2024 Hall of Fame Class: Jason Richardson
Former South Carolina sprinter and hurdler Jason Richarson (2005-2008) isn’t running anymore, but he’s not exactly slowing down, and he’s helping other former athletes catch their breath. Richardson, who is one of nine members of the 2024 class for the University of South Carolina Association of Lettermen’s Athletics Hall of Fame, retired from competing in 2018 and is currently the Manager of Athlete Relations for LA28, which is the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympics in Los Angeles.
“My role is dealing with internal and external athlete engagement for the organization,” said Richardson who graduated from South Carolina in 2008 with a degree in sport and entertainment management. “Whenever we need athletes at specific events and whenever we need athletes to provide feedback, that’s what my department handles. There is also an athlete fellowship program that I manage, and it’s a program for retired Olympians and Paralympians. That program gives employability to retired athletes, and that tends to be the difficult part about having a professional career. You’re out of corporate America, and then you retire and need help to figure out what to do next.
“It’s definitely a difficult transition. I was blessed to compete professionally for ten years in addition to the amount of time I put into the sport in college, high school and middle school. When it comes to an end, you look in the mirror, you have to ask yourself, who are you now that you can’t define yourself by a sport as you have in the past. I can say that my life is infinitely better because I was able to participate in sports and got to go to South Carolina. It made me prepared for the hurdles ahead.”
Richardson was a six-time All-American for the Gamecocks and worked through various injuries in his career to cap things off with a sensational senior year in which he won the SEC Outdoor Championship title in the 110 m hurdles and later ran a personal best of 13.21 seconds to win the NCAA Regional title. He went on to win NCAA Outdoors in the event and was named South Carolina’s MVP in both outdoors and indoors. He was also selected as the USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year.
“That 2008 season really stands out,” Richardson said. “That’s really the intent and focus of college and college sports, which is to do your best athletically and also maintain a good academic standing. That was a good sign that I was balancing the student-athlete portion correctly, so that was a highlight of my career in college.”
“I learned so much at the Olympic games. It reminds us that were just one small part of a much bigger story of what it means to be human.”
Richardson excelled internationally after his days in the garnet and black, earning the 110-meter hurdles title at the 2011 World Championships and also took the silver medal in the event at the 2012 Olympics in in London.
“Winning an Olympic medal was one of the greatest highlights of my short time here on earth in 38 laps around the sun,” Richardson said. “I have to say that the number one thing was walking into the opening ceremonies clad in the USA Ralph Lauren Polo gear. Going and supporting the U.S. was incredible and being part of the USA team is bigger than just your sport. Everybody on that team from across different sports is all going for the same goal. It’s a great family environment at the games. It’s an opportunity to get to know other countries. I learned so much at the Olympic games. It reminds us that were just one small part of a much bigger story of what it means to be human.”
Richardson was the Gatorade National Athlete of the Year coming out of high school in Texas, and he could have gone a lot of places, but South Carolina was the right fit.
“The coaching staff really created an environment where my teammates and I could train in our specific events and create a sense of comradery,” Richardson said. “It was a great environment in which to excel. The beauty of the NCAA system is that it’s so competitive, that just surviving the competitions is like an Olympic or World Championship feeling. I’m really grateful for that experience.”
Now he’s looking forward to the experience of being a hall of famer.
“It was a bit of a surprise,” Richardson said about getting the Hall of Fame call from Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “It’s been almost twenty years since I first went to South Carolina. It’s always good to be honored for some of the accomplishments you were able to have while wearing the South Carolina jersey. I’m super-honored to be in the Hall of Fame with all the other great athletes from the institution.
“I just want to go take a little stroll through the Horseshoe. There’s something special about the nostalgia of the small original part of campus. That Horseshoe is something special.”
