Olympic Runner Sanya Richards-Ross on Winning Gold Medals and Wearing Chanel on the Track
When Sanya Richards-Ross crossed the finish line and won the 400-meters sprint race at the London Olympics, people took notice. She became the first American woman to accomplish this feat in the past 28 years, and only the second in history. Sanya broke 50 seconds with an astonishing run time of 49.55, and she had home some serious bling: a pair of classic double-C Chanel logo earrings. As it turns out, the Olympic gold medalist has an affinity for fashion and beauty. We spoke to her about her post-Olympics plans, which include enjoying a juicy slice of New York pizza.
Getty Images1/7The winner of the 400-meters race shares why you don't have to look like a tomboy to be a fierce competitor.
Photo: Getty Images2/7How does it feel to be home?
"I feel like I'm still on cloud nine. It's so hard to describe walking into your dream. Since I was nine, I've dreamt about being an Olympic champion, and to finally achieve it now at 27, it has even more meaning because I had to wait for it. People say they loved cheering for me, and it's really special."
What was going through your mind the moment you won the 400-meters race?
"Honestly, when I first crossed that line, I didn't believe it. Everybody asked why I didn't react right away, but I wanted to see my name on the scoreboard. When I saw that was when it was real for me, I felt extreme joy. It was overwhelming."
Photo: Getty Images3/7Thee 400 is one of the hardest track events. Can you describe your process of running the race?
"Most people say it's the hardest race because you have to balance your speed with your endurance, and it's the only sprint race where you're thinking through the race. During the 100-meter race, there's no time to think; you just go as fast as you can for as long as you can. But in the 400, a lot of the times you can be the best and not win it because you either get too anxious, run the first part too fast, or you hold back for too long. To me, it's the perfect sprint race because you have to be fast, strong, and smart."
Photo: Getty Images4/7What's your training regimen like now? Are you still competing?
"After the Olympics, I competed in three meets. I went to Stockholm, Budapest, and my final race was in Zurich last Thursday, but now my season is over. I'm literally taking six weeks off—no running, no lifting weights, no Pilates, no core work. My body needs the rest; I have to let it come almost all the way back down to build it back up to that peak point. I came here to New York and the first thing I got was the biggest slice of the greasiest cheese pizza I could find on the street!"
Are there any health tips you follow while you're training?
"I pay attention to is my protein intake, so I supplement meals with shakes during the days and I make sure to have chicken breast or salmon during the day. I'm not a big vegetable or fruit eater, so I juice all of my vegetable. I drink carrot, spinach, and beet juices to get all the colors and my vitamins."
Photo: Getty Images5/7What was the dynamic like on the track team this year? It's tough to compete both with and against your teammates.
"It was the perfect blend of experienced athletes with rookies, and I think that helped so much. We dominated! I don't want to say the women carried the weight of the male track athletes this time, but we did. We won the majority of the medals on the women's side, especially gold medal. It was great to just be a part of that, especially knowing that it was the fortieth anniversary of Title IX. It was a great celebration to the fact that we have the same number of female sports as male sports in colleges. For the first time ever, we had a woman represented in every single sporting event in the Olympics. It was the icing on the cake that we can do this—sometimes better than the guys!
How was it to live in the Olympic Village?
"Incredible. It's almost like Utopia. My first night there, I was one of the only track and field athletes, and I sat with a girl from Libya. She was a huge fan because she runs the 400m. She spoke very little English, but through her smile and laughter I felt like, man, even though we live hundreds of thousands of miles away, we all laugh the same and cry the same and want the same things. That's a unique experience about the Village: relating to people from all over the world."
Photo: Getty Images6/7What do you like to wear on and off the track?
"I'm sponsored by Nike, so I compete in Nike apparel. I usually wear this one-piece unitard that has shorts on the bottom, and I have my own custom-made sleeves to give my own flare to my uniform. This year at the Olympics, I made famous my Chanel earrings. When I was shopping, I thought, what am I going to wear to the Olympics? I was in the Chanel boutique in the Heathrow Airport and they were taking earrings out, and I was like, 'Oh no, those are too small,' and then they showed me the bigger ones and I said, 'Yes! Those are the ones for the Olympic Games!' When I'm dressed down, I like BCBG, Rebecca Minkoff, Rag & Bone, and then for high-end items like bags and shoes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci."
Photo: Getty Images7/7Are you planning on competing in 2016?
"My success at the 2012 games has motivated me to want to push forward and participate in the 2016 games. I'm excited to see how much faster I can run and extend my legacy in the history of the sport."
