Friday, Aug. 19, 2016
Today I met three remarkable women who hurdled themselves into the record books: gold medalist Brianna Rollins, silver medalist Nia Ali (a Philly native!) and bronze medalist Kristi Castlin.
Together, they swept the women’s 100-meter hurdles for Team USA – the first time in history a country swept that event. [[390753521, C]]
Today, Rollins and Castlin were wearing their medals. Ali was missing hers (she said her family had it).
They took NBC10’s Jacqueline London through the emotions of an Olympic track meet. One surprising fact: It’s not unusual for other runners to bump them as they cross the hurdles. That’s something that makes their event different from a regular sprint.
In general, however, they run too fast to worry about their surroundings; everything around them is a blur.
Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016
The Rio Olympics haven’t gone according to plan, but English Gardner doesn’t give up.
The sprinter from Voorhees keeps bouncing back, and she’s an inspiration to everyone watching.
Her first heartbreak came during the 100-meter finals, when she didn’t make it onto the podium. Most people would consider it the ultimate achievement to even make it to the Olympics, let alone qualify for the finals in an event. However, Gardner had her sights set on gold.
Despite the disappointment, Gardner kept looking ahead. She’ll be back in four years, she told NBC10’s Jacqueline London – referring to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
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Gardner still has a chance to medal in the women’s 4x100-meter relay. She’s part of a talented U.S. team that seemed destined for hardware until the unthinkable happened.
During the qualifying race, Allyson Felix couldn’t connect with Gardner during the handoff, and they dropped the baton. As the rest of the teams flew past them, Team USA recovered the baton and still finished the race – dead last. Gardner consoled her teammates on the track, helping them despite the heartache she felt herself.
But the story didn’t end there.
It turns out, a Brazilian runner bumped Felix just before the handoff. The U.S. appealed, and the women received a shot at redemption.
Hours later, by themselves, Team USA ran another qualifying heat. The goal: to run fast enough to make it to the finals.
They were the only ones on the track. It was a race against time, and the U.S. won – clocking a faster time than any other country, despite not having anyone to pace them.
They race for a medal tomorrow.
It’s Gardner’s chance to win gold, to match her heart.
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016
Sometimes talent runs in the family. Case in point: the Cunninghams.
Vashti Cunningham is just 18 years old, yet she’s an Olympic high jumper. She’s the youngest track and field athlete on the U.S. team in 36 years.
Philadelphia fans know her father: former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, who also serves as his daughter’s coach.
Randall was a legendary football player, but he seems even prouder of his role as father of a young woman who is blazing trails of her own.
One of the most noticeable things about Randall is his humility. He reflected a common theme among many of the athletes we’ve interviewed in Rio; despite their accomplishments, they credit God first.
Vashti competes Thursday. You’ll see Jacqueline London’s story about the Cunninghams on Wednesday’s late news. Don’t miss it!
Friday, Aug. 12, 2016
Usually as a journalist, I try to play it cool, but today I was absolutely star-struck.
That’s because we interviewed Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian – otherwise known as the Final Five.
These gymnasts are veritable powerhouses, and their personalities are just as big as their athletic achievements. [[389981782, C]]
Here’s what I learned about them in just a couple of minutes:
• They’re fiends for Olympic pins. (I blogged about the pin phenomenon yesterday - see below.) They’re natural competitors, so of course they’re trying to see who can collect the most.
• Laurie loves Wawa. She’s from Middlesex County, NJ – and she’s been extolling the virtues of hoagies to her teammates. The Wawa passion is real!
• They genuinely like each other. There was so much giggling before, during and after the interview – and so many joyful interruptions between them. It was early in the morning, and they’d been making the media rounds and competing all week, yet they were still in high spirits.
We’re truly excited about bringing you this story today. Stay tuned! [[389992772, C]]
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016
Olympic athletes aren’t the only ones wearing prizes around their necks in Rio.
Nearly everyone has a collection of tiny commemorative pins that function as currency during the Olympics. Most people keep the pins on their Olympic credentials – a public display that also serves as an advertisement.
Here’s how it works: People collect pins and trade them. It’s a form of currency and the universal language of the Olympics. You meet strangers from different countries, and you try to facilitate an exchange. [[389945302, C]]
I’ve had strangers approach me on the bus and while I’m walking around the Olympic Park. I’ve even had soldiers and security guards ask if I’d like to trade. (I don’t speak Portuguese, and they don’t speak English, but they know the word “pin!”)
And here’s the reason why: The coveted NBC beach volleyball pin. It’s like a snow globe filled with sand, a volleyball, and the NBC peacock. It’s the pinnacle of pins.
Today we talked to a man at the Olympic Park who buys, sells and trades Olympic pins. Business must be booming! You’ll see that story in the coming days on NBC10 News. [[389993272, C]]
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016
Adeline Gray was told she couldn’t wrestle in middle school because she was a girl.
Now she’s an Olympian.
She told her inspiring story today during a news conference for the USA women’s wrestling team.
For men’s sports, the questions center on the athletes – their performances and sometimes their personal lives. This news conference was different.
Adeline Gray. Haley Augello. Helen Maroulis. Elena Pirozhkova. Every single one of them grew up wrestling boys because there were no teams for girls. Some of them had to fight to be able to participate. Decades after Title IX, gender still limits talented young athletes.
Today, these athletes were asked about their athletic achievements – but mostly in the context of their gender. Part of me thinks that’s frustrating, but I also understand it’s because they represent something bigger than themselves. They’re telling stories that little girls need to hear.
Here’s to paving the way for a future when female athletes are just athletes.
Monday, Aug. 8, 2016
Today brought a trip to Lagoa Stadium, named for its neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.
Talk about a beautiful venue. As the rowers competed, the mountains sat in the background – round and brown, a reminder that Rio is blessed with both the mountains and the sea.
We were there to interview the women’s eight rowing team –- a powerhouse that seems almost unstoppable. The women are going for their 11th straight world title, and they seem well on their way to making it happen.
Most of Team USA trains in Princeton, and as we interviewed the athletes, they talked about what a great facility they have – and how the Schuylkill River is a notoriously difficult place to row. It’s great practice for Rio!
It’s amazing to see how our area is producing such world-class athletes. Good luck in the games!
Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016
The Rio Olympics – what a feeling. Being inside the venues is magical.
Yesterday I had the chance to watch swimming and judo. I was close enough to hear the water splashing as the swimmers turned.
I witnessed a new world record at the pool and an Olympian winning gold in the judo arena.
And those venues Rowere ROCKING. The Aquatics Center roared when the Brazilian athletes hit the pool. A small but vocal group of Aussies cheered as their swimmers sprinted to victory.
During the judo matches, one section boomed with chants of, "AR-GEN-TI-NA! AR-GEN-TI-NA!" Japanese fans rallied their athlete with a call and response. Athletes from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan turned to the stands, thanking their fans for their raucous support.
There is so much patriotism and pride at these games – and nothing but positivity.[[389518131,C,600,422]][[389518411,C,600,388]]
Friday, Aug. 5, 2016
There are so many compelling stories at the Rio Olympics. I’m hoping we’ll get to see a story of redemption for a South Jersey shooter.
Matthew Emmons is one of the world’s best shooters. He’s from Mount Holly. He’s won three medals at three previous Olympics, but he also has a history of heartbreaking setbacks.
At the Athens Olympics in 2004, he seemed to have locked up the gold in the smallbore rifle, three positions event. That’s when the unthinkable happened – on his last shot, he shot at the wrong target. What seemed like a sure-thing, first-place finish turned into eighth.
History repeated itself at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He had what appeared to be an insurmountable lead going into his last shot.
That’s when his finger twitched.
The gun went off.
He went from gold to fourth place – off the medal stand.
He’s not letting it get him down, though (having a gold, silver and bronze medal in other Olympic events helps). This week he told the us that he doesn’t feel any pressure from previous performances. You see, he’s a survivor – a cancer survivor.
Emmons was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010. Doctors removed his entire thyroid, and now he’s cancer-free and competing.
That’s what the Olympics are about. Let the Games begin.
Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016
Tonight, the Olympic Park in Rio's Barra neighborhood is virtually deserted.
As our crew prepares for our live shot, we pass a man with a paintbrush, repainting the ground bright green -- a last-minute touch-up before the park opens to visitors in less than two days.
Earlier today, the park echoed with cheers. Olympic volunteers rallied before the games, a show of unity as they prepare to host thousands of visitors. The only people in the park right now have credentials around their neck -- volunteers, workers and journalists.
That all changes very soon.
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016
Today we visited what might be the most talented apartment complex in the world: the Olympic Village, where the athletes live during the Rio Games.
It’s easy to spot off the highway.You see rows of high-rise apartments, many of them brightly decorated with flags and banners, signifying the home countries of the athletes that live within.
Today we saw a parade of cyclists embarking on their morning workout, riding out of the village and onto the public highway.[[389113342,C]]
The athletes wore different colors and had the names of different nations on their backs. None of that mattered as they smiled, shook hands and greeted each other before riding off together.
Diversity and unity – what a powerful combination.
Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016
My morning in Rio began with the rooster’s crow – literally.
Sunrise was still hours away, but I could hear a rooster summoning me to wakefulness. I had reason to be up early – NBC10 was making a special visit to the Today Show set on Copacabana Beach.
A word or two about Copacabana – it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s white sand and blue water, enveloped by round, brown mountains, speckled with vegetation. It’s one of the reasons I’m convinced Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Copacabana Beach is filled with enormous, ritzy hotels that take advantage of the stunning view. It has wide sidewalks and designated bike lanes that run parallel to the busy roads filled with cars. The bike lanes are always busy, and this morning, we saw wave upon wave of Brazilians exercising on the beach: running, squatting and lifting. (What else do you expect from a people known for their beautiful, chiseled physiques?) [[388983772,C]]
The Today Show set is in an area called Leme. [[388983862,C]]
When we arrived, we had an impromptu interview with the U.S. women’s fencing team – saber fencing, to be exact. We interviewed four athletes, and three of them were from New Jersey. Ibtihaj Muhammad is from Maplewood, and she’s poised to make history as the first American Olympian to compete in a hijab. Dagmara Wozniak is from Avenel, and she has a beautiful mane of blueish-purple hair designed to make her stand out. Monica Aksamit has a double connection to our area -- she lives in Matawan, and she graduated from Penn State. Last but not least, Mariel Zagunis, whom her teammates call the superhero of the team –an Oregon native who’s now entering her fourth Olympics. [[388982362,C,600,450]]
You’ll see our interview with the fencers in the coming days – but if you’d like a sneak peek, check out Ibtihaj’s Snapchat (username: ibtihajjj). Jacqueline London makes a cameo appearance! [[388983992,C]]
Follow our Rio team on Twitter and Facebook: @jackielondon | FB: Jacqueline London | @andreacberry | FB: Dan Lee
