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Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones talks to WH about Beijing
By Amy Van Deusen

When we last talked to Lolo Jones in June, the reigning world champ in the 60-meter hurdles told us that she had her sights set on gold at the Olympics. Unfortunately, all didn’t go as planned in Beijing. Jones breezed through the qualifying meets, but tripped on a hurdle in the medal round to finish seventh. But Jones handled the whole thing with class—and sass. Here’s what she had to say about her Olympics.

Our hearts broke for you in the 100-meter hurdles. What went through your head right after the race?
Immediately after I crossed the finish line I felt like someone had just attached an anvil to my body and threw me overboard. I was just literally trying to pick myself up off the track.

How do you feel now, after a week has passed?
The first three days were the worst. Reality sunk in, and then the memory of the race kept haunting me. Doubts and fears entered my mind. Questions like, What if I'm injured for the next Olympics? What if I'm not running fast? At that moment I had to tell myself to stop and to trust God's plan for my future.

What was your favorite moment of the Games?
The moment right before I hit that ninth hurdle! (Laughs)

What was life like in the Olympic Village?
I would compare life there to your first week at college or summer camp. Everyone is meeting new people and getting adjusted. You have to find out where to eat, how to wash your clothes, etc. But there is just an excitement in the air at the unknown future.

Was it hard to stick to your eating/sleep routines in the Olympic Village?
I must admit it was hard to maintain my eating pattern. The cafeteria was open 24 hours a day, and inside the cafeteria they had a full menu of McDonald's--serving nonstop coffee too. So let me get this right... A 24-hour cafeteria to get food, and if you get too tired to eat you can get 24-hour access to coffee to stay up!

Did you get to meet other athletes? Who was your favorite?
I met both the men's and women's basketball teams. I was excited to meet the women's because I went to college with both Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles and haven’t seen them since I graduated. I was actually science lab partners with Simone. My favorite athlete hands-down was Dara Torres. I don't know her personally but she made me laugh a couple of times in conversations.

What's the best souvenir you got from Beijing?
I traded pins! All the athletes get country pins to swap with other athletes and volunteers. My roommate, silver medalist Sheena Tosta, was obsessed with trading. After a week of watching her collect all these unique pins I joined in the madness.

What surprised you the most about the Olympics?
Normally, during the first couple of rounds at any major championship, the stadiums are half full. This was not the case in Beijing. Every round on every day was sold out. It definitely helped to get the adrenaline pumping.

Source: Women's Health