WCSN Blogs

YEEEESSSSS!!!! One down one to go……

I know it’s only the first step, but without placing in the top three at the Olympic Trials my dream of going to the Olympics wouldn’t exist. I felt prepared, my rounds went perfectly, but after 2007, I just wasn’t 100 percent sure. The nightmares of a fourth place finish haunted my mind quite a few times but as quickly as they came I dispelled them with my overwhelming desire to go to the Olympics in my specialty event.  The weather at the meet had been incredible with warm days and mostly mild winds, but after the two-day break, the weather started to deteriorate a bit. It was much cooler and windier on the final than I would have liked and that played a huge role in my race strategy. I usually go out pretty fast and lead for the first 200m, but this time I didn’t. I think it made some people nervous but I knew by conserving a bit more during the second 100meters, I’d have the strongest finish. I had no idea that I won by one second - Mary Wineburg felt so close coming off the curve. I just kept my eyes focused on the finish line and on my goals. I was overcome with joy and a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders as I ran through the line! I’ve worked so hard to make this team and I can’t wait to go to Beijing!

I also feel so blessed to have such great sponsors that all believe in me. Nike gave me a special uniform to debut at the meet and I felt so honored to wear it. In the final I wore the swift gloves and swift socks that are made to reduce drag in the wind. I think they’re very effective but I also think they look incredible. The front of my uniform was also a tribute to the amazing print on the back of our Olympic uniform. Unfortunately it may be difficult to see because it’s blue on blue, but at least some people will continue to get a glimpse before the Games. I also felt the love and energy from my Coke family. They sent me encouraging letters everyday and I know it’s always a gamble when companies pick athletes before we even make the Olympic team and I’m so happy that so many companies did. AT&T also had a booth set up for me after the race that allowed tons of fans to come by and get autographs. Nike did the same the next day and I was overwhelmed by the number of people that waited in line to get my autograph. They were all so pleasant and had nothing but really nice things to say! The Nutrilite Company also sent me flowers before my preliminary round and sent their well wishes and hopes for another Olympic trip. The Hershey Company, and Q-Ray have been on board for a while and they are always wishing me the best. I always try to find reasons to run fast and accomplish my goals but this year it was made easy by all the wonderful people I met through these sponsorships. I know it’s just the beginning but I’ve learned to enjoy every victory and I am really enjoying this one!

Until next time……

The Olympic Trials are here! The feeling in the stadium and all around the city is indescribable. The desire for so many athletes to fill the three very coveted spots on the Olympic team is overwhelming. In just the first day there were already some shocking upsets with UCLA’s Nicole Leach hitting the seventh hurdle and failing to advance. Nicole Cook, Alysia Johnson and Kevin Hicks all missed the next round in the 800m after being almost sure entries in the finals. You could see the real disappointment on their faces as what they had worked so long for was slipping away. The trials are sudden death and everyone wants to be their best between now and July 6th because nothing before or after matters! You have to run your best race now, you don’t have to win but you have to be in the top three to have a chance to achieve your dream.

The women’s 100m, one of the most anticipated races of the meet as it has been so wide open, and hard to pick the top three, have exceeded my expectations. Marshevet Hooker leads the charge with a 10.76 wind-aided and Lauryn Williams, Torri Ewards, and Muna Lee are close behind with 10.8 performances. Of course you can’t count out Carmelita Jeter or Allyson Felix who had sub-11 performances as well. The finals take place this evening and even though six people go to Beijing in the 100m (some for the relay pool), everyone wants to be in the Top 3.

The men’s 400m hurdles had their first round and one of my best friends - Bershawn Jackson - made it look easy as he won and will compete again today in the semi-final round. Robert Griffin from Baylor also advanced.

I start competing on Sunday and I will have my final on the 3rd of July! I really can’t wait to have my chance to step on the track in front of this amazing crowd at Hayward field. The meet has been sold out for months and it shows. The fans filled the stands on the first day when only one final was scheduled to go off. Congrats to Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, and Amy Begley, for making the team in the 10,000m. As I sat and watched yesterday I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to compete and have a real opportunity to make the US Track and Field Team. There is so much pressure and anticipation but no one wants it more than me. I’ve worked for this since 2004 and I have done my best to prepare myself for this moment. Every experience I’ve had so far, favorable or not, have made me a stronger competitor and I hope to show that on July 3rd!

I’ve been lucky to meet some really cool people over the past year. I’ve met Eva Longoria, Dr. J, Rick Ross, Sandy from Salt n Pepa, Kirk Franklin, Flavor Flav and others. I always love meeting people who you see on TV because they aren’t always the people they portray to be, or sometimes they are EXACTLY the same.I briefly interacted with Dr. J and Eva Longoria, they both seemed to be really cool and down to earth. Rick Ross was as laid back as he appears in his videos. He performed at the party I threw for Aaron Ross and Nichole Denby last year and he was really easy to work with. I told him exactly how I wanted him to make his entrance and he had no problems. The entire night he kept giving all three of us shout outs and he performed for longer than we agreed. I thought that was admirable and humble of him.

After his performance he hung out with us and stayed for most of the night. Sandy from Salt n Pepa is truly an amazing woman. She spoke at Bev’s Symposium after the Texas Relays and you could just tell that she had been through a lot, mostly huge success, but from every experience she has has grown tremendously. She seems to be a great friend, Mom, and wife.

Kirk Franklin is really nice too! He’s always at the Texas Relays because he is great friends with Jon Drummond but he is also a fan of track and field which I think is great! The funniest and most memorable interaction I had recently was when I ran into Flavor Flav in New York after the Reebok meet. He knew nothing about the meet but saw me in my uniform and asked me what I was there for. I told him about the meet and he said “that’s what’s up, I can smell that on you,” then he said “you know what else I smell on you a GOLD MEDAL!!!” I smiled and said, “From your mouth to God’s ears!”

Well today I want to help you make your dream a reality.

Every great athlete needs tons of things to get to the next level like an inspiring coach, a supportive family, a decent track and workout facility, and sufficient gear.

I can’t do much about the first three, but I can definitely help with gear!

I’ve been going through my closet and I’ve noticed that I have acquired so much NIKE gear over the past three years! I feel so fortunate to have such a great sponsor and I’d like to share some of my lightly worn gear with some deserving athletes. I’ve also asked Lauryn Williams, Nichole Denby, Marshevet Hooker, Me’Lisa Barber, and Carmelita Jeter and they’re excited to help.

I don’t want to limit this opportunity to just girls so I have also asked some of my male friends Bershawn Jackson, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson, Sanjay Ayre, and Walter Davis to help as well.

To be eligible:

-You must be a student

-You must be a part of an organized track team

-You must also write an essay of at least 100 words explaining why you are most deserving of the gear.

send essays to runwithsanya@sanyarichards.net

or mail them to

PO Box 988

Round Rock TX 78680

Deadline June 25th

Thanks and look forward to hearing from you soon

Sanya Richards

I’m so fortunate to be a part of the Coke six pack, a group of Olympic Athletes that include: LeBron James, Natalie Coughlin, Andy Potts, Steven Lopez, and Shawn Johnson. I have formed such a great bond with all of them but the cutest of the bunch is Shawn Johnson. She is only 16 years old and we have hit it off so well. She is the defending World Champion in the all-around in gymnastics and is the favorite going into the Beijing games. She is so well composed for a teenager and extremely mature. She hasn’t lost her innocence and childish energy but to be so fierce in competition at that age is truly amazing to see. I couldn’t imagine going to the Olympics at 16 years old and being the favorite! I’d be a WRECK! She’s not, she’s confident and poised and I really wish her the best!

My other friends Natalie, the most decorated female athlete at the 2004 Olympics with two golds, two silvers, and one bronze is amazing also. Similar to track and field she has her trials in late June but I am positive she will do well and hopefully win more gold in Beijing! Andy Potts is amazing! He’s a tri-athlete and I don’t even want to think about the distances he runs, bikes, and swims! Its unreal. He still has to make his team and I have my fingers and toes crossed that he will get the last spot and represent the US in Beijing. Steven Lopez is a two time defending champion in Taekwondo and a heavy favorite to win again. Unlike the rest of us, he’s already on his team and is now just anxious to get to Beijing. His sister and brother have also qualified for the team and his oldest brother is the head coach. Talk about a family affair. Really cool and I wish him all the best! LeBron was a little busy with the NBA play-off thing , so he wasn’t with us this weekend, but I wish him continued success and hope he makes it all the way!

We will all be featured on the Coke Packaging and Minute Maid boxes, (I’ll be on Cherry Limeade and Tropical Punch) Keep an eye out! They hit grocery stores May 19th!!!

How lucky am I to have gone to the University of Texas! We have some of the best resources in the world and I am so fortunate to still have access to all of them. It is amazing to be able to workout in the same place as Chicago Bear’s Cedric Benson, Tennessee Titans’ Michael Griffin, athletes like Jamal Charles, Limas Sweed, Brandon Foster, and Marcus Griffin all entering this years draft. The guy in the back of the picture behind Cedric and I, is Bruce Johnson, our strength coach. He is an amazing coach and part of the reason that I have had so much success over the past few years. Missing from this picture is my honey New York Giants’ Aaron Ross, Minnesota Vikings’ Cedric Griffin, and Tennessee Titans’ Vince Yo ung. They are usually there with us but are currently with their teams for some early season training.

Texas is becoming a mecca for world class athletes and I am so happy to be a part of it. It is extremely inspirational to be able to workout with athletes of this caliber and we push each other all the time. Just the other day Cedric Griffin, Ross and I did speed work together and I am almost positive there are very few women in the world that get to train with guys like that!

Well, until next time…… keep reading!

10. Yao Ming regaining full health and prepared to compete for his country in Beijing

9. Dwayne Wade back 100%

8. The Texas Longhorns Men’s BBall team going all the way

7. Carolina Kluft going for her second heptathalon Olympic

6. Ronaldino being named footballer of the year again

5. A great replacement for Craig Masback as CEO of USA Track & Field

4. Nichole Denby, Lauryn Williams, Walter Davis, & Wallace Spearmon all making the Olympic Team

3. Bershawn Jackson winning a portion of the million dollar golden league Jackpot

2. Aaron Ross making it to the Pro Bowl in 2009

1. Me winning the 400m Gold in Beijing!

My last three weekends have been extremely exciting! First I shot a commercial for Nutrilite. It was great as they sent a limo to pick me up and drive me to Dallas where we shot parts in studio and parts on the track. Everyone involved was professional, kind, and patient, making shooting my first commercial a breeze. I’ve been really lucky to be sponsored by some great companies this year. Between Nike, Coca Cola, AT&T, Hershey’s, Qray, WCSN and of course Nutrilite, I can’t pick my favorite. Every experience and opportunity they have given me so far has been a blessing and I am truly grateful.

The next weekend my Mom and I traveled to Valencia, Spain! I went there to participate in the Golden League Press Conference and of course get a chance to watch as much of the World Indoor Championships as I could. The press conference was great, with Janeth Jepkosgei, Jeremy Wariner, Susanna Kallur and Jonathan Edwards all taking part. I was introduced first to reflect upon my last two seasons competing for the Golden Leauge million dollar jackpot and then I stayed on stage and interviewed the others that would be attempting to win the big prize this year. It was thrilling to be the one asking the questions for a change and I think the reporters and meet directors really got a kick out of seeing me play that role. Although the press conference was nice the meet was even better. I really enjoyed watching the meet and seeing Angela Williams regain her form and win her first World Indoor 60m title. The women’s triple jump was intense with Yargelis from Cuba beating Devetzi from Greece on her last jump. I was thrilled to see Allen Johnson grab the silver medal and I thoroughly enjoyed the men’s 1500 as two of the locals from Spain fought for the bronze medal and had the entire stadium in a frenzy. The meet was nice to watch and has given me a new resolve to want to be a World Indoor Champion myself in 2010!

Finally, last weekend I traveled to Maryland to sign autographs for the kids participating in the Nike Indoor Championships. Although I had never competed there myself, I always went to the Armory, I’ve trained there quite a few times when visiting my family for Christmas. I was there with Tiombe Herd and LaShawn Merrit. It was incredible to see how quickly the kids recognized us and how enthusiastic they were about getting our autographs. We signed straight for over three hours. It was one of the best feelings in the world. So many times we hear that track and field is dead in the states and it is so far from the truth. There are tons of great fans in our sport and people who know what we are doing, however it is our responsibility to compete honestly and continue to give our fans something real to believe in!

-Signing off,
SAN

Watching the Super Bowl game last Sunday was one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had. Being that the Super Bowl decides the world champion in football, the only thing I could compare it to is the Olympics. Since I’ve only been a competitor there, my perspective was so different. I love competing in that kind of atmosphere, but being a spectator has its perks too!I joined Ross in Phoenix on Thursday and the hype surrounded the big game was all so real. So palpable, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the excitement and anticipation for the game. The team stayed in a nice spa resort about 30 mins away from the stadium. They only allowed one family member to stay in the hotel with them and had more security than most could imagine. The coaches wanted to ensure that they kept them as focused as possible before the biggest game of their lives, and trust me that in it self is a tough task.

My sister Shari, cousin Yolande, and best friend Nichole all came to Phoenix with me. We went to some incredible pre-game parties where I shared a red carpet with Puff Daddy, Ryan Seacrest, Mario Lopez, Reggie Bush, Roy Williams, Adrian Peterson, Jerry O’Connell, Michael Clark Duncan and many others. I couldn’t believe how many stars turned out to watch the game and no matter how enthusiastic I got and how anxious I was for the game, Ross always kept his cool and felt deep in his heart if the Giants had a good game they could leave Phoenix as Super Bowl Champions.

The day of the game came so quickly. Ross came and saw me before they left and I wished him the best of luck and told him the next time I saw him he’d be a Super Bowl champion! I had great seats for the game, and the men around me were all major Giants fans! It was such an incredible feeling in the stadium. You could feel the Giants fans willing our team to win. After the Patriots scored their second touchdown only leaving little over two minutes of playing time, the chance at success seemed to be slipping away. However in the last couple games, Eli had directed his team down the field in less time and I only hoped he could pull it off again. The Patriots fans were obnoxious as they kept insisting that their team was definitely about to go 19-0.

There were many exciting plays that day, but when Tyree, number 85, made a catch down the middle of the field after Eli scrambled away from what looked like a for-sure sack, the Giants’ fans exploded. We held on to that little bit of hope and I can’t tell you how many kisses I received when Plaxico made the game winning catch. It was as though all the men around me knew me forever and we all just shared in a moment that would last a lifetime.

I ran over to the designated gate, and was escorted onto the field to celebrate with Ross. It was overwhelming to see the joy in all the players eyes and I couldn’t believe my fiancé , Aaron Ross, was only a rookie and enjoying the greatest prize in the game. It was too good to be true and a true testament to the old saying, “Hard work always pays off!” Ross has been through so much, and through it all he always had a smile on his face. For his perseverance he has been awarded so much and I am sooooo proud of him!

Its official, I’m engaged!!!

For months, reporters have been saying that Aaron Ross was my fiancé. And although I didn’t mind, it was a bit premature. Sometimes my family members would call and say is it official now, and I’d remind them that they’d be the first to know when it really happened.

Well, the way Ross did it, the entire country knew all at the same time. I didn’t have to make too many phone calls as they were pouring in faster than I could make them.

It was so nice! The day of the Redskins game, Dec 15th, NBC was scheduled to come visit with me to get some additional footage before the Olympics. They thought it was a great story with me being in Jersey supporting Ross and wanted to get us at home eating lunch together and then get me in the stands cheering for him at a game. While they were doing the taping, Ross remembered me telling him a long time ago while we were watching a Martin episode, that I’d love to have my engagement taped so that I could always go back and watch it. So he text messaged the jeweler during the taping and slipped out without me knowing to get the ring. Then he jokingly asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I said a ring, and he took the one off my finger and asked me if I was tired of wearing that one. I said, “Yes,” and started to grab it back. Then he said, would you prefer to wear this one, “Will you marry me!” It was incredible. I never expected it at that moment, and all I kept saying was, “Are you serious?”

They showed the footage later that night during the Giants vs. Redskins game, and the entire country got to share in one of the most special days of my life.

It was incredible, and I know I’ve said it before but I’m truly one of the happiest girls in the world!!!

If you missed it, you can still see it on my website at www.sanyarichards.net!