BEIJING — Sanya Richards was supposed to have a leg up on the competition in the 400-meter dash, but it was her right leg that betrayed her.

A day after coming up short of her goal, taking the bronze instead of winning the gold, she said the only thing she would have done differently was drink more water. Dehydration, she said, is the only explanation for the cramp in her right hamstring that felled her bid for the gold medal.

"I got a massage 1/8after the race3/8, and my masseur thought it felt great," Richards said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "I don't think it was an injury of any sort. I think it was just terrible timing and really unfortunate. I definitely will be ready for the 4x400 1/8relay3/8, whatever I need to do it. This is it. This is the Olympics. This is what I've been dreaming about all my life, and leaving here with two medals will be much sweeter than leaving with one."

Richards said she slept no more than 30 minutes the night after the race. She kept seeing "the gold slipping away" every time she closed her eyes.

Richards is ranked No. 1 in the world and had never lost to gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britian (49.62) or silver medalist Shericka Williams of Jamaica (49.69). That made it even harder for Richards to accept the bronze after finishing in 49.93.

After watching video of the race Wednesday, Richards' coach, Clyde Hart, said Richards hit her marks perfectly. She ran a 23.5 for the first 200 and a 35.5 for the first 300. It had her on pace to run a personal-best 48.5.

None of the other seven runners in the field have ever broken 49.

"The race was won in 49.62," Richards said. "When I look at the grand scheme of things, I average 49.6 on a good season. It's hard knowing that I could have run better, and I really feel that I am the best 400-meter runner in the world; I just haven't had a chance to prove it. It's hard, and I'm just happy I have the World Championships next year.

"I'm going to keep working and hopefully 2012 will be my time."