Slug: Sports–Nico Young Olympics Reflection, 1,000 words.
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By Abigail Scott Cronkite News
PARIS – For Nico Young, the moment was like no other.
“Walking out into the stadium was overwhelming,” he said. “At first, it felt like being at a concert, but I was the singer, the one everyone was looking at.”
Many of them were. On Aug. 2, the day of the Paris Olympics’ 10,000 meters, Young was barely 22, the youngest U.S. Olympian in the race in 20 years. And his time of 26 minutes, 58.11 seconds was so fast it would have set the Olympic record at any other Summer Games. Except this competition was so fast Young, who stayed with the leading pack much of the race, finished 12th.
PARIS – For the first time, amateur runners had a chance to follow in the Olympians’ footsteps and run the same course used for the marathon earlier in the day. Among the athletes that competed Saturday?
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
The congresswoman is a fitness fanatic, having competed in multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons, summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 and hiked Mount Fuji in July
“The opportunity to run in the Olympics, that’s like a bucket list, so I couldn’t miss it,” Sinema told Cronkite News Friday in Paris.
And she didn’t. She was one of 20,000 amateur runners who competed in the Marathon Pour Tous (Marathon For All), finishing in 4:48.48. The race started in Paris and looped through Versailles, passing through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The senator, 48, started running cross country in high school, and by her own admission, wasn’t very good. Not until her 30s and now 40s did she start getting faster, she said, a classic late bloomer.
“Growing up, my family, we were pretty poor, and so I didn’t have a lot of money to play lots of different sports,” Sinema said. “But running, all you need is a pair of tennis shoes. I just kind of increased my distance over the years and found it’s a great way to relieve stress and also hang out with friends.”
It wasn’t long before Sinema was competing in long distance races and finishing well. In 2019, she qualified for the Boston Marathon, and in a three-mile race for government officials and media staff, she posted the fasted female time and broke a senate record in the process. Sinema would soon start competing in Ironman triathlons, which required her to learn how to swim.
“I didn’t have a lot of access to swimming (as a child), so I was an adult learner,” Sinema said. “I can swim good now, you know, I’m pretty decent.”
In all, she’s done four full Ironmans and “a bunch” of half Ironmans.
Sinema trains almost everyday to keep in shape. Within the busy schedule of being in Congress, how does she find the time to train? It’s simple.
“The reality is, I just wake up early in the morning,” Sinema said. “If you are dedicated to it, you can get the training in, you can work your job and you can enjoy this incredible opportunity of running.”
The reality is she may have more time to train in the future. In March, she announced she would not run for a second term.
She does her best to run or cycle every single day and lift weights a few times a week in order to not lose muscle mass. While some are collecting chip crumbs on their couches, she’s making sure she’s in physical shape to allow for her demanding athletic schedule. If she’s on the treadmill though, she might watch a Netflix show or two.
“I like ‘The Gentlemen,’” Sinema said. “There was a movie, and then they made a Netflix show, and they’re both very good. I would highly recommend it.”
Another advantage of coming to Paris? The anonymity. It’s a far cry from the U.S. where security escorts her wherever she goes.
“Nobody knows who I am here, nor do they care,” Sinema said. “So I get to be kind of normal. It’s wonderful.”
The same can’t be said for the incredible athletes who are recognized everywhere they go that Sinema has been following throughout the Olympics.
“I am one of those people who struggles with productivity during the Olympics because I obsessively watch everything and I get super hyped,” Sinema said. “Obviously the U.S. athletes are amazing, and we’re killing it in track and field.”
With less than 100 days until the election, Sinema preaches a message of inclusivity, saying as a country we have more in common with each other than we don’t, and the Olympics promote the same message.
“What I love about the Olympics is how it brings people from all over the world together, and the camaraderie and support that you see through sport is amazing,” Sinema said. “It has the power to transcend pettiness and politics and show the real heart of the human spirit and bring us together.
“The person who’s making the most noise on Twitter is not usually the one who’s going to solve your problems.”
Ariizona Sen. Krysten Sinema meets with media Friday in Paris, where she will run in the “Marathon Pour Tous” (the Marathon for Everyone) Saturday on the same course on which the athletes compete. (Photo courtesy of Cronkite News)
PARIS – With over 15 augmented reality experiences developed, this year’s Summer Olympics is incorporating AR like never before.
The IOC and the Paris 2024 organizing committee engaged in a variety of digital partnerships to bring AR into the Olympics. From the world’s first AR vending machine to Olympic-themed filters and Lenses, each AR experience offers a new way for users to engage with this year’s Games.
PARIS – The Paris Olympics have taken social media by storm, and at the top of the trending list are the beds that were provided in the Olympic Village.
“Oh my God, these cardboard beds are so stiff,” said Sierra Vista native Jasmine Schofield, a swimmer competing for Dominica this summer. “It’s actually terrible.”
Slug: Sports–Drag Community Reaction Olympics, 830 words.
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By Abilgail Scott Cronkite News
PARIS – A man painted entirely in blue sits on top of a lavish table, surrounded by people in extravagant, festive outfits. To many, the scene feels like a modern twist on a Dionysian feast, with everyone enjoying rich food and wine in a lively, joyful atmosphere that channels the spirit of the Greek god of celebration.
Others saw the recent Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony in a different light, suggesting it attacked Christianity and questioned its inclusion of drag queens in the event, prompting many in that community to come to the show’s defense.
“This is very French, to be provocative, because in France we read Voltaire literature and Enlightenment literature, which is always making fun of religion, making fun of the president,” said Lola von Flame, a performer at Madame Arthur, a renowned cabaret venue in Paris, who added that satire and challenging authority are important in French culture. Continue reading “As closing ceremony nears, Paris drag community offers support of artistic Olympic celebrations”
PARIS – Few expressions of human creativity are as freeing as art, and dancing is surely one of its most taxing forms.
Break dancing – officially called breaking – has long been a powerful form of self-expression for urban youth. Originating in New York City, kids have been popping and locking to whatever the currently charting hip-hop tracks were since the late 1960s and early 1970s. Breaking – while at times can be aggressive – is an interactive, intimate, liberating and spiritual connection between the music and dancers.
PARIS – Snoop Dogg isn’t the only one looking forward to breaking’s debut at the Olympics this year. Unfortunately for the darling of the Paris Games, he won’t get to see the sport in 2028 when the Summer Games land in Los Angeles, his home city.
The inclusion of sports such as breaking are part of a flexible process to align with the goals of each host city’s organizing committee, which “proposes events that it feels are fit their vision for their specific edition of the Games,” an IOC spokesman said in an email.
PARIS – From sitting courtside with Snoop Dogg to fan-girling over Simon Biles, the U.S. women’s basketball team is determined to make the most of its time on and off the court.
Team USA, which takes on Nigeria Wednesday, understands part of bonding with teammates is what you do on the court, but also what happens off the court. Participating in the Olympics is an experience that athletes recognize is rare, and seeing other athletes perform makes them become like everyone else watching at home – a fan.
This approach to balance is paying off. The U.S. women beat Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals Wednesday behind A’ja Wilson’s 20 points and 11 rebounds.
PARIS – Five-time Olympic archer Brady Ellison narrowly missed winning the gold medal Sunday. However, for his wife, Toja Ellison, and his devoted supporters in Arizona, he remains a champion.
Brady, an Arizona native, has represented his country on the world stage numerous times in his career. This summer, he brought home the silver medal in the men’s individual and the bronze in the mixed team doubles alongside women’s archer Casey Kauffold.
PARIS – Lost in the celebratory scene of the Team USA boat floating down the Seine – somewhere behind LeBron James doing his Washington crossing the Delware impression – stood a misty-eyed Rocky Harris.
“I was getting really emotional over and over again that I couldn’t believe I’m there,” Harris said about his Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony experience.
PARIS – The City of Light has become a “gold medal” example of modern bicycle infrastructure, making transportation during the Summer Olympics more accessible than ever.
Improvements to existing infrastructure has allowed the French capital city to also be widely known as the capital city of biking.
PARIS – Cierra Burdick has a long and successful history with Team USA, yet she is in the middle of her debut at the Paris Olympics and is serving as the veteran for a 3×3 team on its quest for a repeat title.
Burdick, 30, says her preparation for a different version of the sport does not change. The former Phoenix Mercury forward fell in love with basketball at an early age and still loves it.
Her international footprint started all the way back when she appeared on the 2009 USA U16 national team, winning a FIBA gold medal in the process. Since then, she has appeared on many international 5×5 and 3×3 teams throughout her career, winning six gold medals in total and capturing other tournament titles.
PARIS – Team USA men’s basketball has assembled what some call one of the country’s best ever for the Paris Olympics, and they needed a heavy contribution from the Phoenix Suns to do it. On a team filled with transcendent NBA All-Stars on a 12-deep roster, having standout contributions can be nearly impossible.
In its first three Olympic group stage games, all wins, Suns guard Devin Booker was featured in the starting lineup. On Wednesday in a 103-86 win against South Sudan, Suns forward Kevin Durant led the team in scoring with 23 points and logged the second-most minutes played with just under 22. The only player with more game time was Booker with just over 22 minutes. On Saturday during a 104-73 win over Puerto Rico, the pair combined for 20 points.
A team featuring headline last names such as James, Curry, Tatum and Edwards has deferred to relying on the influence of the stars from the Valley of the Sun. The Team USA women’s basketball team also pulls strength from the Desert as three Phoenix Mercury players – Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Kahleah Copper – represent a fourth of that 12-person team. These Olympics have showcased the growing influence the 48th state has had on the basketball landscape. Continue reading “‘We got Phoenix all over’: Suns’ Booker, Durant lead charge of strong Valley representation in Olympics basketball”
Slug: Howard Center-Online Exploitation. 2,175 words.
Photos, graphic available (thumbnails, captions below).
By Gianna Montiel Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
PHOENIX – An adult sexual predator, posing as a teenager, sought out young boys from 10 to 13 years old to entice them to play various online gaming platforms and then sexually exploited them, police in Scottsdale say – part of a growing trend that authorities contend should put parents on alert.
“A lot of cases that we’re coming across, especially with younger victims, are starting from online gaming,” said the case detective, who asked not to be named because of his undercover work in the Scottsdale Police Department’s Human Exploitation Unit.
Slug: Sports–Olympics Golf Valley Ties, 1,100 words.
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By Scott Sandulli Cronkite News
PARIS – When the summer sun beats down on the desert, saguaro shadows extend further and further in a way that transcends the backdrop of nature. Over 5,000 miles across the Atlantic, at the world’s most extraordinary gathering of competition, the Arizona aroma holds firm on the stage of Olympic golf. With the sports world focused on the Paris Games, the Arizona fairways serve as the approach to the greens of Le Golf National as several Valley stalwarts cross the pond in pursuit of gold.
“Everyone that competes in the Olympics talks about what a special experience it is,” Arizona State men’s golf coach Matt Thurmond said. “Playing for their country, being around the very best athletes in all these different sports in the same place. What an incredible experience.”
Slug: Sports–Olympics High Performance Center, 1,000 words.
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By Walker Smith Cronkite News
PARIS – Twelve miles north of central Paris sits the small, quiet suburb of Eaubonne. Despite its close proximity to the chaos of the French capital, the area is only filled with the sound of wind blowing through the trees and homes fit for quiet living. It may not seem like the 2024 Summer Olympics have touched this place, but just a 10-minute walk from the train station sits one of the most advanced training facilities the Games have to offer: Team USA’s high performance center.
Slug: Sports–Olympics Mercury Big Three, 1,000 words.
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By Devon Henderson Cronkite News
PARIS – The Phoenix Mercury have made a large donation of services to this year’s Summer Olympics. Despite sitting in the middle of the pack in the WNBA standings halfway through the season, the Mercury boast three players selected to the Team USA women’s basketball roster for Paris. They have the second largest contingent, only behind reigning back-to-back champions the Las Vegas Aces, who sent four.
The team has initiated its hunt for an eighth straight Olympics gold medal. It opened its campaign with a 102-76 win against Japan Monday and takes the court again Thursday against Belgium for its second group stage game.
Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, forward Kahleah Copper and center Brittney Griner will be aiding the country’s effort for gold. Although the team hasn’t exploded out of the gates in its 2024 campaign, it won five of its last seven before the Olympics break and is delivering three high profile and highly competitive players to Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve’s squad.
Slug: Sports–Social Media Olympics Woes, 1,000 words
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By David Bernauer Cronkite News
PARIS – From fans attacking rugby standout Ilona Maher for her BMI to others questioning gymnast Simone Biles about her “just rolled out of bed” hair, social media has surfaced as a significant storyline at the Paris Games. It is the dark side of a tool that also serves as a powerful marketing agent for many Olympians.
Ilona Maher, the star of the USA Women’s Rugby Sevens team, just became the most followed rugby player in the world following the team’s breakout performance at the Olympics. This week the bronze medalist became the first women’s rugby player to surpass one million Instagram followers and now boasts two million followers. With this meteoric rise in following came the hateful messages athletes, especially women athletes, receive in regards to their bodies. Continue reading “‘A 30% BMI’: Olympians’ love-hate relationship with social media on full display at Paris Games”
Slug: Sports–Brandon McNulty Olympics, 1,700 words
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By Devon Henderson Cronkite News
PARIS – The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletic competition for spectators and hold a near spiritual meaning for its participants, especially those in individual sports. To earn the world’s most coveted gold neckwear, the games demand the athletes dig deep. They must abandon care for pain or fatigue and find a mind space filled exclusively with determination and fervor to reach their ultimate goal.
Few know this as well as Valley native Brandon McNulty, who is living the experience at the Paris Olympics. On Saturday, he just missed the podium in the men’s individual time trial for road cycling, finishing fifth – the best finish for a U.S. competitor – despite steady rain and 90% humidity. He has another opportunity to medal this Saturday in the 169.4-mile road race that will take him past memorable spots including the Eiffel Tower and Palace of Versailles.
WASHINGTON – A few weeks into last school year, 30% of teacher positions in Arizona remained unfilled. The shortage persists, but there are signs of improvement.
Tucson Unified School District currently has 164 classroom openings – down from 300 at the same time last year. Deer Valley Unified School District is close to fully staffed. Tempe Union High School District has just one opening to fill compared to five at this time last year.
