Lolo Jones appeared on the 'Today' show this week and spoke about how disappointed she was to finish out of the medals, in fourth place, in the women's 100 meter hurdles at the London Olympics.
But the 30-year-old athlete said she was even more disappointed by the coverage she has received, specifically referring to a New York Times article that compared her to Anna Kournikova [photos].
The article said Jones had "played into the persistent, demeaning notion that women are worthy as athletes only if they have sex appeal" because she had "decided she will be whatever anyone wants her to be -- vixen, virgin, victim -- to draw attention to herself and the many products she endorses."
In comparing her to Kournikova, it said "the former Russian tennis player whose looks received far more attention than her relatively meager skills."
"I was crushed afterward," Jones told co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. "I know I had the best race of my season, not the best race of my life. I had the best race of my year. It doesn't take away from the pain. I was so close to once again having a medal and not getting it."
"They should be supporting our U.S. Olympic athletes and instead they just ripped me to shreds," she said tearing up, calling it a "crazy misogynist hit piece."
"I worked six days a week, every day, for four years for a 12-second race and the fact that they just tore me apart, which is heartbreaking. They didn't even do their research, calling me the Anna Kournikova of track. I have the American record. I am the American record holder indoors, I have two world indoor titles. Just because I don't boast about these things, I don't think I should be ripped apart by media."
"I laid it out there, fought hard for my country and it's just a shame that I have to deal with so much backlash when I'm already so brokenhearted as it is."
Lolo Jones appeared on the 'Today' show this week and spoke about how disappointed she was to finish out of the medals, in fourth place, in the women's 100 meter hurdles at the London Olympics.
