Brittney Griner on the emotion of winning gold at Paris 2024: "My country fought for me to get back."
Brittney Griner's road to reach the Paris 2024 made worldwide headlines.
The basketball star was imprisoned in Russia and released in December 2022 after intervention from the United States; 18 months later, she was back on the global stage for Team USA as they won an eighth straight Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball.
It was Griner’s third consecutive gold, but certainly her most meaningful one yet after all she has been through since her last Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.
“My country fought for me to get back,” Griner explained as per Sports Illustrated. “And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There's just no greater feeling. I didn't think I would be here.
Brittney Griner has gone through a lot of adversity en route to winning a third consecutive gold medal at Paris 2024.
“And to be here, winning gold, for my country, representing, when my country fought for me so hard to even be standing here."
Griner played in USA’s gold medal match against France, where they edged out the hosts 67-66 in an enthralling finale at the Bercy Arena.
The United States also enjoyed gold in men’s basketball and against the same opponents, continuing their dominance on both sides of the sport as the Games head to home soil next at LA 2028.