Sprinter Sanya Richards-Ross has it all: faith, family and fitness. Mark Wreford found out more about the woman who has dominated the 400m in recent years…
Boiling the kettle to make a brew might be a menial task, but in less than the time it takes to add a splash of milk and maybe a spoonful of sugar, Sanya Richards-Ross could be a quarter of a mile away.
Having run that distance in under 50 seconds more times than any other woman in history, she has more than proved herself as a consistent performer at the highest level.
To say she’s at home when she’s flying round the bend and gliding away from the field – as she memorably did in the last 50m of the London Olympics – Sanya’s a remarkably humble individual.
“My faith keeps me grounded,” she said.
“People always ask me how come I’m so good, and even though I try never to overwhelm them with my faith, I always think to myself, ‘How come God is so good?’ My faith encourages me to give my best. I know that my talent is God’s gift to me, and how I use it is my gift to him.”
Faith has been a part of Sanya’s life almost as long as running has. The sprinter started to find her feet on the race track at the age of seven, but it was her family’s relocation to Florida from Jamaica that kickstarted her journey.
“I became a Christian when I was 12 years old. It was when I moved to Florida and started going to church consistently,” she explained.
“Prior to moving to the States, I wasn’t exposed to Christianity much. But as soon as I got involved, I gave my life to Christ. I go to church every Sunday that I am not travelling or competing and I try to read the Bible as much as I can. Recently my sister, my best friend, my cousin, and I committed ourselves to reading through the entire Bible, and we’ve tried to read together every Wednesday.
“My faith plays a huge role in my life. I think it’s the reason I am able to continue going, and I don’t allow my disappointments to keep me down for a long time because I believe God is working everything out for my good, and even though it’s not always good in the moment, doesn’t always feel good, I feel that, in the end, I’m going to be victorious.
“So, it plays a huge part. People always wonder how I’m always smiling; it’s because I don’t allow the negatives to keep me down long, because I know I’m just so blessed. So, it’s the major reason I do what I do. I know I got my gift from God, and every day when I go to practice, I’m just giving him glory by trying to make it the best I can. So, I think it’s the most important thing in my life.”
Commitment is as essential to faith as it is to running, and Sanya is no stranger to putting in the hard yards on both fronts.
“I think I’ve run sub-50, 47 times, the most times in history, and I’m still at it,” she explained. “That’s the part of my story that I hope people remember: that I was one of the most consistent quarter milers in history, and I hope to add more titles to my collection.
“But prayer is also very important. My husband and I pray together every time we’re together; at nights before we go to bed, we try to do Bible study together. A Christian man was really important to me – my relationship with my Lord and Saviour comes first. My best friend and I pray before races. We don’t just pray because of races, but it’s something that allows us to come together. It’s a commonality that we have.
“So, prayer is very important to me, it’s our direct line to Jesus and we know that he hears us. Where two or more are gathered, we know that he’s there with us, so whenever I can I try to pray with my teammates to encourage them as well.”
All around Sanya, there are inspiring stories, but she draws particular inspiration from the example of her aunt.
“My personal hero in faith is my Aunt Maureen,” she explained “She was the one that really got me involved in the church and over the years, she has been a great example of what a Christian woman looks like.
“She is a huge member of the church, she’s the head of the choir, and on every board at church, she made a huge impact on my life. I saw the joy that she had from being a Christian, and I wanted to experience that.
“She recently lost a son, and the strength she exuded only comes from God. She’s an incredible lady and a true hero.”