Richard James (born 1 December 1979) is a Jamaican former sprinter specializing in the 400 metres and the 8th World Athletics Indoor Championships gold medallist in the 4 × 400 m relay.

At the 2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics, James finished 5th in the 400 m and won another silver medal anchoring the 4 × 400 m relay.

In the finals, James and Sanjay Ayre were replaced by Gregory Haughton and Davian Clarke, and Jamaica won in a world-leading 3:05.21 clocking.

[4][3] He first attended Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas before studying at LIU Brooklyn, where he graduated with a master's degree in exercise physiology in 2007.

[6] In his capacity as a coach, James has trained and worked with distance runner Julius Mutekanga and footballer Adam Ozeri.