The victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a significant milestone for Griner, who had once been uncertain if she would ever see the light of day outside a Russian prison, let alone compete in a third Olympics.
The fact that these Games were held in Europe, so close to where she had been detained, only added to the emotional significance of her achievement.
Griner, who recently became a mother, now plans to place her latest gold medal next to her newborn son, Bash.
The journey back to the Olympics was not an easy one, but Griner is grateful for the opportunity to compete once again. “It was a long journey, a hard journey to get back into it,” the 33-year-old said. “I’m just happy that my body was able to hold up and be able to be here.”
Having competed in the Olympics twice before—in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and in 2021 in Tokyo—Griner has come to appreciate the experience more deeply.
In the 2021 Olympics, she led the U.S. team with 30 points, setting a record for the most points scored by a U.S. player in a gold-medal game. But after her ordeal in Russia, Griner has gained a new perspective on the value of everyday moments.
Griner Patriotism and Advocacy
The challenges Griner faced during her detention have left her with a renewed appreciation for the mundane aspects of life. “Waking up, going to practice, even when you don’t want to practice, having the opportunity to do that, because we overlook it,” she said. “That’s the opportunity that we get to do, and I just cherish every second I can now.”
