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They did it! Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss, who met whereas competing on Huge Brother in the summertime of 2021, simply received $1 million after competing collectively on The Wonderful Race.
The previous start-up founder 25, and AI engineer 26, spoke completely with Us Weekly forward of the Wednesday, December 7, finale airing – and earlier than they even had an opportunity to observe the episode – to interrupt down the finale, their expertise and what it was like crossing the end line first.
“It’s surreal,” Claire tells Us of profitable the $1 million prize. “It’s simply unbelievable. It’s so superb. What a implausible alternative.”
“The Solely Leg That Issues” – Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss CBS Broadcasting
“I keep in mind me and Claire have been within the closing leg. We completed the entire challenges, and now we’re simply operating to the pit cease. We run into the room after which we see everybody, all of our solid, Phil [Keoghan, host], all of the digital camera guys standing within the auditorium, like, clapping, cheering our identify,” Derek explains. “I turned to Claire and I used to be like, ‘I nonetheless can’t imagine this.’ I used to be anticipating us to run as much as the mat and Phil was gonna say, ‘Sadly, we have now to present you a two-hour time penalty as a result of you’re a Huge Brother workforce.’ Like, one thing loopy. I didn’t imagine it. I most likely nonetheless received’t imagine it till I watch the episode.”
Whereas the duo had no idea of time in the course of the race, they estimate, “Molly and Emily have been most likely 15 to twenty minutes behind us. After which Luis and Michelle have been most likely 15 to twenty minutes behind them.”
The couple had been relationship solely about 9 months once they went to compete on the long-running CBS sequence however felt assured. (Us Weekly completely broke the information of their relationship in October 2021 after they related within the Huge Brother jury home.)
“The Solely Leg That Issues” CBS Broadcasting
“We went into the race and I used to be like, ‘Me and Claire are going to win this,’” Derek tells Us. “I used to be like, ‘I can not think about us combating over something. I can’t think about a stronger relationship.’ Day one. I used to be like, we’re gonna break up. We’re gonna break up. That is so onerous That is unimaginable. Like, oh, my God. After which I feel after that, it’s simply been a climb again up, and I feel we’re undoubtedly stronger than even once we began.”
He continues, “I feel on the very starting, I had delusions of grandeur round how good our relationship was as a result of we hadn’t been examined, so I didn’t know. However then we really acquired examined, and now I feel our relationship really is the place I assumed it was.”
“The Solely Leg That Issues” – Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss CBS Broadcasting
Claire echoes his sentiments about how operating the race exams relationships. “I do perceive why persons are like, ‘You go on the race and also you’re gonna break up otherwise you’re gonna make it work,’” Claire tells Us. “We simply have been actually required to speak about like, how can we talk, how can we wanna resolve issues? And be very sincere and be very actual with one another in a method that I feel quite a lot of {couples} don’t must be, essentially, and nonetheless be glad. In order that simply made it a lot stronger and it’s like made it a lot extra like, relevant once we get into like fights or no matter exterior of the race too. I do suppose it was actually a take a look at – which I feel could be very cliche that individuals say – however I feel that it did make us rather a lot, lot stronger.”
Watch our full unique interview with Derek and Claire above!
