IAAF DL DOHA 2015: Richards-Ross on motivation and inspiration: "I hope to lead by example"

Sanya Richards-Ross doesn’t mince words when describing what is among her primary goals for the year when she kicks off her Diamond League season at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha on Friday night.

Guardar

Sanya Richards-Ross doesn’t mince words when describing what is among her primary goals for the year when she kicks off her Diamond League season at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha on Friday night.

"I'd really like to win the Diamond League trophy this season," the reigning Olympic 400m champion said. "Everyone that follows me knows I love diamonds so it's only right!"

Her comment, which was followed by a big ‘lol’, or laugh out loud in internet lingo, was one of dozens that the American star shared during a near hour-long live chat with thousands of fans via Facebook on Tuesday night. The four-time Olympic and five-time world championships gold medallist answered dozens of questions and discussed a variety of topics, from training philosophy and nutrition to dealing with injury and maintaining her motivation.

Reflecting on an elite level career that began in her late teens, the 30-year-old Richards-Ross said, "I am still motivated by my desire to leave a lasting legacy in the sport. I've been blessed to have a long career so now I want to continue being my best and leaving my mark."

Adding to that legacy is also among her goals by way of improving upon her 48.70 national record which she set in Athens in 2006. Boding well, she’s off to her fastest start since that year as she arrives in Doha as the world leader at 49.95 from a race in Kingston last weekend and a freshly-minted world record holder courtesy of a blistering 400m leg in the Distance Medley Relay at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, The Bahamas, earlier this month.

"The start of my season has been great!" she wrote. "Really happy with my runs in the Bahamas and Jamaica. Happy to be fit and healthy. Looking forward to a great race here on Friday."

Several fans inquired about her training and what’s required of an athlete to become of the finest her event has ever witnessed.

"I train five days a week with two days off and I try to get at least eight hours sleep every night," she wrote. "Rest is extremely important to training."

"I lift weights 3-4 times a week," she continued. "It's a big part of my routine." As for nutrition she added, "I stay away from supplements and juice my fruits and vegetables."

Like that of other athletes, her career has not been bereft of illness and injury that forced her to the sidelines for extended periods in recent years.

"It wasn't easy staying sane during injury but you have to listen to your body," she said. "You have to trust your instincts and know that the body will respond."

Most appreciated were the words of inspiration she shared with aspiring athletes.

"It's never too early to start training hard and setting lofty goals," she wrote. "It's important to have good worth ethic and the earlier you start the better."

And finally, replying to a fan who asked about her ability to be a role model, she said:

"I hope to lead by example! I believe that's the best way to inspire others."

For more information, contact:

Ms. Ghania Tinakicht

Media & Broadcasting Director, IDL Doha

mob:(+974) 33895023

e-mail: ghania@dl.qa

Ms. Athina Kartalou

Communications Services Manager, Laurel

mob:(+974) 33798717

e-mail: akartalou@laurel-corp.com

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only

Guardar

Últimas Noticias

Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons

Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons

Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024

She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024

Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris

Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris

Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years

The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years

Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”

The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”