Posted by Andrew Harry for TrackAlerts.com
Sanya Richards
KINGSTON: After being the ’seemingly’ only woman – over the last few years – capable of breaking Marita Koch’s twenty four year old, 400m world record of 47.60 secs, which has withstood the test of time and ironically set eight days before the day Sanya was born. Sanya Richards in a gut wrenching, honest, candid moment, revealed to trackalerts…
“The world record is definitely way, way ahead of me … For now I just want to keep lowering the American record, my eyes are not set on the world record … I want to get more consistent at 48 seconds, before I even think about breaking into the 47’s…
Sany Richards has the sixteenth fastest 400m time in history, 48.70 secs, done in September of ‘06. Of the fifteen fastest times done faster than hers, five different women occupy those spots and five of those times belongs to the current WR holder, Koch.
To say this would be devastating news to Sanya’s Richards loyal fans – who dutifully follow her every move by means of cyberspace and the like – is an understatement but such candidness proves why Sanya is one of the most beloved track and field stars of today. She is in the rare position of having a fan base in the USA and Jamaica, something previously unheard of…and the main reason behind her popularity is that she has always laid everything on the line, exposing herself to ridicule, baring raw emotions after losses, taking her fans virtually through her home – risky perhaps but it has worked for her and she has emerged golden and victorious.
Born in Trelawny Jamaica, (same birth parish as Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell Brown) and raised in Kingston, Sanya at the tender age of twelve migrated to the USA, where she immediately went about carving her name into the USA record books at every level of the game, academically and athletically. After an unbeatable High School and College career, she ended up in the stalls of Clyde Hart, one of the most respected quarter mile coaches in history…
“I have a very good coach in coach Clyde Hart. He has proven he is for sure, the best 400m coach in history …coaching Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner to Olympic gold medals and of course Michael to the world record speaks for itself… I just have a great coach and I believe in him…
“I also believe I have learnt my race and I am comfortable with my strategy …
Sanya’s strategy is simple, it is to crush all her opponents…everytime and everywhere she competes. She fell short in Beijing in the finals, beaten out of the silver medal spot by one of todays best strategist in the quarter mile, fast charging Shericka Williams of Jamaica, who was however second to Britain’s Ohuruogu by a whisker…Sanya however got redemption in Berlin’s World Championships, winning double gold.
The first solution to a problem is coming to terms with what’s factual, Sanya has already done that and can now move on to the other step, which is breaking the 48 seconds barrier. With the addition of another great quarter miler in Allyson Felix, joning the 400m race-party in 2010, much can be expected. Track and field fans are already anticipating great match ups between the two. In the other lanes we can expect to see the always improving Shericka Williams, who loves to spoil any major American one-two-three podium-party and who is capable of getting to the WR before either of the two; Novlene Williams-Mills; and Christine Ohuruogu. Trackalerts wishes all these fine young women godspeed in the name of the sport, as they charge towards the lower 47’s.
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She will break the WR. However she has to work on her turn speed.
She is being honest. It hard to break a world record set by a she-male. Marita Koch times below 48 secs need to be removed from the records book. So does Flo Jo’s.
Our women must remain as women when the perform and still end up looking like women when they retire…like all our beautiful Jamaican track ladies.
pc & bunny it really hard 2 break that record but i know she will & yes i also think that the record was set by a she male but i differ slightly to an extent in that i hope that sherika can improve her times & repeat her performance in bejing she has a big heart. i know that sonya is easy on the eyes & the men love her including my son who is crazy about her but my humble opinion are those freudian slips which she continues to make. “the jamaicans” & comments like that i dont take kindly 2
Minnie, it is all formal speech. It has to be. I am not going to hold it against her. Her mother and father are some of the most humble and cultural Jamaicans you will ever meet. Bar none. Don’t be too hard on her. We know she is giving comfort to the enemy. Win some, lose some. She is a nice young lady.
As for Marita, I had forgotten about her. Back then the EGs were out of control. PC we are on the same page, some of those old WR and CR need to have an asterick beside them.
Side note. Sgt Jacob Thompson, head of the JA rugby league was killed yesterday is agood friend of mine. We were JDF soldiers together back in the 70s.
ok bunny g but bwouy it hard man do u know i cannot even say kem about her 2 my son. sorry 2 hear abt ur loss so were a soji i hope that u havent gotten out of shape given the rigours that u guys were subjected 2 @ the beginning of ur training my son is a member of the cadet force @ jc i hope he continues ic see his body changing with the continued rigours of training. anyways when uc the east germans marita & jarmelia (ihope that spelling correct) world record holder 4 the 800m run it on youtube it come like is a quarter mile she a run unu them should put asterix beside them record deh its so unfair. but anyway bunny u know say my heart want sherika 2 beat her again straight up regardless yeah she might b nice or easy on the eyes but still…