Zondervan To Release Book by Olympic Gold
Medalist Sanya Richards-Ross
Track Superstar’s Inspirational Memoir on Winning Gold On and Off the TrackGoes on Sale June 6, 2017
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., February 17, 2017— Zondervan will publish Chasing Grace: What the Quarter Mile Has Taught Me About God and Life, a spiritual memoir set to release in June 2017, by five-time Olympic medalist Sanya Richards-Richards-Ross. Richards-Ross will share her life story growing up in Jamaica and her rise to track superstardom. She will detail how she conquered the half mile to become the most-decorated female American Track & Field Olympian of all time and how she applies the same principles to her life as an entrepreneur, entertainer and humanitarian.
Richards-Ross won gold at the 2012 London Games after an unexpected loss at the Beijing Games in 2008. After training to win gold at the Rio Games, she dramatically pulled her hamstring during the Olympic Trials and announced her retirement. She joined the NBC team in Rio as a track analyst and on-air correspondent.
“I wrote my story because I have become acutely aware that this journey is so much bigger than track,” writes Richards-Ross. “Every lesson I learned was not just for me to become a better runner; they were intended to make me a better person, and I couldn’t afford to miss out on that opportunity. I now see that every victory.”
Sanya Richards-Ross is the fastest American woman in history in the 400m. Surging past her competitors in the last 50 meters of the London 2012 race, Richards-Ross dramatically claimed her title as the world’s best in the quarter mile. London also provided the stage for Richards-Ross to become one of the most decorated female track and field athletes in Olympic history. Anchoring the 4×400 meter relay team to its third-consecutive gold medal, she won her fourth gold medal of her Olympic career.
Off the track, Richards-Ross is an entrepreneur, TV personality, public speaker and humanitarian. She created her foundation, The Gold Standard, to raise awareness and provide financial relief for Olympic hopefuls whose Olympic dreams are limited by the cost of pursuing that goal. She is also the founder of the Sanya Richards-Ross Fast Track Program which has provided hundreds of children in Kingston, Jamaica with literacy training, physical education and healthy meals. She executes sports clinics across the United States to educate and empower youth with tools to excel both on and off the track, and also recently launched an initiative in Central Texas to provide high school girls with leadership training. At the conclusion of the Girl Empowerment program, the high-achievers receive a full makeover to attend their high school proms in style and confidence.
Zondervan is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com
Contacts:
Robin Barnett, 616-698-3251, robin.barnett@harpercollins.com
Jennifer VerHage, 616-698-3331, jennifer.verhage@harpercollins.com