Richards-Ross during the 2010 Weltklasse Zürich |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | February 26, 1985 Kingston, Jamaica |
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| Residence | Austin, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 136 lb (62 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Running | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 400 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 400m: 48.70 (2006, AR) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Sanya Richards-Ross (born February 26, 1985) is a track and field athlete who competes internationally for the United States. She won an Olympic gold medal in the 4×400 meters relay at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, an individual bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics for the 400 m, and a gold medal in the 2009 World Championships in Berlin in the 400 meters race.
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Richards left Jamaica for the USA at the age of 12 and became a US citizen in May 2002. At St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, she lettered in Track and Field in high school and is a member of the National Honor Society, ending her high school academic career with a 4.0 grade point average. In 2002 she was named National High School Female Athlete of the Year, USA Track and Field's Youth Athlete of the Year, and Track and Field News Women's Prep Athlete of the Year.[1]
At the Athens Olympics in 2004, Richards was part of the US team which finished first in the 4×400 meters relay. They were however stripped of the gold medals in 2010 after Crystal Cox, another team member, admitted to using doping.[2]
She has won a silver medal in the 400 meters at 2005 World Championships in Athletics. In 2006, together with Jeremy Wariner (400 m) and Asafa Powell (100 m) she won her sixth out of six IAAF Golden League events (100 m) in the same season, which earned her a total of $250,000. She broke Valerie Brisco-Hooks' US record of 48.83 with a 48.70 at the end of the 2006 season and was named IAAF 2006 Female World Athlete of the Year[3] After failing to qualify for the 400 m at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka due to illness which caused her to finish fourth in the US trials, Richards was the favourite to win gold in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and qualified fastest for the final, but went out of the blocks too quickly and was overtaken in the finishing straight by Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain and Shericka Williams of Jamaica, consigning her to the bronze medal.
In the 2009 season, Richards took the 400 m national title in 50.05 seconds, finishing over half a second faster than the second placed Debbie Dunn. Although she expected faster times, she stated that winning the 2009 World Championships in Berlin was her number one goal.[4] A win in 49.46 s at the Golden Gala in Rome broke Marita Koch's record for most sub-50 second runs, bringing Richards' career total to 36.[5]
Coming up to the World Championships, Richards won her fourth Golden League race in the 400 m with the time of 49.34 seconds and won her first global championship in the 400 m at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin with a world leading time of 49.00 seconds. Richards also anchored team USA to a gold medal in the women's 4 x 400 m relay in the sixth fastest time in history of 3.17.83 minutes, Richards split time in the relay was unofficially 48.43 seconds. After a career defining World Championships, Richards went on to win her final two Golden League races with a new world leading times of 48.94 seconds (Zurich) and 48.83 seconds (Brussels) to share in the $1M dollar jackpot with men's 3000 m/5000 m winner Kenenisa Bekele and women's pole vault winner Yelena Isinbayeva, each receiving $333,333USD; this was the third time Richards had won the Golden League Jackpot. Sanya Richards ended her massive season on a high by winning silver in the 200 m at the IAAF World Athletics Final behind world champion Allyson Felix with a time of 22.29 seconds, and by winning gold in the 400 m with a time of 49.95 seconds; achieving her 41st sub-50second 400 m run.
Richards has since gone on to win the gold medal at the World Championships in Berlin with a world leading time of 49.00 seconds in the 400 m, and anchored her USA team mates Debbie Dunn, Allyson Felix and Lashinda Demus to a gold medal in the 4 x 400 m relay, while together running the sixth fastest time in history. Richards also won all of the remaining three Golden League meets over 400 m to share in the 2009 Jackpot with Kenenisa Bekele (men's 3000/5000m) and Yelena Isinbayeva (women's pole vault). Richards final three Golden League times were 49.34 in Paris, 48.94 (WL) in Zurich, and finally 48.83 (WL) in Brussels on the 4th of September. Richards has now run eight times under 50 seconds in 2009 with a total of 40 in her career.
In 2011 Richards-Ross ran an impressive 49.66 just prior to the World Championships but only scrapped through to the final as a fastest loser and wound up seventh nearly two seconds behind the winner in the final. She later returned to top form in the 4 x 400 m relay, leading the United States to victory. It was her record fifth gold medal from the world championships.
In Aug 2007, Sanya was signed as a global brand spokesperson for Nutrilite, the world's leading brand of vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements (based on 2006 sales). Nutrilite products are sold through Amway corporation.[6]
Richards attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School and returned last year to give a speech at the Homecoming pep rally. Before leaving Jamaica she attended the Vaz Preparatory and the Immaculate Conception High School. Richards graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 with a degree in management information systems. She is a singer and a dancer, regularly putting on shows for family and friends. In 2007, she became engaged to current New York Giants cornerback and Super Bowl champion, Aaron Ross. They had been dating since 2003.[7][8] The couple were married on February 26, 2010[9] and their wedding was featured on an episode of Platinum Weddings.[10]
In 2010, Richards starred in "The Educators", an Antoine Fuqua-directed Foot Locker commercial featuring Rajon Rondo, Amar'e Stoudemire, Justin Tuck, and DeSean Jackson.[11] This commercial was mocked by The Onion.[12]
Richards suffers from the Behçet's disease (a form of vasculitis), which has caused her difficulties in her training and athletics career.[13]
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Event | Place | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | World Junior Championships | Kingston, Jamaica | 200m | 3rd | 23.09 |
| 400m | 2nd | 51.49 | |||
| 2003 | World Championships | Saint-Denis, France | 400m | 11th | 51.32 |
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 400m | 6th | 50.19 |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 400m | 2nd | 49.74 |
| World Athletics Final | Monaco, Monaco | 400m | 1st | 49.52 | |
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships | Moscow, Russia | 400m | 9th | 52.46 |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 200m | 2nd | 22.17 | |
| 400m | 1st | 49.25 | |||
| World Cup | Athens, Greece | 400m | 1st | 48.70 | |
| 200m | 1st | 22.23 | |||
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 200m | 5th | 22.70 |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 400m | 3rd | 49.93 |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 400m | 1st | 49.00 |
| 4x400m relay | 1st | 3:17.83 | |||
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 4x400m relay | 1st | 3:18.09 |
| Daegu, South Korea | 400m | 7th | 51.32 |
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 7.21 | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | February 28, 2004 |
| 100 meters | 10.97 | Shanghai, China | September 28, 2007 |
| 200 meters | 22.17 | Stuttgart, Germany | September 9, 2006 |
| 400 meters | 48.70 – National Record | Athens, Greece | September 16, 2006 |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Yelena Isinbayeva |
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 2006 |
Succeeded by Meseret Defar |
| Preceded by Tirunesh Dibaba |
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 2009 |
Succeeded by Blanka Vlašić |
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