Big year ahead for 400 world champ Sanya Richards

NEW YORK — Sanya Richards has quite the busy day planned for Feb. 26. At 4 p.m., the track star expects 500-700 people at her wedding to New York Giants defensive back Aaron Ross at an Austin, Texas, church. Then comes the reception at 6:30, with just 350 guests. And at 10 is her 25th birthday party and its 500 attendees. Richards joked that she hoped Ross would become more involved in the wedding planning when he was sidelined much of the season by a nagging hamstring injury. Instead, he'd say, "It's still Feb. 26? I'll be there." The reigning world champion in the 400 meters was in New York on Tuesday to kick off the start of the 2010 season for USA Track and Field. She would've liked to compete indoors this year, but there was the little matter of the wedding and honeymoon. Once her outdoor season starts in April, Richards plans to run as many 100 and 200 races as she can. With no world championships or Olympics in 2010, she said, "this is the year to do that." If she does well enough, Richards may try the 200-400 double at the major meets starting in 2011. "Who knows. I'm definitely open to it," Richards said. "I started out my career as a short sprinter and kind of got tricked into the 400 and always thought I would go back to the shorter sprints." – AP