Posted 5:31 pm Tuesday, June 19, 2012
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Texas-sized Sports Achievements Run In The Ross Family
By NICK GHOLSON
Scripps Howard News Service
A lot of Texans know who Aaron Ross is.
He was on a state-championship finalist high-school football team at John Tyler, and was an All-American cornerback at Texas and a starter on the Longhorns' national-championship team in 2005. He was a first-round draft pick of the New York Giants, and the starting cornerback on two Super Bowl champions.
You should know all about Mr. Ross.
But do you know Mrs. Ross?
She, too, went to Texas and was a star athlete.
Sanya Richards-Ross won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x400 relay in Beijing in 2008 and also took bronze in the 400 meters.
Now she is thinking about running three events in the London Olympics this summer.
After running to a win in the 400 meters earlier this month at the Prefontaine Classic, Richards-Ross looks solid in that event. But after a world-leading personal-best 22.09 seconds in the 200 at the Adidas Grand Prix, she also wants to enter that race at the Olympic Trials that begin Thursday and run through July 1 in Eugene, Ore.
And, of course, she has her regular spot on the 4x400 relay in which she has had two gold-medal runs.
In Beijing, Richards-Ross was considered a favorite in the 400 but she got out of the blocks too quickly, faded down the stretch and settled for bronze.
"It is a love-hate relationship in the 400. It is a thinker's race," she said. "Most sprint races you don't have time to think. You just go out and run as fast as you can. To be patient is the biggest challenge for me. It is one of most the beautiful races if put together properly.
"When I won the bronze in Beijing, probably a week after that, I couldn't wait until the next Olympics. I struggled with injury for a while, but I feel I am in the best shape of my life. Hopefully, I will bring home the gold this time. It is hard to contain my excitement."
Although bronze was a bit of a disappointment, Richards-Ross got another opportunity to show her stuff by running the anchor leg in the relay.
"The girls run so well, I just get to cruise around and finish. I had another chance to prove to the world I was the best quarter-miler," she said of her 48.3 anchor leg.
"To chase down the Russian team was exciting. I got on the straightway thinking I am not going to lose this time. We are going to win. I don't think we are going to be that close this time. I think our team is going to be amazing."
Richards-Ross, 27, said she is taking a different approach to the Olympics on her third time around.
"I feel like a totally different athlete (from) 2004 and 2008," she explained. "I have learned not to put too much pressure on myself. I want to enjoy it and have fun and not have too much pressure to be perfect. I am trying to think of it as just another race and hope to be successful at it."
This time, her husband will be there to watch her run.
He signed a three-year, $15.3 million free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March. In the negotiations, he got the Jaguars to let him leave training camp for a few days to fly to London and cheer on his wife.
"It's bigger than big. He encourages me so much," she said. "I always hoped Aaron could come to a major championship and watch me compete, but I didn't get my hopes up because they want him there as a part of the team at that time of year. When I found out his head coach would allow him to come, that was such a great testament of his new environment."
Hubby will come in for the semifinals, watch the finals and leave that night or the next morning.
The Jags' first preseason game will be about 10 days later.
Hopefully, Mrs. Ross will show up with a couple of gold medals around her neck.
Scripps Howard News Service
A lot of Texans know who Aaron Ross is.
He was on a state-championship finalist high-school football team at John Tyler, and was an All-American cornerback at Texas and a starter on the Longhorns' national-championship team in 2005. He was a first-round draft pick of the New York Giants, and the starting cornerback on two Super Bowl champions.
You should know all about Mr. Ross.
But do you know Mrs. Ross?
She, too, went to Texas and was a star athlete.
Sanya Richards-Ross won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x400 relay in Beijing in 2008 and also took bronze in the 400 meters.
Now she is thinking about running three events in the London Olympics this summer.
After running to a win in the 400 meters earlier this month at the Prefontaine Classic, Richards-Ross looks solid in that event. But after a world-leading personal-best 22.09 seconds in the 200 at the Adidas Grand Prix, she also wants to enter that race at the Olympic Trials that begin Thursday and run through July 1 in Eugene, Ore.
And, of course, she has her regular spot on the 4x400 relay in which she has had two gold-medal runs.
In Beijing, Richards-Ross was considered a favorite in the 400 but she got out of the blocks too quickly, faded down the stretch and settled for bronze.
"It is a love-hate relationship in the 400. It is a thinker's race," she said. "Most sprint races you don't have time to think. You just go out and run as fast as you can. To be patient is the biggest challenge for me. It is one of most the beautiful races if put together properly.
"When I won the bronze in Beijing, probably a week after that, I couldn't wait until the next Olympics. I struggled with injury for a while, but I feel I am in the best shape of my life. Hopefully, I will bring home the gold this time. It is hard to contain my excitement."
Although bronze was a bit of a disappointment, Richards-Ross got another opportunity to show her stuff by running the anchor leg in the relay.
"The girls run so well, I just get to cruise around and finish. I had another chance to prove to the world I was the best quarter-miler," she said of her 48.3 anchor leg.
"To chase down the Russian team was exciting. I got on the straightway thinking I am not going to lose this time. We are going to win. I don't think we are going to be that close this time. I think our team is going to be amazing."
Richards-Ross, 27, said she is taking a different approach to the Olympics on her third time around.
"I feel like a totally different athlete (from) 2004 and 2008," she explained. "I have learned not to put too much pressure on myself. I want to enjoy it and have fun and not have too much pressure to be perfect. I am trying to think of it as just another race and hope to be successful at it."
This time, her husband will be there to watch her run.
He signed a three-year, $15.3 million free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March. In the negotiations, he got the Jaguars to let him leave training camp for a few days to fly to London and cheer on his wife.
"It's bigger than big. He encourages me so much," she said. "I always hoped Aaron could come to a major championship and watch me compete, but I didn't get my hopes up because they want him there as a part of the team at that time of year. When I found out his head coach would allow him to come, that was such a great testament of his new environment."
Hubby will come in for the semifinals, watch the finals and leave that night or the next morning.
The Jags' first preseason game will be about 10 days later.
Hopefully, Mrs. Ross will show up with a couple of gold medals around her neck.
