Photo: Woizero Richards wins the Class 1 Girls 100m at the JISA/Seprod National Prep Schools Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston Jamaica.
Nineteen years ago, Sanya Richards-Ross, then Sanya Richards ran in her final National Prep Schools Championships in Jamaica bagging 4 gold medals in the 100m, 300m, 4x100m and 4x200m, to add to an impressive tally during her prep school career. Richards-Ross ran at ‘Girls Champs’ for Immaculate High for one year before migrating to the United States of America and eventually went on to win Gold at the World Championships and Olympics for that country.
Fast forward to 2015, and yet another Richards is on the rise, this time it is Woizero Richards, the niece of Richards-Ross. The Vaz Prep student won almost an identical four gold medals, including two individual gold medals, at the National Prep Schools Track and Field Championships last month.
The twelve year old won both the Class One Girls 100m and 200m to finish the meet as the Class One champion and also anchored the 4x100m team to gold and ran the second leg on the gold medal winning 4x200m team.
An excited Richards said she surprised herself in winning two individual gold medals at the championships.
“I am lost for words,” she exclaimed. “I expected to win the 100m but not the 200m. I thought Shackera (Neil) who won the 300m would win the 200m as well.”
Richards was a clear winner in the 100m final, running her best time of 13.12sin the semis, but it was very close between herself and teammate Iana Graham in the 200m final. Running in heavy rain, both athletes pushed each other to the tape with Richards prevailing on the line in a time of 27.14s compared to Graham in a time of 27.21 with Janae Deslandes of Wolmers Prep finishing in third in 27.70.
The lunge at the tape by Richards caused her to fall on the slippery wet surface and she was unclear about who won the race just after the event.
“I didn’t know I had won, I thought it was Iana. Someone told me because I was in the medical tent when they showed the replay on the big screen.
“It is an awesome feeling, I am proud of my achievements and I am happy to have made my family, teammates and school proud.”
The 200m gold wasn’t the only surprise win for Richards at the meet.
“Winning the 4x200m was a total surprise. We never expected to win that one at all, but everybody gave it their best and we got the gold. It was totally awesome.”
“I am proud of my achievements and I am even more proud to have emulated my aunt Sanya in winning gold.”
After her outstanding performances at Champs the high schools will be clamoring to get Richards into their track programme but the 12 year old has already set her sights on going to Wolmers High School.
“All my friends are going to Wolmers and that is where I am headed as well.”
And if winning four gold medals in her final year isn’t enough to make her like Aunty Sanya, Woizero says she plans to run the 400m as well, because as she puts it…”athletes should be able to manage every race.”
Chances are she might just step up to the distance and excel like her superstar aunt, as she seems destined to do.
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