressing coaches with her hard work and time trials. Olympic relays consist of eight athletes; four run in the morning preliminary and semi-final heats, and the four others run in the finals. Passion ran the anchor leg of the morning heat which placed first, qualifying her team for the semi-finals. Next, Passion and three teammates ran the semi- finals finishing second, setting the stage for the remaining four runners. Marion Jones ran the anchor lap in the finals and the US women won the Bronze medal.

Marion Jones was later found guilty of steroid use and stripped of her medal. Passion and the remaining teammates were not punished and display their medals proudly.

Passion lives in Lexington, Kentucky. She is an Academic Advisor in the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics. Passion is the Olympian Role Model for World Fit – Lexington with 11 Middle Schools totaling 8,000 World Fit kids.