Sanya Richards-Ross‘s hope of ending her illustrious career with a fourth Olympics appearance this summer in Rio ended at the U.S. Olympic Trials for Track and Field last Friday.
Ross-Richards had previously announced that she planned to retire after the 2016 Olympics, and now she’ll get a head start. Just days after the trials, the five-time Olympic medalist announced she would be starting her career as a sports broadcaster, beginning at this summer’s Games in Rio.
This role will entail a new spin on an old dream for the 31-year-old. Growing up in Jamaica, Richards-Ross always dreamed of one day making it to the Olympic Games.
“I remember at a very young age watching the Olympics and wanting to be a part of something like that,” she tells PEOPLE.
After beginning running at age 7, Richards-Ross went on to compete at four Olympic Games, earning three gold medals in the 4×400 meters.
This year, Richards-Ross hoped to make her final Olympics appearance at the Rio Games in August, where she would be vying for an unprecedented fourth gold medal in the 4×400.
“This year, I’m really training from a place of love, hope and anticipation,” she told PEOPLE. “I really hope this will be my swan song, and I’ll be able to leave the sport on a really high note.”
After a hamstring injury kept her from finishing her heat, Richards-Ross’s career ended with a cheering crowd as she walked the homestretch.
Before heading to the Trials, Richards-Ross shared her lifelong passion for the Games and her strict training regimen on PEOPLE’s List
To learn more about her journey, tune in to PEOPLE s List on Saturday (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.
