Tag: 15 in 2024

Katie Grimes: 5 facts about Team USA’s teenage silver medalist set to make Olympic history in the pool and open water

Katie Grimes is set to make American Olympic history in the pool and in the Seine River.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Katie Grimes.

Katie Grimes is a special swimmer, and if fans didn’t know her before the 2024 Paris Olympics, they surely will after. The Las Vegas native is an exceptionally versatile distance swimmer — one who will go up against legendary distance swimmer Katie Ledecky — and her swimming goals for the Paris Games go way beyond the pool.

So ahead of the Paris Olympics, here are five things to know about Grimes.

1. At 18 years old, Katie Grimes is already a two-time Olympian

Jul 31, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Katie Grimes (USA), right) rests next to Katie Ledecky (USA) as Ledecky reacts to winning the women’s 800m freestyle final during the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports

Not unheard of in swimming, but a teenage two-time Olympian is still rare. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Grimes swam one event — the 800-meter freestyle. She finished fourth behind Ledecky, who won her third straight Olympic championship in the event.

For Paris, Grimes not only dropped the 800 altogether, but she added a wide variety of events to her schedule. But more on that in a second.

2. Grimes will be the first American woman to compete in the pool and open water events at the same Olympic Games

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She’s the only swimmer on Team USA’s Olympics roster who is entered in both the 400-meter individual medley and the 1,500-meter freestyle — the longest event in the pool and one that Ledecky is favored to win.

UPDATE: Katie Grimes won a silver medal Monday in the 400 IM for her first Olympic hardware. She also swam in the 1,500 heats Tuesday morning but didn’t make the top-8 final. So, onto the Seine (possibly).

Grimes will also make history as the first American woman to compete in both the pool and open water at the same Olympics.

When the pool competition ends — Grimes’ last potential final is the 1,500 on July 31 — her attention will fully turn to the open water competition, a 10k marathon swim. The 10k open water races are set to happen in the Seine River, but Olympics organizers said they have backup dates and an alternate venue, should the river be too dirty to swim in.

Grimes was the first Team USA athlete to qualify for Paris back in July 2023 when she won bronze in the open water 10k at world championships in Japan.

Incredible versatility when her shortest Olympic race will be less than five minutes while her longest is about two hours.

3. Grimes knows where she’ll swim in college… but we don’t

Katie Grimes of the United States competes in a preliminary heat for the Women’s 400m individual medley on Day Three of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

At 18 years old, Grimes just graduated from high school and is a coveted recruit with swimming news site SwimSwam ranking her as the top high school swimmer last year.

Grimes recently told For The Win she’s made a decision on college, but she also said she’ll likely wait until after the Olympics to announce it.

4. Grimes is an old soul with a love for classic cars, including her orange 1969 Chevy Corvette Stingray

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In addition to her love of classic rock, especially Fleetwood Mac, Grimes is a big fan of classic cars.

“My favorite classic car is the Chevy Corvette Stingray,” Grimes said. “It had been my dream car for so long, and so I’ve been on market looking for one all over the place for, like ever. And I finally found the perfect one, and I was able to buy it. And it’s just so cool to have it, and every time I see it in the garage, I’m like, ‘I can’t believe I have that.'”

5. Grimes’ historic Olympic journey begins on July 29

Swimming at the Paris Olympics starts Saturday, July 27, but Grimes’ first event will be the 400 IM heats (and presumably, final) on Monday, July 29. Her 1,500 heats are set for Tuesday, July 30 with the final the following day. And the women’s open water 10k marathon swim is set for Thursday, August 8.

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Chase Budinger: 5 facts about Team USA’s new volleyball star who was once of the NBA’s best dunkers

Chase Budinger is putting those hops to good use

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Chase Budinger

We’ve seen athletes show up at the Olympics after specializing in other sports before. That’s not necessarily unique.

For example, there’ve been several Olympians from the NFL who have made the crossover before. But it’s not just an athlete making that crossover that’s special — it’s actually how good the athlete is at the other sport.

That’s why the story of Chase Budinger, the volleyball player, is so incredible.

If you’ve watched the NBA before, you probably recognize that name. Budinger put together a solid career in the league before retiring. These days, he’s traded in the orange round ball for a white one. Budinger is one of the United States’ best volleyball players.

Here’s everything you need to know about Team USA’s budding volleyball star. Get it? Budding? Sorry about that. Let’s get into it.

1. Chase Budinger had a lengthy NBA career

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

Budinger had a pretty solid NBA career from 2009 to 2016. He appeared in games for the Rockets, Timberwolves, Suns and Pacers before continuing to play ball overseas in Spain.

He averaged a solid 7.9 points per game through 407 NBA games played. Obviously, that’s not a superstar-level career. But it’s still pretty good! He made just more than $18 million through his NBA career.

2. He was a McDonald’s All-American

Arizona’s Chase Budinger throws down a break away dunk against University of Louisville in the 1st half in the NCAA Men’s Midwest Regional semi final in Indianapolis, IN on Friday, March 27, 2009.JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/Detroit Free Press

Chase wasn’t a slouch coming into the NBA. He may have been more of a role player in the league, but he was one of the best high school prospects coming into his class, averaging 34 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Budinger was ranked as the 3rd best prospect in the nation for the class of 2006 by Rivals.com. As a freshman at Arizona, he averaged 15.5 points and was named the Pac-10 Rookie of the Year.

3. He was a volleyball star, too

Jun 19, 2024; Hermosa Beach, Calif., USA: Chase Budinger spikes the ball during a morning training session at Hermosa Beach, Calif. on Jue 19, 2024. Budinger is a former collegiate and NBA basketball player who has made the Olympic Beach Volleyball Team. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

Budinger was a two-sport athlete in high school. He may have been just as good at volleyball as he was at basketball.

He led his team to three state championships and was named National High School Player of the Year by Volleyball Magazine, according to this profile from USA TODAY’s Jordan Mendoza.

Volleyball was a bit of a family trade for the Budingers. Both his brother and sister, Duncan and Brittanie, played volleyball professionally. Brittanie is even in the Hall of Honor for the West Coast Conference.

Budinger told the Indianapolis Star that part of his plan was to “play beach volleyball when basketball was over.” Here he is, doing it at a high level.

4. He’s an elite dunker

These hops are the reason he’s so good at volleyball. This reel of him dunking will absolutely get you out of your seat today.

He was so good as a dunker he participated in the 2012 NBA Dunk Contest and was pretty solid. He’s putting those hops to use elsewhere these days.

5. Budinger and Team USA will play in late July

You’ll be able to watch Budinger and Team USA take to the net on July 27 when Team USA opens its preliminary round matchup against Argentina.

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Gretchen Walsh: 5 facts about the Virginia swimmer off to her first Olympics with a new world record

Gretchen Walsh enters the Paris Olympics with a new swimming world record.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up last is Gretchen Walsh.

Gretchen Walsh is a name you’ll want to remember during swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although the 21-year-old from Nashville is a first-time Olympian, she’s riding a lot of momentum into Paris and has a shot at bringing home some hardware.

So before the Paris Olympics officially start, here are five things to know about Walsh.

1. Gretchen Walsh is expected to swim 4 events in Paris

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 16: Gretchen Walsh of the United States swims during the Women’s 100 Meter Butterfly championship on Day Two of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 16, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

At U.S. Olympic swimming trials in June, Walsh qualified for the Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. While the top-2 finishers are selected for the individual Olympic events, the top-4 finishers in the 100 freestyle make the relay team, and Walsh was third behind Kate Douglass and Tori Huske.

However, Douglass recently dropped the individual 100 freestyle, which opened the door for Walsh to add another individual event to her lineup.

While Walsh has the 15th fastest time this year in the 50 freestyle — and 10 of those times belong to world record holder Sarah Sjöström — watch out for her in the 100 butterfly.

2. Walsh enters the Paris Olympics with a new world record in the 100 butterfly

Walsh broke the 100 fly world record in the semifinals at U.S. Olympic trials in June. She posted a time of 55.18, which broke Sjöström’s 55.48 mark from 2016. She didn’t break it again when she won the final, but she came close and could lower it again at the Paris Olympics.

3. Walsh’s Olympic debut is on the heels of a stellar NCAA season for Virginia

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – APRIL 13: Gretchen Walsh competes in the Women’s 50m Freestyle prelims on Day 4 of the TYR Pro Swim Series San Antonio at Northside Swim Center on April 13, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Walsh helped lead the Virginia Cavaliers to their fourth straight NCAA title and became an 18-time NCAA champion. At NCAAs in March, Walsh won the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and she was also on four championship-winning relay teams.

Walsh is one of at least seven current, former or future Virginia swimmers competing at the Paris Olympics, along with Cavaliers swimming head coach Todd DeSorbo, who will lead the American women at the Games.

4. Walsh is part of at least 6 sets of siblings on Team USA with her sister, Alex Walsh

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8IHsF2ALx3/?hl=en&img_index=1

While Gretchen is making her Olympics debut, her older sister, Alex Walsh is a two-time Olympian who won a silver medal in the 200-meter IM at the 2021 Tokyo Games and qualified for Paris in the same event. Three years ago, Gretchen didn’t make the team.

“She was more upset than me that I didn’t make the Olympics last time, and I think that says a lot about our relationship,” Gretchen said at trials in June. “We definitely rely on one another. We relate to each other. We support one another. At a high level, high-stakes meet that’s so stressful, it’s nice to have a sibling on the deck just there to even give you just a smile or nod that you got this.”

But they’re far from the only siblings at the Olympics. They’re not even the only ones on Team USA’s swimming roster and are joined by Alex and Aaron Shackell.

Other Team USA siblings include twins Annie and Kerry Xu (badminton), Brooke and Emma DeBerdine (field hockey), Juliette and Isabella Whittaker (track and field) and Chase and Ryder Dood (water polo), according to the USOPC.

5. Gretchen Walsh’s Paris Olympics schedule starts right away

She’ll swim in two events on the first day of swimming at the Olympics with the heats for the 100 butterfly and 4×100 freestyle relay set for Saturday, July 27 — though she might not swim the relay heats. Heats for the individual 100 free are Tuesday, July 30, and heats for the 50 free begin Saturday, August 3.

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Miles Robinson: 5 facts about the USMNT defender heading to the Olympic Games in Paris

He’s one of three senior USMNT players heading to Paris.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Miles Robinson.

For the first time since 2008, the U.S. men’s national team has qualified for the Olympic Games. But unlike the women’s tournament — which includes senior national teams — the men’s tournament will be comprised of U-23 teams competing in a non-FIFA event. Every team is allowed to call up three overage players for the Olympics, and Miles Robinson is among the USMNT’s overage selections.

Here are five facts about the USMNT defender.

1. He is among the most experienced players on the U.S. roster

Jul 13, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; FC Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson (12) passes the ball during the first half against Charlotte FC at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

As mentioned above, the men’s Olympic soccer tournament is a junior competition. So, you won’t see USMNT stars like Christian Pulisic or Jedi Robinson suiting up in Paris.

Miles Robinson, though, does have plenty of senior team experience. He’s one of four players on the roster with double-digit caps for the senior USMNT — only 31-year-old defender Walker Zimmerman has more. Robinson almost certainly would have been named to former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter’s 2022 World Cup roster had an Achilles injury not kept him out for extended time just months before the World Cup.

2. He scored the go-ahead goal in the USMNT’s 2021 Gold Cup final win over Mexico

Though Robinson is a defender, he has shown the ability to get involved with the attack — particularly off set pieces. He scored the winning goal against rival Mexico in the 117th minute of the 2021 Gold Cup final. It was his third goal with the senior national team and by far his biggest moment with the program.

3. He was also included on the Copa America roster

Despite the poor showing at the Copa America, the USMNT’s talent has never been stronger. Nearly the entire senior roster was comprised of players at top European clubs. Robinson was the exception as one of just three MLS players on the 26-man Copa roster. His MLS club FC Cincinnati is allowing the defender to extend his time away from the squad to compete in both tournaments.

4. Robinson had garnered strong interest from European clubs before staying in MLS

Oct 13, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; the United States defender Sergiño Dest (2) celebrates his goal with defender Miles Robinson (12) during a FIFA World Cup Qualifier soccer match at Lower.com Field. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Before his Achilles injury, Robinson was one of the brighter prospects with Atlanta United in MLS and had attracted strong interest from Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven. Instead of joining USMNT teammates Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman at PSV, Robinson opted to sign with FC Cincinnati in January.

5. He will be the first FC Cincinnati player to compete in the Olympic Games

Jul 13, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; FC Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson (12) goes up for a header against Charlotte FC midfielder Brandt Bronico (13) during the first half at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

FC Cincinnati’s inaugural season was in 2019, so it only went one Olympic cycle with a chance to send a player to the Games. But Robinson still will make club history as FC Cincinnati’s first-ever Olympian. He described the call-up as a dream come true in an interview with the club.

“Growing up, I always watched the Olympics, whether it was track or swimming or anything. So I was a fan of the Olympics, but to be a part of a team… I’m just excited to be a part of this group. I’m so excited. It’s definitely a dream come true. I’m excited to get going.”

Men’s soccer at the 2024 Paris Olympics begins July 24 — a couple days before the Opening Ceremony — when the USMNT will take on France in the Group A matchup at 3 p.m. ET.

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Sunny Choi: 5 facts about the Team USA Olympic breaker ahead of the sport’s Games debut in Paris

What to know about one of the first Team USA athletes to compete in the new Olympic sport, breaking.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Sunny Choi.

Breakdancing, more commonly called breaking, is making its Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games, and Sunny Choi will be one of the first Team USA athletes to compete at the Games. The 35-year-old breaker from Queens, New York is a first-time Olympian and favored to medal in Paris.

So ahead of the 2024 Olympics, here are five things to know about Choi.

1. Sunny Choi qualified for the Paris Olympics with a different gold medal

https://www.instagram.com/p/Czzyr31oV3M/

While Choi won a world championship silver medal for breaking in 2019, she officially punched her ticket to Paris by winning the first Pan American breaking gold medal in November 2023.

“I thought people were messing with me,” Choi said about learning breaking would be in the Olympics. “I genuinely thought somebody was joking, and it’s not that I don’t think breaking is a challenging sport and deserves to be on a platform like the Olympics. Breaking, to me, was just so street, and in my eyes, the Olympics has got this refinement and this elegance around so many of the sports. …

“So for breaking to be included, I was like, ‘Come on.’ Like, ‘You’re kidding, right?'”

2. She’s a gymnast turned professional breaker

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwYMDOOt8Hb/

Choi said she was drawn to breaking because of its physicality and how it resembled gymnastics, which she did for 15 years. She always dreamed of going to the Olympics, but when she first started breaking, she had no idea where the sport would go.

She was a freshman at Penn when she started breaking and quickly fell in love with the sport, especially because it embraces imperfections, unlike gymnastics.

“Initially, it was just being upside down again that was super exciting for me,” Choi said. “What ended up keeping me, though, was one, the community, and then two, the artistic piece of breaking. I had realized that I had never really explored the creative side of me, or really asked the hard questions. And breaking has really brought out so much more of me than any other thing in my life.”

3. She used to work at Estée Lauder before quitting to focus on the Olympics

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgKCOW9I3fz/

Prior to being a full-time professional breaker, Choi worked for Estée Lauder as the director of global creative operations for some of the company’s skincare lines.

“It was extremely corporate,” she said. “I was working really long hours, so I just couldn’t make the two work together, so I had to pick one.”

So after about six months of deliberating, Choi gambled on herself, quit her job and began training full time for the Olympics.

4. How she’s been preparing for it to be extra hot in Paris

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtbiktVv78G/

Without knowing the exact weather conditions for the Olympics, Choi said she’s training as if it’s going to be sweltering, just in case.

“We don’t know how hot it’s going to be, so I’m actually layering up in some of my sessions,” said Choi, who was also promoting her partnership with Blume, a health supplement company. “So that means I sweat a lot. I also love doing hot vinyasa.”

To help rehydrate, Choi said she relies on the company’s SuperBelly hydration and gut health products during her training. Partnerships like this, she said, help fund her training because when she quit her Estée Lauder job in January 2023, she had enough money saved only to last through the end of the year.

5. Breaking at the Olympics is set for August 9 and 10

The women’s competition is up first on August 9, so here’s a look at the schedule:

Friday, August 9
Round Robin: 10 a.m. ET

Quarterfinal 1: 2 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 2: 2:07 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 3: 2:14 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 4: 2:21 p.m. ET

Semifinal 1: 2:45 p.m. ET
Semifinal 2: 2:52 p.m. ET

Bronze Medal Battle: 3:14 p.m. ET
Gold Medal Battle: 3:23 p.m. ET

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Fredrick Richard: 5 facts about the Team USA’s Olympic bronze medal-winning gymnast with an incredible TikTok presence

The 20-year-old Michigan Wolverine is ready to make some noise at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Frederick Richard.

It might be his first Olympics, but men’s gymnast Frederick Richard has high hopes for Paris. The 20-year-old from Boston secured a spot on the team with an impressive first-place finish in all-around at U.S. Olympic trials and finished in the top three in three events (high bar, parallel bars and floor exercise).

Here are five things to know about Richard ahead of the Paris Olympics.

1. He competed in college at Michigan

@frederickflips

Replying to @Jerome.. 🌯 thanks😌💪🏾 #gymnastics #competition #sport

♬ Originalton – milanoseni

Richard unsurprisingly saw great success with the Wolverines, helping Michigan finish runner-up at NCAA championships in both 2023 and 2024. He also finished first place in the all-around competition in 2023 and second this year, with NCAA titles on both parallel bars and high bar in 2023.

As a rising junior, Richard will have a chance to better those finishes in the near future.

2. His best event is high bar

Jun 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Frederick Richard competes on the high bar during the U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trials at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

As the top-qualifying member of this year’s squad, it stands to reason that Frederick is very good across most of the events. But his performance on high bar may be just a bit better than the rest, as evidenced by his No. 1 finish in the event at the 2024 Olympic trials and the 2023 U.S. national championships.

@frederickflips

Still going to be clean it up more💪🏾 #olympics #gymnastics #sport #athlete

♬ BBL Drizzy – Trïppy

He’s not just looking to win one event in the City of Lights.

“I want to enter the Olympics with the whole country knowing, like, that’s Frederick Richard, like this man is going to do it,” Richard said in a June 19 interview with NBC. 

3. His parents get super into his routines (understandably)

Get ready to see his adorable parents, Carl and Ann-Marie, get into it in the Parisian stands this month. Richard’s father is especially enthusiastic, and the pair follow every flip, vault, tumble and dismount with bated breath.

4. He has an incredible TikTok presence

@frederickflips

Pt.2 will be the shirt😁👌🏾#flip #flipping #michigan #umich #fyp #foryou

♬ I Bet U Won’t – Mouse on da track & Level

Whether you’re looking for behind the scenes content, highlights from routines, physical challenges or just pure personality, Richard brings it all to his TikTok account, @frederickflips.

Hopefully we will get a bit of a behind the scenes in Paris, courtesy of Richard’s accounts.

5. Men’s gymnastics at the Olympics begins on July 27

You don’t have to wait long to see Richard in action as men’s gymnastics gets underway on day one with qualifiers for all events taking place Saturday, July 27. The men’s squad will look to medal as a team with finals on July 29, and then individual events will run finals through August 5.

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Hezly Rivera: 5 facts about the gymnast who is the youngest member of Team USA at the Paris Olympics

Hezly Rivera may be the next U.S. gymnast to become a household name

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Hezly Rivera.

In the long line of stars produced by USA Gymnastics, Hezly Rivera is next in the queue, and she may be sticking around for quite awhile.

After qualifying for Paris by tying Joscelyn Roberson for the highest overall beam score (27.975) at June trials in Minneapolis, the New Jersey native is set to make a run for the podium in her first Olympics.

Here’s a bit more about her.

1. Hezly Rivera is the youngest Olympian on Team USA

Suni Lee, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles pose for a photo after being selected for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s gymnastics team during the U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trials at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

At 16 years, 26 days old when she qualified, Rivera is the youngest member of Team USA’s Olympic delegation across all sports. She’s 11 years younger than Simone Biles.

2. Rivera won two silver medals at the 2023 World Junior Championship

One for team performance and one for her floor exercise.

@hezrivera

🥹💞

♬ Lobster – Rj Pasin

3. Rivera trains with Valeri and Anna Liukin

Hezly Rivera of WOGA Gymnastics performs on balance beam during day two of the women’s 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If those names sound familiar — and they should — it’s because they are the parents and coaches of former USA Olympics gymnastics star Nastia Liukin who run the famed WOGA Gymnastics in Dallas.

4. Her career started because of a birthday party at age 5

According to Olympics.com, Rivera got her start in the sport by attending a gymnastics-themed birthday party of a friend that was held in a local gym.

She performed so well that the coaches reportedly approached Rivera’s parents afterwards to urge her to continue by trying out for their team. Barely a decade later, she’s an Olympian.

@hezrivera

grwm from yesterday #grwm @Charlotte Tilbury @Hourglass Cosmetics @Saie @makeupbymario @Rare Beauty @LAWLESS Beauty

♬ Paper planes M.I.A – songs for u <3

5. Women’s gymnastics at the Olympics begins on July 28

You’ll have to wake up pretty early on Sunday, July 28 to catch the start of Rivera’s run in Paris. The women’s team qualifiers begin at 3:30 a.m. ET. Something tells us this burgeoning star will be worth the extra cups of coffee to see live.

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Nelly Korda: 5 facts about Team USA’s golf star aiming for the first back-to-back Olympic golds

Nelly Korda won five straight events to start 2024, but recent struggles will put her to the test at Le Golf National.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Nelly Korda.

The hottest golfer in the world is headed to Paris to defend her Olympic gold.

Nelly Korda won her first women’s golf tournament at the Olympics when she took home a gold medal with a -17 score in Tokyo. In the three years since, the soon-to-be 26-year-old has played not just the best golf of her life, but some of the best golf the world has ever seen.

Korda is the odds-on favorite to stand atop the podium once more this summer. Here are five things to know about her as she preps for competition at Le Golf National.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

1. Korda started her 2024 season with a record-tying five straight LPGA victories

After four tournament wins in 2022, Korda struggled with back pain and failed to register a single victory in 2023. But some time off to heal primed her for one of the most dominant runs in the sport’s history.

Between January and May of 2024, Korda simply didn’t lose. She brought home titles in five events:

  • LPGA Drive On Championship
  • Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship
  • Ford Championship
  • T-Mobile Match Play
  •  Chevron Championship

That tied Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez for the most consecutive wins in LPGA history. This streak ended when she withdrew from the JM Eagle LA Championship in order to rest.

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

2. Korda has struggled in the months leading up to Paris

Korda won May’s Mizuho Americas Open, giving her six LPGA wins in her first seven events of 2024. However, she’s been unable to approach that pace since. She missed the cut in her following three tournaments — the first time that’s ever happened to her — reminding the world how fickle the game can be.

This included over-par nightmares at the U.S. Women’s Open (+10) and KPMG Women’s LPGA Championship (+6). She’d failed to crack 80 in two of those six competitive rounds and carded a 10 on a par three hole during the U.S. Women’s Open.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

3. Korda made the cut at the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open… when she was 14 years old

Korda will turn 26 on July 28, but she’s nearly a decade into her LPGA career. She turned pro in 2016, but not before an impressive amateur career. That included a 64th place finish at the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open, where a +6 score after the first two rounds made her that year’s youngest competitor to make the cut.

The Bradenton, Florida native skipped collegiate golf and played on the Symetra Tour, an LPGA feeder, in 2016. A top-10 season-long finish punched her LPGA pro card, and she’s been a staple of the top tour ever since.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

4. Korda has missed time due to various injuries in her career — most recently a dog bite

Korda’s health has been the biggest inhibitor to her success. A blood clot in her arm cost her several starts in 2022. She relinquished her world No. 1 ranking in 2023 after taking time away from the course to deal with a back issue.

That unfortunate injury luck has persisted. She withdrew from a tour event in London this summer, citing the need to recover from a dog bite. That wasn’t enough to derail her Olympic plans; she’s in the lineup for the Amundi Evian Championship in France two weeks before the Games begin.

Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

5. Korda’s gold medal defense begins August 7

  • Round 1: Wednesday, August 7
  • Round 2: Thursday, August 8
  • Round 3: Friday, August 9
  • Round 4: Saturday, August 10

It will take place at Le Golf National, the same course that played host to the 2018 Ryder Cup.

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Kenny Bednarek: 5 facts about the Team USA track and field star aiming for his first Olympic gold

Kenny Bednarek is looking for his first Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Kenny Bednarek.

Kenny Bednarek has some unfinished business from 2021, and he means to settle it in Paris.

The 25-year-old track and field sprinter from Wisconsin is set to return for the 2024 Paris Olympics after qualifying for the men’s 100-meter and men’s 200-meter events for the United States. Bednarek may not be the favorite to win gold in Paris, but he is no doubt a medal contender after his qualifying times this summer.

Here are five things to know about Bednarek ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

1. Kenny Bednarek took home silver in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics

In his first Olympics in 2021, Bednarek won the silver medal in the men’s 200-meter event, beating out Team USA teammate Noah Lyles for the position.

The race was a close one, as Bednarek finished with a then-personal best 19.68, just behind Canada’s Andre De Grasse, who won gold with a time of 19.62 seconds.

2. He holds a national record in a very unique category

In 2019, Bednarek became the youngest and only American athlete to run sub-20 and sub-45 times in 200-meter and 400-meter outdoor events respectively on the same day. The record happened during the 2019 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships, an event that shot Bednarek’s name to stardom.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. He recorded his personal best times in the 100-meter and 200-meter at Olympic trials

Coming into the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bednarek set two personal best times during the Olympic trials. During the 200-meter event final — Bednarek’s specialty — the sprinter ran a 19.59, breaking his personal best record. And in the 100-meter final, Bednarek completed the race in 9.87 seconds, also a personal best.

4. Bednarek’s nickname is “Kung Fu Kenny”

The nickname “Kung Fu Kenny” adorns Bednarek’s various social media pages. But how did it come about? It all stems from the headbands Bednarek wears during races, as well as the connection to the movie character Rambo. Even better? Bednarek’s husky is named Rambo!

And it’s clear Bednarek leans into his nerdy side too, as his Instagram shows is a fan of the anime Naruto as well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C80oj0kOTe1/?hl=en

5. Bednarek’s Olympic journey starts on August 3

Fans won’t have to wait long to see Bednarek race, as his first event — the men’s 100m — will start on August 3.

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Cierra Burdick: 5 facts about the veteran for the USA 3×3 women’s basketball team at the Olympics

Cierra Burdick might not be a WNBA player, but she played for Pat Summitt and has a long history with 3×3 basketball.

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Cierra Burdick.

When the U.S. announced its 3×3 women’s basketball team for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, the headliners that grabbed attention were the young stars. Initially part of the team were fifth-year college player Hailey Van Lith – who recently transferred from LSU to TCU – WNBA rookie Cameron Brink and 24-year-old WNBA All-Star Rhyne Howard, who is making her Olympic debut. Since the initial announcement, Brink has been replaced by her LA Sparks teammate Dearica Hamby.

Rounding out the squad is Cierra Burdick – a 30-year-old product of the University of Tennessee who hasn’t been on a WNBA roster in three years.

But Burdick shouldn’t be overlooked. The competition to make this roster was fierce and she’s on this team – which is aiming to defend its gold medal from the 2021 Olympics – for a reason.

Let’s get to know her.

1. Burdick played for Pat Summitt

Nov 15, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers forward Cierra Burdick (11) brings the ball up court against the Rice Owls at Thompson Boling Arena. Tennessee won by a score of 101 to 48. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-US PRESSWIRE

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Burdick was a McDonald’s All-American out of Butler High School. She was lured just across the Smoky Mountains to Knoxville, where she was a freshman on the final team that the late, great Pat Summitt coached.

She played 13.5 minutes per game on that 2011-12 Tennessee team, which made it all the way to the Elite Eight.

The 2021 games in Tokyo were the first time that there were no Lady Vols playing for USA basketball in Olympic competition – although Kara Lawson was the coach of the 3×3 team that year. Still, Burdick’s selection puts a Summitt-coached player back in the games, an honor she’s proud to carry.

She told the Knoxville News-Sentinel:

“I’ve got some big time guardian angels that have been looking out for me, and I’m a proud Lady Vol… I took a lot of lessons from Pat, and it’s easy to just carry those with me every single day.”

2. Burdick helped Tennessee stay on top

Mar 28, 2015; Spokane, WA, USA; Tennessee Lady Volunteers forward Cierra Burdick (11) reacts after a Gonzaga Bulldogs turnover during the second half in the semifinals of the Spokane regional of the women’s 2015 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The Lady Volunteers won 73-69. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The 6-foot-2 do-it-all guard/forward was never really a star at Tennessee, but she was a starter, a very good college player. She helped the Lady Vols stay atop the Southeastern Conference after Holly Warlick took over when Summitt retired after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

With Burdick on the court in Warlick’s first three seasons at the helm, Tennessee won two regular-season SEC titles, one SEC Tournament crown and went back to the Elite Eight in 2013 and 2015. As a senior in 2015 – after averaging 11 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 37.1 percent from 3-point land – Burdick was an All-SEC selection and an honorable mention All-American.

3. Burdick was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks

In the 2015 WNBA Draft, the LA Sparks took Burdick in the second round with the 14th overall pick. But she never played for the Sparks and was waived about a month after signing her rookie contract.

And so began Burdick’s tumultuous journey through the WNBA. Between 2015 and 2021, Burdick played in 56 games for six different teams and was waived or released five different times. For one reason or another, she just couldn’t stick to a roster – although she was on the Seattle Storm squad that won the Commissioner’s Cup in 2021.

Before landing with the Storm near the end of the 2021 season on a series of short-term contracts, Burdick was waived by the Minnesota Lynx after just six days – and this was after she was told she would be with the team for four-to-six weeks.

It soured her on the WNBA experience, she told the Knoxville News-Sentinel:

“… And then you’re cut in the Minneapolis Airport at baggage claim after a week – I was completely humiliated, demoralized, disappointed and I honestly was done with the W after that experience.”

4. Burdick has a long history with Team USA and 3×3 hoops

However, getting cut by Minnesota allowed Burdick to sign with Seattle, which then opened the door for her to spend more time playing 3×3 hoops.

She’s been playing 3×3 basketball since 2014. That summer, between her junior and senior seasons at Tennessee, she was part of the U.S. squad that won the gold medal at the FIBA World Cup in Russia.

Right away, Burdick figured out it was a version of basketball that best fit her skillset, telling The Charlotte Observer:

“I love the fact that you actually don’t have a coach during the game, that you kind of have to coach yourselves, so all adjustments are being made on your own… Just the versatility that you need to be able to play 3×3, you gotta be able to defend everybody, and then offensively, you gotta be able to do a little bit of everything. So that’s always kind of been my game. I’m not great at any one specific skill, except for maybe rebounding, but I can do a little bit of everything. And that definitely helps in the 3×3 game.”

In 2023, Burdick suited up for Team USA again, helping the Americans win gold at the FIBA World Cup in Vienna, Austria and the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. This Olympics will mark the third time Burdick and Van Lith have been 3×3 teammates in a major tournament, as they both played in the 2022 and 2023 World Cups.

5. Burdick’s Olympic journey begins with Team USA’s 3×3 women’s basketball team on July 30

The U.S. women’s 3×3 team begins pool play on Tuesday, July 30 against Germany. Tip-off is at 11:30 a.m. ET. The Americans will take the court again the next day, taking on Azerbaijan at 3:30 ET. Both games will air on Peacock.

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