What Team USA is Hoping For in the 2024 Olympics & Paralympics

SELF Magazine

Whether it's going for gold, setting a world record, or exploring Paris, SELF got the lowdown on what Team USA is hoping for at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Transcript

00:00The biggest thing I'm looking forward to is that moment when I'm walking out for my first match or for the finals.

00:05I'm really gonna soak that in because I'm not gonna get that opportunity many times.

00:14I think what's super special about field hockey is that we're gonna be playing in the

00:181924 Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremonies and like I'm a huge Olympic fan

00:23so to have that historical roots in the games is incredibly special.

00:28What's less serious is I love croissants and like in my head Paris is the city of croissants

00:33and so I'm like really hoping that I can just fuel off of croissants the entire time.

00:37When we went to Pan Ams it was like a similar like it was a village, it was Pan Am Village

00:41and just being in the village was so cool because you're walking around all these like amazing athletes that you know of.

00:46The hopes for this year's games is obviously to win another gold.

00:50This will be our third consecutive gold medal if we're successful

00:53which has never been done in the history of our sport in the Paralympic Games.

00:57So we're kind of chasing history as a group, but for me this will be my last Paralympic Games.

01:01So success is not only defined by on-the-court success

01:05but I'm very much looking forward to transitioning into the next phase of my life, and I just know that

01:11when that buzzer sounds in my last Team USA game in Paris 2024, there's gonna be tons of emotions

01:18but I'll be able to look back on my career with absolutely no regrets, a lot of highs, a lot of lows,

01:24and I wouldn't change anything for a different outcome at any point in the journey.

01:29Croissants and macarons.

01:31And hopefully celebrating a gold medal with some macarons at the Eiffel Tower.

01:36So you may think my hopes for this games are winning a medal

01:39and I know that every great athlete should be always be like medal, medal, medal, medal.

01:44But this games could be four to five, five to four other armless archers.

01:49For the first time in the history of the sport.

01:51In fact, the number one ranked female archer in the world right now has no arms.

01:56And so to have that, whether I win or lose, whether I make it or not make it,

02:00like having that legacy continued to carry on the armless archer legacy,

02:05which is more about showing the world that anything is possible.

02:08Like that's honestly what I really want out of this one.

02:11It's my gold medal.

02:13It's my Michael Jordan moment.

02:15I hope to win a medal at this year's games.

02:19I hope to enjoy it and make a lot of memories.

02:21It's just something that I can maybe tell my kids about or, you know,

02:24my grandkids about, but just like understanding how special of an experience

02:28this is, whether we win a medal or not, this is something not many people get to do.

02:32For the games this year, I'm most looking forward to

02:35hopefully reaching our goal and being on the top of the podium,

02:39but also just getting to showcase the incredible talent and skills

02:43and hard work that we've invested as a team into this journey.

02:48I'm really excited for just the opportunity to play in an Olympics.

02:52I think no matter if you've done it once or twice, three times,

02:56it's such a gift to be there.

02:58I think a big part of of being an athlete and being an Olympic

03:03athlete is kind of having to battle the anticipation and the expectations.

03:07And I feel like I do a pretty good job of doing that.

03:08You know, I do sit here and say I want two goals.

03:11And yes, that's obviously the goal.

03:12And I prepare for that goal every day I'm training. Right.

03:15But my real goal is to just enjoy the whole journey.

03:17You know, to be there with my teammates and to compete hard,

03:20but also enjoy this process, because, you know,

03:22not a lot of people get to be in the position I am.

03:24And I'm very grateful.

03:25Well, the hope is, you know, one Rio, one Tokyo, might as well keep winning.

03:29So gold in Paris.

03:31Hopefully another gold would be amazing.

03:33That's that's definitely my main goal going in.

03:35But really just kind of taking it all in and appreciating

03:41the amazing gift of the Olympics that I was given.

03:44So my hopes for this year's games are definitely to win a medal,

03:46specifically gold.

03:48I mean, I'll be happy with any kind of medal.

03:50And bringing a medal back to the U.S.

03:52is always the biggest goal for me.

03:53I would really like to take a gold medal.

03:55And if I don't, I can and will cry.

03:58But also we're going to be in Paris.

04:00And despite the fact that I am lactose intolerant,

04:01I will be celebrating my win and slash or medal with butter

04:06and cheese and milk and ice cream and chocolate.

04:09My hope for this year's game is to go out there, have fun,

04:12show the world who I am and hopefully come home with the Olympic gold medal.

04:16My hope is gold.

04:18The goal is gold.

04:19If we do win, this would be a three-peat.

04:21So I'm really proud of how far our team has come

04:24and all that we continue to overcome.

04:26What I'm looking forward to most for this year's games

04:29is the fact that we're going to have fans,

04:32you know, the fact that we're going to have spectators

04:34and we'll be able to be in an arena and feel like the energy

04:37and excitement behind it.

04:38My hopes is that I just get that full Olympic experience.

04:42I hope to watch other sports.

04:44I'd love to watch sport climbing.

04:46The thing I'll be looking forward to the most

04:49would be the closing ceremony with the gold medal around our necks.

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