Few sprinters are ever able to master the
explosiveness required for the 60 meter dash and the endurance needed for the
long and taxing 400 meters, but Texas sophomore
Sanya Richards has been able to excel at the every tier of sprinting. Check the latest
NCAA Division I indoor rankings and you'll find Sanya in the top five in the 60, 200,
and, perhaps her best event, the 400-meter dash. And don't fail to notice
the Longhorn 4x400 relay, which she anchors, ranked fourth in the country.
Richards attended high school at St. Thomas Acquinas, a challenging
academic catholic school in south Florida. There she accumulated
a room full of hardware–-including success at the U.S. championship
level. If that doesn't impress you, then
how about being chosen as the anchor leg on the US National 4x400 relay
team in Italy with the likes of Jearl Miles-Clark. In the debut of Sports
Illustrated on Campus, Richards made the cover and was dabbed as one of
the top jocks by the new publication. She's now one of America's poster
girls for track and field.
But now she has a new task at hand. After an impressive 7.21 in the 60,
and a 22.86 at the Big 12 meet, she's looking to win three events in
Fayetteville. The Longhorn soph will handle the open 200, 400, and the
4x400 meter relay. "I was disappointed about not winning the team title
because that was our goal. I had a great meet overall, but I'm really
looking forward to the National Championship," said Richards of the Big
12 meet. Richards is ahead of her pace from last year at this time. She
was the runner-up at NCAA indoors in both the 200 and 400 last season,
but she's looking to change that this March. "There are more girls
running fast times this year, and I'm looking forward to running fast and
winning." South Carolina's Lashinda Demus, HazelAnne Regis of LSU, and
Tennessee's Dee Dee Trotter should all be in the mix for the 400 meter crown.
Richard's gumption for winning was generated by her strong supportive
family – her dad was a professional soccer player in Jamacia and her mom
is an athletic training nut. The result – they have aided in the
production of one of the premier sprinters in the United States. But, now
well over 1,000 miles separate her family in Pembroke Pines, Florida and
Austin, Texas. Sanya is now being tested to see if she has the
discipline to stay on task. Richards loves track and field, but isn't a
social butterfly. She is quick to admit that she's just fine with
lounging around the house, shopping, and or just heading to movies.
Engaging in the appealing social scene of Austin's Sixth Street isn't
high on her agenda. She's in MIS at UT, but academics aren't a big
problem. Her high school prepared her for that.
St. Thomas Acquinas equipped her for the top notch program at Texas.
Football might be huge in Texas, but track is a close second. Bev Kearney
makes sure of that. The Longhorn facilities are top notch- and Sports
Illustrated gave them the nod as the best all-around college sports program.
Although young and highly successful, Sanya realizes she has a long way
to be at top of her game. "I think when you're in college; you get stuck
in the small world you're in. The preparation for the Olympics is on
another level. I look at Gail Devers and Maria Mutola and think that I
have a lot to learn. It's easy to get so absorbed into friends, but they
(Devers and Mutola) pay attention to every moment and detail. They eat
carefully. I learned from them to be more focused and fine tuned about
being ready in track there," says Richards, who is just 19.
Richards despite her instant success in track, realizes her best days are
still ahead of her. "I've had a taste of it, but I want to be the best.
I enjoy wining, and I enjoy track and field, but I want to get on top.
My parents have helped me get this far. I just want to be the best I can
be and keep doing what I'm doing here," concluded Sanya.
Although the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships are extremely important
goals for Sanya, the Olympics are her main objective. "That's the main goal
from the beginning of the season. I'm running fewer races this season to
(try to) peak at the US Trials. My training is definitely geared toward the
Olympic Trials and making the Olympics games."
Few sprinters are ever able to master the
explosiveness required for the 60 meter dash and the endurance needed for the
long and taxing 400 meters, but Texas sophomore
Sanya Richards has been able to excel at the every tier of sprinting. Check the latest
NCAA Division I indoor rankings and you'll find Sanya in the top five in the 60, 200,
and, perhaps her best event, the 400-meter dash. And don't fail to notice
the Longhorn 4x400 relay, which she anchors, ranked fourth in the country.
Richards attended high school at St. Thomas Acquinas, a challenging
academic catholic school in south Florida. There she accumulated
a room full of hardware–-including success at the U.S. championship
level. If that doesn't impress you, then
how about being chosen as the anchor leg on the US National 4x400 relay
team in Italy with the likes of Jearl Miles-Clark. In the debut of Sports
Illustrated on Campus, Richards made the cover and was dabbed as one of
the top jocks by the new publication. She's now one of America's poster
girls for track and field.
But now she has a new task at hand. After an impressive 7.21 in the 60,
and a 22.86 at the Big 12 meet, she's looking to win three events in
Fayetteville. The Longhorn soph will handle the open 200, 400, and the
4x400 meter relay. "I was disappointed about not winning the team title
because that was our goal. I had a great meet overall, but I'm really
looking forward to the National Championship," said Richards of the Big
12 meet. Richards is ahead of her pace from last year at this time. She
was the runner-up at NCAA indoors in both the 200 and 400 last season,
but she's looking to change that this March. "There are more girls
running fast times this year, and I'm looking forward to running fast and
winning." South Carolina's Lashinda Demus, HazelAnne Regis of LSU, and
Tennessee's Dee Dee Trotter should all be in the mix for the 400 meter crown.
