After a year of struggling with Behcet’s Disease and failing to even qualify for the American team to the world championships in her best event, this was definitely something of a down year for Austin track & field star Sanya Richards. But the ex-Longhorn found something with which to console herself: Half a million dollars. She earned it by winning the 400 meters in all six of this year’s IAAF Golden League meetings, capped off this weekend with victories in Brussels on Friday and Berlin on Sunday, the latter in an astonishing 49.27 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year. Richards set the American record of 48.70 last year.
Every year, the Golden League splits a jackpot of $1 million among any athletes who can win a particular discipline at all six meetings. Richards had to split this year’s kitty with Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva. Richards actually has one last hurdle to clear to claim her money: She must compete in the season-ending World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany, although victory isn’t necessary to get the cash. The WAF will be netcast live Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 22-23) at WCSN.com.
This article appears in September 14 • 2007.