What are Team USA athletes — Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls — up to when they're not competing? They're training. They're practicing. They're traveling to competitions and meets and games and tournaments. They're relaxing. They're getting engaged and married and having children. They're taking hard-earned vacations. Or retiring. Or coping with the raw emotions that come from losing and winning. And they're sharing. Through the reach of social media, we're able to follow along on their often extraordinary journeys. We'll catch you up each week on what's "Red, White & Trending."
Wisdom Loss
Here’s wishing a relatively pain-free recovery for Simone Biles, who was generous to share a new entry for “best woozy post-op performance” …
wisdom teeth removal food recommendations GO!
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 25, 2017
Swimming Lane
One of social media’s great gifts, in addition to fueling the “internet holiday” economy, is to offer fans a closer look at the athletes they admire — for their talent or their candor or, often, both. Social media finds a sweet spot between what happens between the lines, the press conference and the press release, and the results after competition are as varied as the athletes themselves. With Team USA in Budapest for the FINA World Championships, swimming fans had plenty to cheer and athletes had plenty to celebrate (take a look at USA Swimming’s Official Instagram account for a running medals total). A few of our favorite posts from Budapest …
Goodnight from Budapest ππ½. Tomorrow it all begins! #finabudapest2017 Watch #Instavideo:https://t.co/tWN7SXYUlq pic.twitter.com/eA5WbiKtaV
— Nathan Adrian (@Nathangadrian) July 22, 2017
Goodbye, London
With the World Para Athletics Championships coming to a close this past week in London, Team USA, after earning 59 medals (20 of which were gold) over the course of the July 14-23 event, takes a reflective mood, including Tatyana McFadden, who entered unsure of how she might perform after suffering from blood clots in the run-up to London and exited with four more gold medals.
Mikey Brannigan (two golds, one silver) …
Each day is a new opportunity to prove how badly you want it.
— mikey brannigan (@MikeyBrannigan) July 25, 2017
Amanda McGrory (three golds) …
Scout Bassett (two bronze, one in the event where she finished last, the long jump, at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio) …
Jarryd Wallace (one gold, one bronze, one priceless photo op) …
Arnu Fourie, South Africa's retiring track & field standout, responded with his own priceless take: “That picture is definitely going up on my wall!!! Crazy special memories!! Wow appreciate the post man, was such an honor not only sharing the track with you bit doing life together and sharing strong testimonies!! You have already done more in the sport then I could ever have, looking on with expectation how God will use your life through the sport in ways you don't even dream off. Friend for life, looking forward to host you and Lea soon in SAπ“
Meanwhile, Wallace is back and enjoying a week off in style.
Open Season
Well-earned, the golf spotlight shines bright on Jordan Spieth. And after this past weekend, his young career reached a new height when he overcame a rocky start to his final round at the British Open to win another leg of golf’s career grand slam. Spieth also had to top fellow American, Matt Kuchar, the only U.S.-born player to win a medal at the Olympic Games in Rio, to get there. And where there’s televised sporting drama, Team USA will follow. Twitter didn’t disappoint, either, as the pairing entered the final day, which consisted of Spieth opening with a three-shot lead he wound up giving back, then completely giving away by the 13th hole after an almost comically wayward, way-right tee shot that handed Kuchar the lead. Briefly. Spieth turned things around with a finish as on point as his drive was offline at 13 with a hail of under-par holes to win the Claret Jug.
Spieth’s shaky start …
Jordan... bro...
— Ricky Berens (@RickyBerens) July 23, 2017
Come on Jordan...
— morgan (@morgangtracey) July 23, 2017
Spieth’s bogey hear ‘round the golf world …
Great bogey https://t.co/GnDWHZ0g0I
— Andre Iguodala (@andre) July 23, 2017
Spieth’s turnaround one hole later …
Never seen a stronger showing of mental toughness than what @JordanSpieth just demonstrated.
— Mac Bohonnon (@MacBohonnon) July 23, 2017
Big stones on this kid!! Wow Speith what a putt and turn around #TheOpen
— Stuart Holden (@stuholden) July 23, 2017
Eagle?! #theopen2017
— Travis Jayner (@travisjayner) July 23, 2017
Let's go @JordanSpieth ππΌ
— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) July 23, 2017
Wow this is golf at its best Matt and Jordan going head-to-head amazing so much fun to watch
— MIKE ERUZIONE (@MERUZIONE) July 23, 2017
Happy Anniversary, Part I
The Olympics have a way of forging not only indelible memories from competition and new friends from those experiences, but also lifetime bonds. The Magnificent Seven made history in winning gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and look back with great fondness on a magical week 21 years ago.
21 years ago on this day...HISTORY was made! Cheers ladies! πππ#Gymnastics #History #USA pic.twitter.com/W8CaPCmjiV
— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu) July 23, 2017
Happy Anniversary, Part II
One year ago remains one of the most symbolically important days in Meghan O'Leary’s life. It was during this week in 2016 Team USA was outfitted for Rio. O'Leary, for her part, has a very visible reminder to this day.
Giving Back
Team USA athletes are often giving back, and, thanks to social media, we can see this exchange between Rio Olympic golfer Lexi Thompson and a young fan at a tournament stop in Ohio.
Think the exchange left a lasting impression?
Thank you @Lexi 4 signing my 3 y.o. daughter's hat & making her 1st @LPGA event one to remember! #GolferGirls #GoodLuck #MarathonClassic pic.twitter.com/y4l1qECmkm
— Ashleigh S. (@GoBlueAsh) July 22, 2017
Au Revoir, Paris
Fin. For three American riders, including three-time Olympian Taylor Phinney, who was once injured so badly that his ability to so much as run again was in doubt, made it to the finish line of one of sport’s most grueling endurance events, covering the relatively short 64-mile stage into Paris and along the Champs Elysees. Phinney, the son of a Tour de France stage winner and a two-sport Olympic gold medalist, can officially add this remarkable achievement to his resume.
Tomorrow I will go to Paris for the first time in my life, by bicycle...in the Tour de France. Dreaming.
— Taylor Phinney (@taylorphinney) July 22, 2017
The Phinney Family (minus 1 - ππΌ Kelsey) in Marseille. More in the latest Gruber gallery: https://t.co/tVHZxVyK5Y pic.twitter.com/z305smKnzi
— Cannondale-Drapac (@Ride_Argyle) July 23, 2017
So proud of these boys. What a team and what a result. And finished with all 9! @Ride_Argyle #TdF2017 pic.twitter.com/EMHkNJgI44
— Simon Clarke (@SimoClarke) July 24, 2017
Paris and the Tour de France in the rear view. @nicolas___jaar tonight π¨π
— Taylor Phinney (@taylorphinney) July 25, 2017
#ProjectWalk
The journey of two-time Olympic high jumper Jamie Nieto has been well-chronicled in this space, but its most significant steps were taken this week.
Paralyzed former Olympian @JamieNieto makes good on vow to walk wife down aisle on their wedding day. @TomLlamasABC reports. #TheComeback pic.twitter.com/JTl15Nu6hZ
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) July 24, 2017
One of the greatest days of my life! #wifey #olympians #blessed #RoadToRecovery #Godisgood #cnn https://t.co/it0fwTJYZO
— Jamie Nieto (@JamieNieto) July 23, 2017
Thanks for all the support from my hometown newspaper the Sacramento bee. Another great article!https://t.co/98wRJ06nkT
— Jamie Nieto (@JamieNieto) July 14, 2017
Inspirational & driven, @JamieNieto has made quantum leaps in his recovery from a high jumping accident.
— Joe Davidson (@SacBee_JoeD) July 5, 2017
From 100-percent paralysis to this pic.twitter.com/ORGZlgQDlu
Goal-Oriented
Nearing the top of the list all by himself, longtime U.S Men’s National Soccer Team forward Clint Dempsey, while playing for Team USA in the Gold Cup semis, matched 2000 Olympian Landon Donovan for career goal-scoring this past week. Dempsey scored international goal No. 57, and Donovan, who was on hand as a broadcaster for the Gold Cup coverage, sent a classy message.
There it is! No. 57!@clint_dempsey doubles the πΊπΈ lead and ties @landondonovan for the most goals in #USMNT history. pic.twitter.com/5D6zDcMUmd
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) July 23, 2017
Complete performance from the #USMNT Congrats to @clint_dempsey on tying the record...feel free to stop now and we can share it ππ€·π»βοΈπ
— Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) July 23, 2017
Should Dempsey take the record over for himself, Donovan’s next hope?
Dear Diary
For four years now, Rio pole vault medalist Sandi Morris has been cataloging her hand-written thoughts in the same journal. Unfortunately, that journal has gone missing. And while she turned to the power of social media for a crowd-sourced search, the outcome appears to be bittersweet.
I'm so sad πI lost my journal. I've been writing in it for 4 years. I think I lost it between Paris & London. Wrote in it during Olympics πͺ
— Sandi Morris (@sandicheekspv) July 26, 2017
If anybody finds a journal narrating a medal winning pole vault, it's not a novel draft. RT, let's find it https://t.co/ZiSBFhkGst
— David Epstein (@DavidEpstein) July 26, 2017
I may have left my journal on @airfrance from Paris to London AF1280 or @Delta from London to Atlanta DL0033(Not exact journal-very similar) pic.twitter.com/FbkCIIKdn5
— Sandi Morris (@sandicheekspv) July 26, 2017
Lost my journal in Europe. Was sad for many days, but today I bought a new one. Life goes on! I just hope someone reads my story β€οΈ pic.twitter.com/H5eJjNbB3N
— Sandi Morris (@sandicheekspv) July 27, 2017
Hall Pass
This has been quite a week or so for Olympic tennis player Andy Roddick. There was the magazine tour of his Austin, Texas home, yes, but there were also two most lasting events …
Woke up w butterflies.... couldn't be more humbled by the honor of being inducted into @TennisHalloFame today. Wish me luck :)
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) July 22, 2017
And … then … this significant announcement from wife Brooklyn Decker …
She's on her way... pic.twitter.com/6hWDTUZ15D
— Brooklyn Decker (@BrooklynDecker) July 25, 2017
A Sprint In The Woods
We leave you this week with a pretty clear indication of just how impressive an athlete Bernard Lagat is to this day. A little over a year ago, he won the 5,000 meters at the 2016 Olympic Trials, and, now, at the age of 42, is banging out sub-5.10 miles — 10 of them — in a German forest
Solo 10mi tempo run at Schönbuch forest. @CoachLi wanted 5:15/mi- but in the end it was 5:04/mi. #ProgressMade pic.twitter.com/MNGccuiXkX
— Bernard Lagat (@Lagat1500) July 22, 2017