Meet The Chicago Sisters Competing In The Amazing Race

Sasha-Ann Simons (0:12)

Hey, Chicago, I'm Sasha-Ann Simons and this is In the Loop.

Be sure to listen all the way through the podcast for a breakdown of the day's top local stories. But first, some siblings can barely agree on who was the better behaved kid growing up. But Chicago-born sisters Saran and Dafina Dunmore decided to show off their ultra-tight bond in an epic way. They're traveling around the world together and competing on Season 39 of The Amazing Race on CBS. And did I mention that Dunmore's are self-described besters? That's sisters and best friends? So how are they handling the high stakes and pressure of reality TV? In this episode of The Pod, we will quickly learn that they are doing just fine. At the table with me was Dafina and Saran Dunmore.

I'm so excited for you. I've been watching. I've been grinning, you know, from ear to ear watching you play and really put Chicago on the map, which, you know, we'll get into all of that. But I want to focus on you, you besters. For just a second. Because I'm hearing you work just a few blocks apart.

Saran Dunmore (1:26)

Oh my God.

Sasha-Ann Simons (1:27)

You live 15 minutes from each other. Sasha. Have you always been this close, Saran?

Saran Dunmore (1:32)

Absolutely. But before I answer that, I just want to point out something that you just said that was the key. When you said you are enjoying watching us play on The Amazing Race, I absolutely love that. Because we bring that spirit and energy to everything we do, don't we?

Sasha-Ann Simons (1:48)

Definitely.

Oh my goodness. Listen to the two of you. It's so infectious. Thank you.

Saran Dunmore (1:55)

What was your question before? Sorry.

Sasha-Ann Simons (1:58)

Well, I think you answered it. I was asking, have you always been this close? But I think we can hear it. We can certainly see it on screen. Yep.

Dafina Dunmore (2:03)

Absolutely. We're our biggest supporters of each other.

Saran Dunmore (2:06)

Yeah. Our biggest supporters, our biggest fans of each other.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:09)

Definitely.

Saran Dunmore (2:10)

I mean, it does not stop. We had one of our friends ask us one time, do you ever get tired of each other?

Dafina Dunmore (2:16)

And the answer is absolutely not.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:18)

No.

Dafina Dunmore (2:18)

Our partners ask us that.

Saran Dunmore (2:20)

Yeah. We can't get enough of each other.

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:22)

I love that so much. Now, whose big idea was this? Did someone always want to participate in The Amazing Race?

Dafina Dunmore (2:29)

All of this is always Saran's idea.

Saran Dunmore (2:31)

Yeah.

SPEAKER_5 (2:31)

She stretches me in no way.

Dafina Dunmore (2:33)

Exactly. But I'm always game. I'm like, what are we doing next?

Saran Dunmore (2:36)

That's right. Yeah. And Dafina, she told me, I didn't realize, she told me she did The Amazing Race for me or because of me.

Steph Tischner (2:43)

Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_5 (2:44)

Isn't that sweet, Sasha?

Sasha-Ann Simons (2:45)

That is so sweet. The two of you are just full of sweetness.

Now, when, Dafina, when Saran brings this idea to you, how do you even prepare for this type of competition?

Steph Tischner (2:55)

Where do you start?

Dafina Dunmore (2:56)

Well, for this competition in particular, first of all, whenever she brings an idea to me that's like so outlandish, I just shake my head. I'm like, that's Saran. Of course. And of course I have to say yes. Like, what else can I do? I can't hold her back, right? Yes. That's how I feel. She stretches me. And because of our bond, it just pushes me along. I'm along for the ride.

Sasha-Ann Simons (3:16)

Oh, I love that. That is so wonderful. So we're watching you, and let me go back to the first episode, right? So you're doing your thing, you're jumping right in sort of feet first. You form this- Literally.

You form this sort of early alliance with another team. And then I've got to talk about this because it kind of ends. You make this choice to use your express pass.

Dafina Dunmore (3:40)

We had no choice.

Saran Dunmore (3:41)

We absolutely were against the-

It would have been us or them. Yes. Right?

Dafina Dunmore (3:48)

In a foot race. And we just didn't want to come down to that.

Saran Dunmore (3:50)

No, we didn't. So we had to make-

Sasha-Ann Simons (3:52)

We felt horrible about it, Sasha. So the express pass, it allowed you to go ahead. Tell folks what it is in case they haven't watched yet.

Dafina Dunmore (4:00)