When Sandra Myers-Brown grew up on a farmstead north of Windom, the two-time Olympian never dreamed of participating in the Olympic Games.
Myers, a graduate of Little River High School, rightfully earned her reputation as one of the greatest female track and field stars in Kansas high school history. She won 13 individual gold medals at the State Outdoor championships, one relay gold and sparked Little River to three team titles. Myers was a four-time state champion in the 100 and 200 meters, a three-time long jump champion and two-time 400-meter champ.
Myers trained year-round during high school. She'd run four miles on summer nights and lifted weights during lunch period. When the weather kept her inside, she'd run the hallways.
"Sandra enjoyed an amazing work ethic. I'd accompany her to the weight room because she wanted to finish a workout," said former Little River coach Shane Cordell. "How her track and music career played out was amazing."
Myers' 1979 long jump (19 feet, 7¼ inches) at the State Outdoor easily remains the best-ever in Class 1A and her leap of 20 feet, 6 ½ inches during the 1979 AAU meet in Memphis, Tenn. is the all-time state record in any class. She owns Class 1A state records for the 200 (25.0) and 400 (56.5) and also won 10 individual gold medals while leading Little River to three Class 1A team titles at the State Indoor championships.
Myers was one of the first women inducted into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame. That honor came in 1981. Fifteen years later, she was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
"I'd tell youngsters to keep going and follow your dreams," Myers said. "I never dreamed that high. Life's an adventure. You never know where you're going. I remember our Rice County track girls laughed every year when other girls dropped out. We kept doing better every year. We thought, 'If we keep going, we'll be the best.' You've got to keep determination to keep fighting and keep going. It's a work ethic I learned at Little River. My high school years were amazing."
Myers broke the AAU long jump record held by Kathy McMillan, a 1976 Olympic long jump medalist.
"Kathy McMillan, a 1976 Olympic medalist, announced my name for breaking her National Junior Olympic record," she said. "I was so thrilled hearing an Olympian mention my name."
The daughter of Franklin and Rita Myers, Sandra Myers' career as a music professor was sparked when she played the piano as a youngster.
"I was playing the piano when I was seven years old," she said. "My mom Rita was my big support system."
Myers was also gifted with the speed of Mercury.
"I was always a fast runner," she said. "In first grade, we had a play day, one track meet a year. My first track meet, I didn't stop at the finish line. In the long jump, I didn't understand I needed to jump behind the board."
After high school, Myers attended the University of California-Northridge, which started a 16-year track career that ended in two appearances in the Olympics Games and two heartbreaking misses.
As a freshman in 1980, Myers led Cal State-Northridge to its third consecutive AIAW collegiate track championship by winning the 400 meter hurdles and long jump. She won the 1981 USA 400-meter hurdles and broke the American record with a time of 56.4 seconds.
Myers was coached by the legendary Bob Kersee at Cal State-Northridge. Kersee coached three-time Olympic gold medalists Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Valerie Brisco-Hooks. Kersee coached athletes to Olympic medals in the 100, 200, 400, 100 hurdles, 110 hurdles, long jump and heptathlon.
When Kersee left Northridge for UCLA, Myers eventually joined him while earning her music degree.
Life shifted gears again when Myers traveled to Spain after her mother died in 1984. That time coincided with her missing the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles when she sustained a career-threatening back injury.
"I escaped on vacations," she said. "I eventually went back to the track, which was a safe spot. Later, I also got back into my musical career."
Myers became a citizen of Spain in 1987 after marrying weightlifter Javier Echarri. She competed for Spain in the 1988 Olympics at South Korea.
"The first time I competed was weird because I had to get over feeling of being traitor to my American citizenship," she said. "I got over that initial shock of changing my nationality. Little by little, I started blooming again. I was 28, 29 years old, but earned really fast times again. The 400 meters was my best event. I received financial and coaching help. It was very satisfying to realize I was beating all of those American women."
Myers track career peaked in 1991 when she won a silver medal at the 1991 World Indoor Championships (50.99) and a bronze medal at the 1991 World Championships (49.76). She was a 1991 European 400-meter gold medalist.
"At one time, you had the idea that it was impossible to beat the German and Russian women," she said. "Finally, you creep up the ladder. You realize everything is possible. It's a psychological factor more than physical. I remember '91 when my coach Rafael Martin told me If you never do anything better than this, this is enough. You have to be happy with this. It was prophetic statement. I took that to heart."
At one point, Myers owned Spanish records in 12 events, from 60 to 400 meters and the long jump, both indoors and outdoors. She earned the Queen Sofia honor in 1991, awarded to the country's top sportswoman, but was not prepared to be one of the country's most famous athletes.
"In 1992, the media attention was intense," she said. "It was pretty crazy. They followed my training sessions. I was considered a pioneer to get that far in track and field. I knew I had to concentrate on my training."
A planned Spanish celebration was spoiled when she missed the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona because of an Achilles injury.
"It was sad. I would've been in the 400-meter finals at Barcelona," she said. "I was a good bet for a medal. Being injured with an Achilles injury was a terrible tragedy. It was devastating. I was one of the big hopes for Spain and I was sitting at home. I was bronze medalist in the '91 Outdoor World Championships and silver medalist in the '91 Indoor World Championship."
She wasn't about to end her career on a sour note. One last time, Myers competed on the Olympics stage in 1996 at age 35 at Atlanta.
"I couldn't retire yet," she said. "I was an Olympian again. I reached the semifinals in the 400 meters. It was a good way to go out."
These days, Myers is devoted to her second love of music. She composed an album "Olympic Fantasy," which featured her own classical piano compositions. She also served as professor of music at the upper level conservatory in Salamanca, Spain, for years. Now, she lives a quiet lifestyle as a musicology professor at a similar upper level conservatory at Pamplona, Spain, where the historic "Running of the Bulls," is held.
Myers' tireless work ethic has transferred to her three daughters. Syracuse graduate Elena works as a New York architect. Twin daughters Anna Maria is an aspiring art major and Isabella is majoring in music.
"I'm extremely proud they've gone their own direction in life," she said.
We are grateful to partner with WIN for KC, an organization with the mission to empower the lives of girls and women by advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports through opportunities for participation and leadership development. WIN for KC and the KSHSAA believe involvement in activities and sports lay the ground work for supporting well-rounded citizens in our communities and beyond. For more on WIN for KC visit: https://www.sportkc.org/win-for-kc