The ear-splitting fanfare of the innumerable crowd was deafening. Many had arduously attempted, yet few qualified. Sanya Richards was amongst those of the fit, making her mark at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, prior to leading her 4×400 relay team to a gold medal victory. Before becoming an Olympic gold medalist and the fastest woman in the world with a record time of 48.70 in the 400m, Richards was frequently looked upon as being quick at such a young age while raised in the populous city of Kingston, Jamaica, until the age of twelve. 

“I had a lot of friends in school, I always got good grades, and I was very popular as I was the fastest girl for my age group. I enjoyed being on a small island and going to the beach almost every weekend,” said Richards. Richards, along with her parents, Archie and Sharon, and younger sister, Shari, relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before her 8^th grade year. Prior to her arrival in the states, “My mother gave me a necklace with a bullet pendant and told me that I was faster than a speeding bullet. I have worn it ever since as my good luck charm,” said Richards. Richards attended Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale where she broke the High School National Record for the 400m outdoor, the National High School record for the 200m and 400m indoor, the Florida State record in the 400m, as well as each and every school record in the 100m, 200m, and 400m.

“I realized I was passionate about track after my injury my junior season. After getting injured, I realized how much I loved running and winning and I started training really hard and had my best season ever my senior year,” said Richards.  Subsequent to setting elevated records at St. Thomas Aquinas and finishing with a 4.0 GPA, Richards relocated her talents to new territory: college. “The hardest adjustment from high school to college was learning how to manage time. Being a student athlete meant going to weights at 6am, then classes from 8-2pm, then practice at 3-5pm, and study hall from 6-9pm. The average student had classes to worry about, but we had so much on our plate,” said Richards.     

While in college, Richards competed in many meets, but only one in particular is highlighted in her memory. “My best experience was winning the 400m indoors and breaking the collegiate record. It was a great meet for my team and we almost won the NCAA title,” said Richards. However, the most daunting experience for Richards was right around the corner; the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where she competed in the 400m as well as the 4×4 relay.      “I enjoyed the Olympic atmosphere. There is nothing like reaching the highest stage in sports and being around so many other people that worked hard and truly appreciated the sacrifices of making the team. I enjoyed meeting athletes from all different sports and all different countries,” said Richards. While in Greece, Richards finished sixth in the 400m, but was a key component in the success of her 4×4 relay team’s gold medal finish. “I was so happy that our team was able to win. I was disappointed about finishing sixth in the open 400 and really wanted to get a medal before leaving Greece,” said Richards.

 Not too long after winning her gold medal, Richards soon became sponsored by Nike, AT&T, Coke, Hershey, Nutrilite, WCSN, and Q-Ray. Although things may have seemed bright for Richards, a minor setback was lurking around the corner. “My biggest obstacle as a professional athlete came last season when I was diagnosed with a rare disease. It was very challenging for me as I missed a lot of training and started taking medication that I wasn’t used to. I was undefeated for over twenty races and lost my first race in two years because I wasn’t healthy. It was really difficult for me, but I went on to have a great season nonetheless,” said Richards.     

Richards is living proof of when you set goals for yourself and work hard, your dreams will always come true. “I feel that God has blessed me with an amazing talent and I feel that I show my appreciation for my gifts when [I] work hard to be the best at it!” said Richards.

I truly do believe I have some of the best fans in the world!!!

Thank you so much for your encouraging letters and kind words. Here is a little something for you…. 

If you’d lke to see your picture here, send an email  to runwithsanya@sanyarichards.net with a pic by yourself or one we may have taken together. Thanks for your continued support!