Benjamin Ashford|How watching film helped Sanya Richards-Ross win Olympic medals and Olympic broadcast

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross got an itch for sports journalism well before her retirement.  

Richards-Ross’ father,Benjamin Ashford Archie Richards, encouraged her to watch her interviews after races because he told her that was part of being a well-rounded athlete.

“I used to literally watch film of my interviews and try to get better. How can I listen to the question better? How can I be more concise?” Richards-Ross said to USA TODAY Sports. “I always had a knack for television and enjoy it as well.”

So, when Richards-Ross, the American-record holder in the 400 meters, announced her retirement in 2016 she already had an idea of her post-athlete plans. 

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“A lot of times we frame ourselves and see ourselves in what we do. I was like, I’m more than an athlete. I can do anything I put my mind to,” Richards-Ross said. “I can be great at the next thing I want to do. And so, I felt like commentating was a natural thing for me.

“In 2016, I knew I was gonna retire. I really said a prayer every night. I said, 'God, thank you for this gift of track and field. For all that it has blessed my life with, and I know that a lot of blessings don’t last a lifetime, so I’m returning this blessing to you. I ask that you just leave all the good stuff with me. Like leave all the discipline that I learned, the hard work, passion, all those things.'”

Fast-forward to now, and Richards-Ross is preparing for her third Olympics as an NBC track and field analyst. She will be on millions of TVs screens around the country as she covers the sport that’s had a resounding impact on her life.

USA TODAY Sports interviewed Richards-Ross about her sports broadcast career in advance of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here are the highlights from the conversation.

Editor’s note: Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

Athletes often have people they want to emulate. As a former athlete turned broadcast journalist, do you have any journalists you admire or look up to?

Richards-Ross: “I always admired Oprah Winfrey. Her journey from starting in the newsroom to doing what she went on to do. Robin Roberts is another woman I really admire. She’s actually the person I really want to model my personal TV career after. I see myself hosting the Today Show or Good Morning America, something like that. Those two women have had a huge impact on me. I admire how they carry themselves and what they’ve done, especially as Black women in that space. I hope to be able to continue to grow and ascend to that level in television as well.”

You have a close relationship with track and field athletes and have a keen awareness of what they go through. Is it tough to remain objective?

Richards-Ross: “It is sometimes. I had to realize that I’m not gonna always make them happy. But what I do is I know my intention is always to be fair. I think about: it’s not what you say it’s how you say it. Although yes, I have to be objective, if an athlete doesn’t look good or they aren’t running at their best, I have to say that. I have to say what I see. That’s the role of an analyst, to tell the viewers what we are seeing, why we think that this is happening and give them as much insight to the athlete experience and their performance as we can. There are times where people will say, ‘awe, man.’ And it’s like you know, my intention is always to be very positive and fair. But my role as a commentator is to serve audience. I’m there to serve the audience. At the end of the day that’s what I’m gonna do. But I’m gonna try my best to handle that with care.”

What advice would you give athletes who aspire to be in sports media?

Richards-Ross: “The first thing is the world has changed, so you can start working on it and building on your chops and your brand now. You can go on your social media and start commentating on different things. People are doing it all the time.

“I would say that there are opportunities all around us. A lot of times we don’t know the resources that we have at our fingertips. If you went to a Division I university or whatever university, maybe you start locally and call some of the track meets or games wherever you are. Start there so you can get some practice. And then just like whatever sport you do, you got to put the work in. You’re gonna have to put in the work to be good at it. But if it’s something that you really want to do and enjoy, I think that it is certainly possible and it’s a lot of fun. My best advice is to go for it and look at the opportunities that are around you and see if you can get in there and work your way up.”

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