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‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains’: Winner Sandra won’t do anything ‘flashy’ with her $1M

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After having already taken home $1 million as a past ‘Survivor’ winner, Sandra Diaz-Twine seemed like an unlikely candidate to win the ultimate prize on this season of the reality show. But her low-key strategy and her distance from the villainous Russell Hantz helped her secure the majority vote on Sunday night’s finale, making her the only two-time winner in the history of the game. We talked to Sandra -- who was losing her voice after doing the media rounds -- Monday morning about why she thinks she won, why she hates Russell so much and what she’ll do with the money.

Russell said you wouldn’t get one vote, but you seemed confident you’d get a few. How many people were you sure would vote for you?

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Courtney because she was my friend. Candice because she is from Fayetteville, where I’m from. Amanda because I tried to save her. Rupert because he got sent home and was mad at Russell and Parvati. But that was just four. I thought Parvati had the other five, because Coach was like, “you’re such a physical person.”
So you were truly surprised to win last night?

I was. Parvati said she wasn’t. She said she thought I was going to win it.

Russell, obviously, took the news pretty hard. Why is he so bitter?

Oh, all day today he’s been saying “there’s a flaw in the game.” But I’ve watched “Survivor” since the beginning, and I take bits and pieces of everyone’s strategies and adjust and flip stuff up if I have to.
Why were you so gung-ho about voting Russell out the whole time?

I just didn’t like him. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain once my alliance started getting wiped out. I had to get him out before I got put out. That was my mission, and I just had to.
Why don’t you think he tried to get rid of you more aggressively?

He would tell me, “oh, nobody will ever vote for you if anybody really respects this game.”
What about when he accused you of not being a physical player? Was that part of your strategy?

Not that it’s a part of my strategy, but it’s a good strategy. I’ve been saying all day today that Jeff was saying Colby has won the most immunity challenges for men and they got on him right away because he was such a physical threat and he did a bad job. But to me and Parvati and Russell, I think it was part of his strategy, because when we merged everyone said, “we got to get rid of J.P. and Amanda and Rupert because of his broken toe.”
Wait, so you think Colby was throwing the physical challenges?

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I think he was. I think he wasn’t giving it his all, and it worked because he lasted longer than all the other heroes.

You said you gave 110% in physical challenges. Is that true?
Oh, yeah, I always gave 110%. But I think these things are rigged against me. I wish they’d give me a puzzle. I’m Puerto Rican; I don’t jump over walls.

So what will you do with the money?

I’m going to go to Germany. I don’t really have anything to do. I got cash, I got cars. I’m not gonna buy a new car, I’m not really flashy. I’m going to meet my husband’s side of the family in Germany.
Do you still have a day job?

Two weeks ago I left my job at a bank. I was a teller.
So do you really think you’re the best player to ever compete on “Survivor?”

No doubt. Show me someone else that has won twice.
Do you keep in touch with the other players?

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No — I talk to some of them on the phone. I talk to Jerri and Candice. Parvati, I text her maybe once or twice. Danielle, I actually heard from her for the first time when she was getting voted off, she called me. And Courtney, Boston Rob and Tyson, we text. Other than that, you go back to your daily life and everybody’s got their own stuff going on. It’s not like, “hey, you wanna have tea?”
Would you ever play again? Do you think you’d be able to win again?

Right now, it’s too soon. But maybe in a couple of years when I get a craving.
-- Amy Kaufman (follow me on Twitter @AmyKinLA)

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