Olympic Torch Relay Lights Up Paris on Bastille Day

Sunday marked the French national holiday Bastille Day, which kicked off with a presidential military parade and air force flyover along Ave. Foch. 

The occasion also included the early afternoon start of a two-day tour of the 2024 Paris Olympic Torch Relay with FIFA legend Thierry Henry as the first runner du jour. 

In front of thousands of onlookers and media surrounding Rond-Point of Champs-Élysées, Paris Mayor Ann Hidalgo joined Paris 2024 lead Tony Estanguet and other VIPs assembled to cheer Henry as his torch was ignited from a minor's lamp source flame from Greece.

Eagle eye readers may also note the stylish, custom-made Louis Vuitton torch carrying case, which was in the middle of the road for about an hour -- with its own LV security detail -- before its star content was unveiled and handed to Henry. 

Donning summer gear, my camera, walking shoes and a media wristband, I kept up with a few of the relay entourage stopovers, starting with my own dash to Jardin du Luxembourg, where several runners assembled to receive their official torch relay keepsake, which is an impressive metal ring and presentation box. 

When asked whether they would have preferred to receive (or purchase) a torch, had that been offered (an option provided to past torchbearers in other Olympiads; Paris 2024 opted to make fewer torches), most torchbearers responded they were happy with the engraved souvenir. 

Torchbearers from this early afternoon stage included a youth worker from the French Senate (adjacent to the park), educators and world-famous pianist Lang Lang from China (I initially did not recognize him and was told he was "a scientist" -- he did this interview steps away from my conversations with other torchbearers) who captivated the attention of dozens of his nation's tourists who anxiously awaited selfie or autograph options. 

As the official torch relay convoy resumed its slow procession across Paris, I made way to the Louvre Pyramid, at which a mid-evening photo opp was hosted featuring the acclaimed artist JR. He spent a bit of time with media and a very young fan who reluctantly, albeit adorably, posed for photos with the torch (see below).

It's my understanding the shrieks of adoring fans near the Louvre -- reminiscent of The Beatles' arrival in the USA -- were waves of cheers for Kim Soek-Jin, also known as Jin of BTS and K-Pop fame.

In the media mixed zone for this segment of the relay, I spoke with a French physician and researcher who claimed to have lived in Atlanta during 1996. He was selected to carry the torch for his decades of research related to Alzheimer's disease -- bravo!

The torch apparently visited the Mona Lisa as well, before a brief courtyard lantern ceremony placed the Olympic flame in the capable hands of Olympic silver medalist and NBA Minnesota Timberwolves player Rudy Gobert. Here's some footage of that moment:

While Gobert and the entourage made their way east along the Seine, I was hustling in the same general direction toward Hotel de Ville, the Paris city hall site for the big finale. 

Thousands of invited guests enjoyed a live Paris Symphony and Opera performance during sunset as the torch relay's progress was televised on jumbo screens across the packed venue. By this time both my legs and camera batteries were kaput from several hours crossing the city -- it was fun to log a few initial pin trades with volunteers during this chill time.

Bookending the day, Mayor Hidalgo and Estanguet joined the live event's emcee on stage with a portable Olympic cauldron to green the final torchbearer, French tennis and pop music star Yannick Noah, entering as the astounding fireworks and drone display near the Eiffel Tour concluded. 

As the crowd dispersed, one additional media opp took place inside City Hall as the Olympic flame miner's lamp enjoyed an overnight stay in one of the building's public spaces, a nice resting point before another big day of torchbearers set for Monday. 

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver 

Bienvenue à Paris - pour les Jeux Olympiques!

Arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport on 11 July marked my fifth touchdown at Paris since the early 2000s. 

Unlike previous visits, mostly for a few days of tourism, Olympic writing or the handover ceremony from Tokyo 2020, this time I'm setting up residence for several weeks.

The longer visit to the City of Lights is thanks, in part, to a certain national Olympic committee which initially (in early 2024) offered a long-term pre-Games volunteer assignment that was later reneged only after some nonrefundable accommodations were secured. 

But I'm not bitter -- in just two days I've gotten reacquainted with Paris, walked a couple dozen kilometers, seen three museums and stopped by Hotel de Ville (city hall) in relation to blogging credentials. Here's one happy writer easing into a summer of experiences on the heels of a week vacationing in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya, Turkey.  

All across central Paris there's a curious mix of activities in anticipation of the Games. Lots of construction, though most of the venues (except for the stadium seating along the Seine) appear to be in place and operational. 

Look of the Games banners and bunting are going up on a few more buildings each day. Not one person -- local nor tourist -- seems to know a thing about Olympic pin collecting traditions. 

But everyone knows the torch relay, and with today's national holiday hundreds of thousands will see Olympic torchbearers at iconic sites across the city, including the Arch de Triomphe, Petit Palace, Luxembourg/Senat and other destinations. After the morning parade my intent is to reconnect with the torch relay convoy at the Louvre, where the flame will visit Mona Lisa herself. Stay tuned for photos.

By the way, thank you for reading. If you made it this far, count yourself among the 851,375+ all-time visitors to this website. 

Will it reach 1 million by mid-August 2024? 

With appreciation to all readers, please share, comment and repost if you care to help achieve this ambitious goal in play since 2008. 

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

USA Swimming Hosts '24 Olympic Trials Splashdown at Indianapolis, a.k.a. Racing Capital of the World

Tonight through June 23, just over a thousand (1,007) qualified swimmers will compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Swimming inside the cavernous Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.  

According to the meet press kit provided by USA Swimming, which kindly granted a media credential, "this meet is the only way for an American pool swimmer to make" Team USA's squad of 26 women and 26 men entered at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

Making history as hosts to the first swim meet contested in an NFL stadium, the city also known as racing capital of the world has rolled out the red, er, blue carpet for thousands of out-of-towners who poured through Indianapolis International Airport today. 

As visitors deplaned and made their way to baggage claim, the pool-blue footpath eventually revealed a miniature medals podium photo opp stop and patriotic "Welcome to the Trials" signage. 

Excitement for the event is palpable from the Uber/Taxi stand to hotel lobbies and along the downtown walk to the stadium, which now has two temporary pools -- one each for competition and warmups -- in the stadium divided by a massive curtain. 

From a perch on one of the media rows along the finish line end of the racing pool, swimmers aged 14 to 46 are mingling with coaches, security and meet staff. 

Opening night includes superstar, legend and newly branded bestselling author Katie Ledecky, who's racing in the 400-meter freestyle long course less than a week since the release her page-turning autobiography "Just Add Water" (review forthcoming). 

Some additional details about the competition space: 

• First time 70-foot-tall vertical digital board topping off the athlete entrance (I suspect this is really gonna pop on live broadcasts via NBC and Peacock)
• Water (1.8 million gallons) is sourced from the nearby White River, purified and treated for competition; after post-event filtration, it's all heading back to nature
• Three years of planning, 8,000 hours of fabrication, 12 collaborating entities, four weeks for installation 
• Pools will see new life at permanent sites in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the Cayman Islands

As of this post, more than 10,000 are in attendance, with a target on an all-time record. 

More updates to follow!

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

Unsolicited Suggestions for New Olympic Traditions

A letter dated May 25, 2024, went out via U.S. Mail addressed to Maison Olympique in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Here's a slightly redacted version, posted to see what may resonate. 

Reader feedback via the comments at the base of the post will be greatly appreciated. 

To: Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee President

From: Nicholas Wolaver, Editor of Olympic Rings And Other Things

RE: Unsolicited Suggestions for an Olympic Opening Ceremony Tradition

President Bach: Greetings from Atlanta. Though your schedule and priorities perhaps enabled the memories to slip, we met on two occasions during and between Olympiads, first at the Coca-Cola Pin Trading area of Russia House in Sochi (at a ceremonial Winter Games pin exchange) then again at Rockefeller Center when the IOC and Intel announced their worldwide partnership in 2017.

At this latter meeting you were kind enough to offer encouragement for a longtime research project through a lifetime membership of International Society of Olympic Historians. 

As a witness to the IOC's and your progress, both through media coverage and from conversations with two of our mutual acquaintances, I am aware of your general desire to pass the torch to future successors with the IOC on solid footing and some fresh or refreshed traditions. With this IOC presidential legacy in mind, I am writing to suggest an idea for the Opening Ceremonies that could establish a new tradition while solving a longtime challenge.

The challenge is finding a way to memorialize Olympic Family members who were lost due to tragedy, war or upheaval, or natural causes. With varying degrees of success, the IOC and Olympic host city organizers created one-time fixes, such as moments of silence for the Munich '72 families or those who perished in the London bombings only hours after that city won the 2012 Olympic bid. 

Though it is possible and likely others suggested similar ideas, what follows is my version of a solution: Create a permanent "in memoriam" segment during the Olympic opening ceremony combined with a toast to Olympians past, present and future. 

Here are details in support of this suggestion:

• The Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other global ceremonies each including "in tribute" or "in memoriam" segments of their live broadcasts. The popular segments are intentionally brief with highlights spanning the past year of losses for the organization's membership, award winners and influencers. Through a highlight reel during the opening ceremony, the Olympic Family could pay tribute to a partial list of Olympians or contributors lost since the most recent previous Olympiad and/or icons for all time. 

• As with the Grammy, Oscar and other events, the highlights need not be comprehensive as an expanded version of the "in memoriam" tradition could live online, in social media or elsewhere, inspiring conversations and tributes to those lost (with a broader audience beyond the opening ceremony telecast viewers).

• 
  Various cultures worldwide celebrate those who were lost with a memorial toast at special celebrations. In my native USA, a family Thanksgiving holiday meal may include a toast in remembrance to those lost during the previous year followed by a toast to everyone's health or victory in a struggle.

• The IOC's version of a toast could mark a transition in the opening ceremony just after the athlete and official oaths but before the arrival of the torchbearers to light the cauldron.

• Possible remarks from a designated/invited VIP presenter could speak with a traditional toast: "Please join the world in a moment of silence as we reflect on Olympic Family members lost along the journey to tonight's celebration" (after 15 seconds of silence, roll tribute footage compiled to include nods to Munich '72 and other Olympic Family members with memorial music).

• 
  Historic Olympic toasts include modern Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin offering a toast on 23 June 1894, the final night of the first Olympic Congress in Paris: "I lift my glass to the Olympic idea, which has traversed the mists of the ages like an all-powerful ray of sunshine and returned to illuminate ... a dream of joyous hope."

• Whether viewed in the stadium or on live streaming or televised broadcasts with official host TV networks, the globally universal themes of "good luck" or "to your health" -- as assembled in the world's languages listed [below] just after my signature of this letter -- could appear upon the screen, inspiring audiences at hope to make their own toasts to goodwill. Through translation of the phrases pasted below, you will find commonality or overlap with Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together.

• With Worldwide partners AB InBev and Coca-Cola, all could ceremonially "raise a beverage" for the toast.

• With a seemingly endless parade of increasingly tragic world events from the pandemic to armed conflict, natural disasters to the misdeeds of doping, the toast/memorial segment could support the underlying message of "we're all in this together" and "we're more alike than we may realize" or "we're all human."

My guess is that your team already found creative answers to the recurring challenge of commemoration. Additionally, my hope is the suggestion outlined above may express support for answers already devised or contribute a voice in the spirit of finding a solution to "the memorial problem."

I look forward to future opportunities to informally meet, compare notes on Olympic history/future, and to trade pins. Please enjoy the enclosed as an addition to your collection, with my compliments. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

Sincerely, 

Nicholas Wolaver, Editor

Olympic Rings And Other Things

Ceremonial Toasts In Any Language

अच्छी सेहत • Bersulang • به سلامتی • Будем! • Brindem • Будзьма! • Будьмо • ชัยโย • Chang hala • Cheers! •   乾杯 • Chin-chin • cul sec • Dô  dzô • Egészségünkre • Εβίβα • Fenékig • გაუმარჯოს! • 건배 • Gesondheid • Gëzuar • Կենացդ • Наздраве • 予焦啦 • Hölökyn kölökyn • Εις υγείαν • I sveikata • Jam e Sehat • Je via sano! • Kampay • 乾杯 • kippis • lechyd da • Le’tanachin • לחיים • Mabuhay • Mayri ora • หมดแก้ว • 請請 • На здравје • Nazdravlje • Noroc • Pohjanmaan kautta • Priekā • Proscht • proosit • Proost • Prost • بصحتك Saħħa ¡Salucita! • Salud • Salut! • Salut i peles! • Sănătate • santé • Saúde • Serefe • skool • Hirup • Skål • skál • Sláinte mhath • Tagay • "तरङ्ग • Tchim-tchim • Terviseks • Tjeers • Tjorts • Topa! • Uzdravlje • vives • Ваше здоровье! • Wasze zdrowie • 飲勝 • Yam seng • Yeghes da! • Xin-xin • За здоров'я • Živjeli • Zum wohl

Top image via Architectes.ch. Image of Phoenix rising from London 2012 Olympic cauldron by Ursula Petula Barzey via GuideLondon.org.uk. Photo of Glenn Close introducing the 2014 Oscar memorial tribute by John Shearer/Associated Press via WSJ.com. Vangelis image via this YouTube post. Coubertin wine bottle via Ebay. Last of the 2010 blogger pins photo by Nicholas Wolaver. Ceramics by Lorrie Wolaver. 

Atlanta Film Festival's 2024 Schedule Measures About A Bowshot Away From Olympic Relevance

The 2024 Atlanta Film Festival is underway, this year featuring just one Olympic-tethered film among dozens of features and documentaries in the 48th annual event's screening lineup. 

At the Tara Theatre yesterday, a nearly full auditorium of ticketholders met LA 2028 Olympic archery hopeful Hayun Choi, the eighth-grade subject of filmmaker Sangsun Choi's documentary short "About A Bowshot Away." 

Check out the calming trailer at this link. 

Filmed during Christmas 2022 to April 2023, the film also introduced the young archer's Korean American parents Jaemin and Jinmi Choi, Hayun's father and mother who work as a suburban Atlanta law office case manager and lab technician, respectively.

Like the bull's eye on Hayun's backyard targets, the center of the film is the family's teamwork to help the young athlete's hobby-turned-passion since she picked up her first bow in elementary school. When she's not completing hours of target practice or adjusting equipment, the athlete also enjoys another concentration-infused pastime: playing the piano. 

On top of funding their daughter's equipment, competition entries and travel to out of state tournaments, the family shares how they navigated the fallout of a verbally abusive hired coach who inspired the family patriarch to himself take on his daughter's coaching duties, at times testing his comfort zone. 

Through Sangsun's interviews with each family member, their shared and individual goals, and steps taken toward their achievement, crescendo at a Florida tournament, yielding an inspiring audience payoff that may turn heads on Hayun's road to the 2028 Games. 

In a post-screening conversation, the archer explained she was too young to qualify for Paris 2024, but her sights are set on Los Angeles, by which time she'll be a Class of '28 high school graduate. 

From left, Sangsun Choi
with the archery family subjects
of "About A Bowshot Away"

Sangsun, who also works as an assistant professor at Kennesaw State University's School of Communication and Media, noted he may continue to film the family's progress to update "About A Bowshot Away" in new formats. 

"When I made this documentary, I thought that archery was a kind of symbol or metaphor to show a beautiful life and also through my observation I wanted to reveal authentic life, presenting Korean people and the Korean community," said Sangsun. "Hopefully I can make the next version when [my subject, Hayun] is going to the Olympics."

Opening weekend of AFF also included a sold-out screening of the filmed-in-Georgia treat "The Idea of You" with a post-screening Q&A featuring director Michael Showalter, who co-wrote the screenplay with its source material author Jennifer Westfeldt. 

Starring Anne Hathaway as a 40-year-old mother who stumbles into a romance with a half-her-age boy band heartthrob played by Nicholas Galitzine, the crowd-pleasing film got rave audience reviews for its thoughtful writing, natural and perfectly timed acting and killer soundtrack with catchy new pop songs, a longtime Showalter favorite by Fiona Apple and other surprises. 

Showalter took a moment to answer a couple of questions at the red-carpet premiere:

Also viewed at AFF so far (and worth another look when available via the festival's streaming platform): 

• "Naked Ambition" unveiling the decades of hard work, creative techniques, personal struggles and perseverance by pinup portraitist Bunny Yeager. The creators of this film offer a convincing argument the photographer also invented what is now known as a "selfie." 
• 
  "Luther: Never Too Much" unveiling the ups and downs of the accomplished R&B singer-
  songwriter Luther Vandross. Though I was familiar with many of his hits of the '80s and '90s, I had no idea his 1970s connections to David Bowie, Nile Rodgers, Roberta Flack and others, nor his work on commercial jingles. By the time this film crescendoed with the Vandross:Mariah Carey duet remake of "Endless Love" and his autobiographical ballad "Dance with My Father" with Richard Marx -- atop revelations of Vandross enduring weight issues/fat shaming and other personal struggles -- there wasn't a dry eye in the house. 

On deck for screening later this week:

• 
  "Citizen Sleuth" featuring the Mile Marker 181 podcast by Emily Nestor unraveling a true crime murder mystery
• "Thank You Very Much" about which I am cautiously optimistic for a fresh look at the life and work of comedian Andy Kaufman
• "The South Got Something To Say" presenting Atlanta's contributions to 50 years of hip-hop (nominated for two Southeast Emmy Awards)

Check out the complete schedule and buy Atlanta Film Festival tickets via the AFF app and website. See you at the movies!

Photos of by Sangsun Choi and the Choi archery family as well as Michael Showalter by Nicholas Wolaver. "About A Bowshot Away" poster provided by the director via this link; "Luther: Never Too Much" poster via this Moviefone link. "Citizen Sleuth" image via Screen Anarchy.

Gracie Gold Gets Real with Page-Turning Autobiography "Outofshapeworthlessloser"

There's a dose of ominous foreshadowing in the table of contents to Gracie Gold's new autobiography "Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out."

Arranged in four parts, the 329-page bestseller includes chapters ranging from "Perfect Obsession" and "Four Is the Loneliest Number" to "Failed Anorexic" and a nod to another dark page-turning literary work (and soundtrack to a skating performance), "East of Eden." 

As reported by initial critical reviews for the book titled after one of Gold's self-disparaging nicknames or personas, her work includes vivid and frank details of life experiences the 28-year-old endured and from which she continues to heal. Anorexia, OCD, pill popping and alcohol abuse populate the club flush of crud and wild Jokers on the table for readers to ponder.  

Gold's mostly no-holds-barred perspectives about U.S. Figure Skating and the unglamorous (often ugly) behind-the-scenes realities of international figure skating competitions also are in full view. Her take on recent doping revelations is aptly stern. She also alleges a rape at the hands of a fellow competitor, references her bisexuality, and delves into nearly three decades of family secrets including her parents and fellow athlete twin sister. 

Impressed (or distressed) the morning after a full read, I described to friends that "Outofshapeworthlessloser" is akin to "watching a slow-motion train wreck or seemingly avoidable car crash" for the narrative's "ability to inspire both gasps and cringes amid an irresistible desire to keep watching, err, reading" with "reader remorse at an inability to take the wheel, inspiring one to holler out, as in a horror movie screening, 'Stop, girl, don't go near there!' or similar when the protagonist in danger is about to make a terrible decision."  

The book also inspired some rabbit hole searches of social media archives to view past posts, images or videos and competition footage referenced by Gold. 

While she did not specifically reference the 2014 Team USA Media Summit at which I reported on her ascent to the Sochi Olympics, Gold did describe her experiences at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships from which this blogger posted interviews. Some of her harshest on-ice self-flogging is revealed in a chapter describing the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. 

There are some light moments, too, that brought a smile or chuckle to this reader. Gold's wry sense of humor shines through some of her interactions with coaches or media. In an early chapter, while detailing work with a youth skating coach nicknamed Cruella, Gold punctuates several paragraphs of verbal abuse with this gem:

"When Cruella lashed out at me, I lashed back louder. Anger was my protection. It got back to me years later that Cruella told people she had always known I'd become a star. I call bullshit! She was doing her best to humiliate me. Or maybe she didn't like me because I stood up to her."

On a more serious note, Gold continues while aptly taking to task the notion of coaching as a bully.

"The years I spent with Cruella normalized the kind of controlling behavior that even if it produces positive results on the ice, can be ruinous to a child's personal development."

Readers may find joy through the Olympian's interactions with Taylor Swift (they baked cookies together) or descriptions of collaboration with sponsors including cosmetics brand CoverGirl. 

In the realm of funny-not funny, Gold describes some of the name-punctuated headlines published to preview Sochi 2014. 

"I remember someone tweeting out to me, 'If I hear one more Gracie Gold headline, I'm going to scream.' And I was like, 'Me too, bud.' It was enough to make me start wishing for a new name. Stacy Silver or Bonnie Bronze, anyone?"

Gold's dry wit also shines in the Chapter 23, in which "chest size and its impact on exercise is absolutely a conversation worth starting." While several notes echoed remarks of female friends who, like Gold, opted for breast reduction surgery, I found the author's self-deprecating comparisons to Charles Schulz drawings -- and her inventive use of (one-time PR client'o'mine) KT Tape -- both original and funny (back in the day, we never had Gold's method in KT press materials). 

The only letdown from "Outofshapeworthlessloser" was Gold's restraint from sharing more than a few sentences about another professional mental health diagnosis: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), buried on page 246. 

Like Gold, my attention-deficit diagnosis arrived in my mid-20s, and upon reading her disclosure I was eager to learn the treatment options or behavior modifications she chose, only to find a succinct reference that she is "on medication for it" without specifics (for moi, decidedly drug-free and it worked/works when you work it, though it's compelling to admit it took me over two weeks sidelined by countless Instagram scrolls to find focus and complete this book review post).

Juxtaposed with comparative oversharing around other wellness challenges, Gold's omission of ADHD details inspired a wave of questions, starting with the extent to which her physicians or therapists place ADHD as the deepest roots of the battery of her other mental health diagnoses. In my case, the hypochondriac on my shoulder labeled, or mislabeled, a lot of "stuff" that more recent therapists consistently trace back to ADD of youth. 

As her childhood memories fill the early pages of "Outofshapeworthlessloser," Gold describes persistent restlessness. If ice hockey was among her parents' attempted remedies for channeling her boundless energy, can Gold relate to other kids' ADD-ness enlightened by her adult experiences? Guess we'll have to find out in her mid-life or later life follow-up books after planting her ADHD "sea legs" on thick ice. 

Since interview requests for Gold went unanswered by her publicity team, I turned to another source for insights: Karen Crouse, Gold's seldom-cited "Outofshapeworthlessloser" ghost writer. 

As of this March 12 post, only two other book reviewers mentioned Crouse by name. 

Via email, Crouse affirmed my hunch that only Gold could speak more about her ADHD management and the reasons for sparsely addressing the topic. It's perhaps too recent a diagnosis or it's simply not as page-turning urgent as other mental health challenges, from my view.

Crouse also was generous in explaining how she tackled the "Outofshapeworthlessloser" project and when she started the writing on Gold's initiative.

"I signed (gladly) a contract that stated I would ghostwrite Gracie's book and that my name would not appear on the cover or title page," wrote Crouse in a Feb. 26 email response. "I had no issue with that arrangement ... it was plenty good enough for me."

Crouse continued that, "My satisfaction was wholly and richly derived from the collaborative process. I loved the work. From the time I spent talking with Gracie for a 2019 New York Times profile, I suspected that this project would be interesting and profound, with great potential to help many readers who recognize themselves in the challenges [Gold] has faced."

According to Crouse, once a proposal and contract got formalized, the collaboration hastened in early 2022 with "at least three" in person visits as well as phone conversations "at least twice a month ... recorded and that I transcribed myself so I could get a feel for Gracie's vocabulary and speech patterns." 

Rounds of drafts later, the lion's share of work concluded last July. Crouse also volunteered background on the foundation for the text.

"It was Gracie's choice to lay bare her soul in the pages," wrote Crouse. "She told me before I signed on ... that she didn't want 'another fluffy sports memoir' and that was all I needed to hear as I had no interest in hagiography.

"From the start I simply asked the necessary questions to develop and deepen the narrative," Crouse added. "[Gold] provided the compelling stories that I, in concert with our editor, crafted into a coherent - hopefully - structure." 

Gold closes the book's acknowledgements "To Matt Inman for the edits" shortly after a dedication "To Karen Crouse for going on this journey ... and helping me write a better memoir than I could have ever dreamed possible." 

For anyone who can't get enough of Gold's perspectives, Crouse also helped the skater with a thoughtful and timely Olympic figure skating commentary published in The Cut during the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. 

"Outofshapeworthlessloser" is an absorbing read that inspires questions, sheds light in dark corners of international skating, and leaves readers with optimism for Gold's future on or off the ice. No matter the degree to which readers manage ADD, they may find themselves hyper-focused on learning the Olympian's lifetime of hard work. 

As of this post, there are no publicized book signing events in the weeks ahead, but Gold may appear at November's 8th edition of "Scott Hamilton & Friends" in Nashville (where she performed in 2022 and 2023) -- details are posted at this link during summer months.  

Book cover provided by Crown Publishing with book design by Caroline Cunningham. All other images -- except of Karen Crouse's Instagram profile image -- are photos copyright Nicholas Wolaver and may not be published nor reposted without written advance permission. 

They Just Felt Like Running; Notes from Orlando, Hosts to U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Marathon

Feb. 29 marks four years since Atlanta hosted what may be called the "Pandemic Eve" Olympic trials for marathon on Team USA's road to Tokyo. 

This week in Orlando, U.S. Track & Field's entourage set up shop for the Paris 2024 edition, with elite runners taking to the streets of the city's Thornton Park, Lake Eola Heights and Milk Districts, a few blocks east of downtown. 

With a three-lap, eight-mile loop course, the qualifying standards for Paris varied for women and men. In simple terms, the top three women with times of 2 hours, 29.5 minutes or faster (Nov. 1, 2022, to today) will represent Team USA this summer, while the men at 2:18 faster punch their ticket to the City of Lights. There were 165 female entrants to 215 men, ranging from age 22 to 47 for both genders. Also noteworthy were the four men and two women for whom the 2024 race marked their fifth consecutive marathon Olympic Trials. 

I shudder to think about finishing a single marathon let alone five or more spanning 20 years/five Olympiads!

As a member of the working media who touched down at MCO yesterday, from my perspective USATF and the Orlando organizers killed it on organizing. 

The positive vibe with fellow reporters, hundreds of volunteers (including a couple of friends from Atlanta) and spectators was high energy, and the weather cooperated with mostly sunny skies yet moderate temps. 

During the races, thousands of spectators lined the route including a mix of locals and out-of-towners. In a live interview with NBC Sports, Orlando's longtime Mayor Buddy Dyer stated his glee to add an Olympic trials and more guests atop the 70+ million annual visitors to the city. 

At a Friday press conference, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor and 1984 Olympic marathon champion Join Benoit Samuelson were on hand to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Benoit's gold in the first five-ringed marathon. 

"Patience is going to be the name of the game," said Benoit Samuelson, referring to a runners' strategy for tackling the marathon course. She also offered that, in observing many of this year's entrants in the lobby of the host hotel, many runners are distracted now more than in the 1980s. "Everybody's online constantly, and I think that needs to change," she said.

By the marathons' conclusion, the Paris-bound runners included race favorites and Utah neighbors Conner Mantz of Provo and Clayton Young of Springville, as well as Leonard Korir of Colorado Springs, finishing in 2:09:05, 2:09:06 and 2:09:57, respectively.

In her marathon and Olympic trials debut, Fiona O'Keeffe of Chapel Hill, N.C., finished first for the women in 2:22:10, with one of the race favorites -- 2020 Olympian in 10,000m Emily Sisson of Flagstaff, Ariz. -- at 2:22:42, then Hopkins, Minn., runner Dakotah Lindwurm in 2:25:31.

O'Keeffe also became the first first-time marathoner to win the Olympic trials at this distance, setting an Olympic trials record in the process. During the post-race press conference, she said her marathon naivite was a factor in the race.

"Not knowing what I was getting myself into was a good thing," O'Keeffe said. Part of the main pack for the first laps of the race, once she pulled ahead several reporters noted O'Keeffe "never looked back" as she gained an ever-increasing lead to the finish.

Via NBC's finish line camera work, when Mantz and Young came into view, they were visibly sharing words of encouragement for several hundred meters, following a mid-stride high five.

"I just wanted to take every step of the way with Conner over the last couple miles,” Young said. “Conner is the guy who has pulled me this entire build, day-in and day-out in practice. He works hard and he deserves this just as much as I do.”

Young's daughters donned custom T-shirts proclaming "My Daddy Just Made the Olympic Team" (see photo below).

Meanwhile, Korir dedicated his race to his U.S. Army commander and unit, who encouraged him since his fourth place finish in 2020.

"For me to make the team ... this is for everybody who is serving in the Army," he said in a finish line interview with NBC Sports.

Korir will have to patiently await official word of his Paris travel status, with an additional qualifying stage The Athletic explains in the penultimate paragraph of this article. This blogger sure hopes he makes it, and that "The Three Musketeers" of both Team USA's marathon women and men find a way "one for all and all for one" when they race on Aug. 10 and 11 in the Olympic city.

Image credit: Nicholas Wolaver in Orlando. Race footage on big screens via USATF and NBC Sports.