Sanya Richards faced an athletic Sophie’s Choice in 2008: Get an abortion or give up her shot at an Olympic 400-meter-dash title.
She chose to go for the gold, she reveals in a new memoir. The sprinter who later married the father, Aaron Ross of the New York Giants, aborted the fetus weeks before competing in the Beijing Games.
A cramp in her hamstring doomed her to bronze in the 400 final, leaving her “broken, physically and emotionally.” She later won gold with a come-from-behind anchor leg in the 4×400 relay. She finally won the individual 400 title at the 2012 London Games.
“I made a decision that broke me, and one from which I would not immediately heal,” Sanya Richards-Ross writes in the book “Chasing Grace: What the Quarter Mile Has Taught Me About God and Life.”
“Abortion would now forever be a part of my life. A scarlet letter I never thought I’d wear. I was a champion — and not just an ordinary one, but a world-class, record-breaking champion. From the heights of that reality, I fell into a depth of despair.”
She told ESPN why she chose to write about her decision to have an abortion:
“I think there are lots of young girls who experience this, especially female athletes. I look forward to having more discussions about it and helping young women heal from it.”
She told People magazine: “This book is my personal anthem, and I hope readers realize they have greatness within to outlast the challenging stretches of every journey. I hope to encourage people to stay the course and achieve their highest potential.”