EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Reigning Olympic 400-meter champion Sanya Richards-Ross calls them gold-medal moments, when a complete stranger walks up to her and thanks her for a career that’s included plenty of celebrations, along with some tears.
Those moments are priceless for Richards-Ross, even more so with the 31-year-old retiring after the Rio de Janeiro Games. She’s a long shot to make the American squad at the Olympic trials because of a painful big toe that’s haunted her for years and a hamstring ailment that recently surfaced.
Richards-Ross insisted she’s OK if she doesn’t make the team — that it’s just as much about soaking it all in one last time.