Lolo Jones again let an Olympic medal slip away on Tuesday, and she admitted soon after her fourth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles that she was "brokenhearted." That heartbreak was apparent on Wednesday.
A visibly upset Jones appeared on NBC's Today on Wednesday morning, and she responded to the criticism she has received, particularly that which appeared in an article in The New York Times over the weekend. The article ripped into Jones for the attention she has received, saying it was "based not on achievement but on her exotic beauty and on a sad and cynical marketing campaign."
Jones, fresh off her 100-meter letdown, was brought to tears discussing the matter Wednesday. She said she couldn't understand why the newspaper would rip apart a U.S. athlete two days before a race.
"Putting your heart out there, it opens you up to a lot of negativity," said Jones, who insists she races for those who support her. "I think it's a shame I have to deal with so much backlash."
Jones, of course, had made plenty of headlines this year, most of which stem from off-the-track issues, including her virginity. So when she looked up and saw that a medal had once again slipped away, just four years after she clipped the second-to-last hurdle in Beijing to blow a late-race lead, it was apparent that the skeptics had gotten to her.
"Honestly, I just feel like a big disappointment," she said. "So I guess all the people who were talking about me, they can have their night and laugh."
Considering Lolo Jones is a U.S. Olympian while most of us are limited to far less athletic achievements, perhaps it's Lolo that should be the one chuckling — medal or no medal.
Check out Jones' Today interview below.
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