Sanya Richards-Ross, 31, winner of the 2012 Olympic 400 meters, will not have a chance to defend her title. She started her preliminary heat today at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, and pulled up on the final curve, bothered by a hamstring injury.
She left the track waving to the crowd, earning a loud ovation from the 20,000 fans in attendance on Day 1 of the Olympic Trials.
She was initially injured on June 4 while she was racing in the 100 meters at an American Track League meet in Atlanta. She worked intensively to try to rehab the injury in time for the trials, but she needed more time to heal. “As athletes, we’re always optimistic,” Richards-Ross said. “I’ve run 48 [seconds] before; I was thinking if I could run 51, I could make it through.”
Richards-Ross was grateful for a career during which she earned bronze at 400 meters in Beijing in addition to her gold from London. And she loved the Hayward Field crowd.
“To have these fans show me so much love, I have run some really great times on this track and have the stadium record here, it was really special to share this last moment with these fans,” Richards-Ross said.
CA Notice at Collection is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
