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Lolo Jones: Staying A Virgin Is Harder Than Olympics Training (VIDEO)

Lolo Jones: Staying A Virgin Is Harder Than Training For The Olympics
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What could be more difficult than winning a gold medal at the Olympics?

According to American hurdling star Lolo Jones, there is a tougher task that she deals with every day of her life. In an interview with HBO's "Real Sports," the U.S. Olympian revealed that she is a virgin and is waiting to have sex until marriage. She also said that remaining a virgin is a greater challenge than training for the Olympics.

"It's just something, a gift I want to give my husband," Jones told Mary Carillo. "But please understand that this journey has been hard. There are virgins out there and I'm going to let them know, it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics. Harder than graduating from college."

Jones knows first-hand just how hard it can be to attain Olympic glory. The 29-year-old is looking for redemption this summer in the London Olympics, four years after coming up short of the gold medal as the favorite in the women's 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Games in Beijing.

During her interview with HBO, she discussed how keeping her virginity can make dating more challenging and how she favors Twitter for finding a boyfriend over online dating sites. Jones is not the only high-profile athlete whose virginity is a topic for public discussion. Dating website AshleyMadison.com recently offered $1 million to anyone who could prove that New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was no longer a virgin. Tebow had previously stated that he was also waiting until marriage to have sex.

Perhaps if Jones can win gold in London then she'll celebrate by Tebowing. She barely missed out on winning the gold medal in 2008, leading the race with two hurdles to go. But she clipped the final hurdle, stumbled to thee ground and finished in seventh place.

"I messed up and it cost me the gold medal," the former LSU track star said earlier in May. "The good thing about failure is that if you learn from them they can make you such a stronger person and there is not a day that has gone by that I have not thought about that race."

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Before You Go

PHOTOS: Lolo Jones
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In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, United States' LoLo Jones, right, crosses the finish line to place fourth in the women's 100-meter hurdles final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (credit:AP)
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United States' LoLo Jones, foreground, and Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton compete in a women's 100-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (credit:AP)
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United States' Lolo Jones, left, Canada's Phylicia George, center, and Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton compete in a women's 100-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) (credit:AP)
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United States' Lolo Jones, left, and Canada's Phylicia George compete in a women's 100-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus) (credit:AP)
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Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton, left, is consoled by United States' Lolo Jones after competing in a women's 100-meter hurdles heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) (credit:AP)
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Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells and LoLo Jones react after the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (credit:AP)
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LoLo Jones celebrates after the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (credit:AP)
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Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells and LoLo Jones finish the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (credit:AP)
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Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells and LoLo Jones react after the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (credit:AP)
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Lolo Jones celebrates after the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (credit:AP)
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Lolo Jones, Kellie Wells and Dawn Harper celebrate after the women's 100m hurdles final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (credit:AP)
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Hurdler Lolo Jones of Des Moines, Iowa rests after practicing before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials athletics meet, Thursday, June 21, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (credit:AP)
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Hurdler Lolo Jones, of Iowa, practices before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, Thursday, June 21, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (credit:AP)
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In this Feb. 22, 2012, photo provided by Red Bull, Lolo Jones prepares for a Red Bull Project X photo shoot in Baton Rouge, La. Jones nearly had a fairy-tale finish four years ago in Beijing. Leading late in the final, Jones clipped the top of the ninth hurdle and stumbled toward the finish, watching others speed by her. There went her Hollywood ending. But through animation technology, she may have another chance later this summer. (AP Photo/Red Bull, Stacy Revere) (credit:AP)
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In this April 19, 2012, photo provided by Red Bull, Lolo Jones talks with her coach, Dennis Shaver, in between Project X hurdle runs at the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge, La. Using computer-vision technology and 40 high-speed, motion-capture cameras, computer scientists, along with sports biomechanics and physiologists, have been studying every minute detail of Jones' form in practice as they try to figure out the fastest way to get her over the hurdles.(AP Photo/Red Bull/Stacy Kranitz) (credit:AP)
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In this Feb. 22, 2012, photo provided by Red Bull, Lolo Jones poses for a portrait during the Red Bull Project X photo shoot at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. Jones nearly had a fairy-tale finish four years ago in Beijing. Leading late in the final, Jones clipped the top of the ninth hurdle and stumbled toward the finish, watching others speed by her. There went her Hollywood ending. But through animation technology, she may have another chance later this summer. (AP Photo/Red Bull, Stacy Revere) (credit:AP)
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In this April 19, 2012, photo provided by Red Bull, physiology consultant Lesli Shooter places markers on LoLo Jones as they work with the Project X team at the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge, La. Using computer-vision technology and 40 high-speed, motion-capture cameras, computer scientists, along with sports biomechanics and physiologists, have been studying every minute detail of Jones' form in practice as they try to figure out the fastest way to get her over the hurdles. Jones' technique was captured on film, scrutinized on a video screen and sharpened on the track in a hush-hush program Red Bull dubbed "Project X."(AP Photo/Red Bull, Stacy Kranitz) (credit:AP)
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In this April 19, 2012, photo provided by Red Bull, Lolo Jones runs hurdles for Project X at the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge, La. Using computer-vision technology and 40 high-speed, motion-capture cameras, computer scientists, along with sports biomechanics and physiologists, have been studying every minute detail of Jones' form in practice as they try to figure out the fastest way to get her over the hurdles. Jones' technique was captured on film, scrutinized on a video screen and sharpened on the track in a hush-hush program Red Bull dubbed "Project X." (AP Photo/Red Bull, Stacy Kranitz) (credit:AP)
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WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Track and field athlete Lolo Jones poses for a portrait during the USOC Portrait Shoot at Smashbox West Hollywood on November 17, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (credit:Getty)
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Track and field athlete Lolo Jones poses for a portrait during the USOC Portrait Shoot at Smashbox West Hollywood on November 17, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (credit:Getty)
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Track and field athlete Lolo Jones poses for a portrait during the USOC Portrait Shoot at Smashbox West Hollywood on November 17, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (credit:Getty)
Lolo Jones: Staying A Virgin Is Harder Than Olympics Training (VIDEO)(22 of37)
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US Lolo Jones celebrates her gold medal with a national flag at the end of the women's 60m hurdles final at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships at the Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital Doha. (credit:Getty)
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Nia Ali and Lolo Jones compete in the Women's 100 meter hurdles semi-final on day four of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. (credit:Getty)
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US Lolo Jones celebrates after winning the 100m hurdles contest of the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting at the Louis II stadium in Monaco. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones clears a hurdle on the way to victory in the Womens 100 Meter Hurdles during the 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones is pictured during the 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. (credit:Getty)
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US Lolo Jones celebrates winning the 100m hurdles event for women at the Bislett Games in Oslo. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones celebrates after winning the women's 100m hurdles during the IAAF Diamond League series in the Qatari capital Doha on May 14, 2010. (credit:Getty)
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US track athlete Lolo Jones arrives at the 2010 ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. (credit:Getty)
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US Lolo Jones reacts after winning the women's 60m hurdles final at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships at the Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital Doha. (credit:Getty)
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LoLo Jones in action during the Women's 100m Hurdles during the IAAF World Athletics Final, Day 1, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart,Germany. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones speaks with the media following the Women's 100 meter hurdles on day three of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Hayward Field on June 25, 2011 in Eugene, Oregon. (credit:Getty)
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Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (2nd l) of Canada celebrates victory in the women's 100m hurdles from Lolo Jones (r) of USA during the Iaaf Diamond League meeting at the Letzigrund Stadium on August 19, 2010 in Zurich, Switzerland. (credit:Getty)
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US Lolo Jones (R) competes in the women's 60m hurdles final at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships at the Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital Doha on March 13, 2010. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones of United States celebrates winning gold in the Womens 60m Hurdles Final during Day 2 of the IAAF World Indoor Championships at the Aspire Dome on March 13, 2010 in Doha, Qatar. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones of United States celebrates winning gold in the Womens 60m Hurdles Final during Day 2 of the IAAF World Indoor Championships at the Aspire Dome on March 13, 2010 in Doha, Qatar. (credit:Getty)
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Lolo Jones of the United States poses in the NBC Today Show Studio after losing the Women's 100m Hurdles event from hitting a hurdle at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (credit:Getty)
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