How Will Athletes Handle These Olympic Games?

BIANNA GOLODRYGA: but I’m wondering your impression from what you have seen thus far. Should these Games even be happening?

BRIANA SCURRY, TWO-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: It’s a tough situation. I mean, the people of Japan are so amazing. And I have been there in the past. And this Olympic Games would have been such a spectacle, and everything would have been packed if the people could come. And it’s really sad in that regard. But, on the flip side, on the athletes’ point of view, I’m very happy that they’re actually able to compete right now .I know it’s going to be odd and surreal with no fans and no family in attendance. But the truth is, these athletes are going to be able to show themselves. They’re going to be able to express themselves and compete. And, at the end of the day, I think that’s the most important thing from the athletes’ point of view.

GOLODRYGA: And, as we mentioned, you won a gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta. You were again in Athens in 2004. Just mentally, take a pandemic away for the moment. How much psychological pressure is there on athletes coming up to the most — the pinnacle of their careers? You were fortunate to be there for more than one. Most athletes as you know, aren’t.

SCURRY: Right. Yes, absolutely. I mean, it’s a dream come true, really. I wanted to be an Olympian since I was 8 years old. And so being able to compete in the ’96 Games in soccer for my country and to win was an absolute dream come true. But it is a lot of work. It’s a time that is so surreal, in the sense that you’re actually living your dream at that moment. You don’t want to lose your head in the actual event, but you want to be able to compete at the highest level and win, of course. And, for me, it’s been an amazing achievement. It was an amazing experience to have not once, but twice. It’s a very exciting time. It truly is something to behold. And it goes by in literally a blink of an eye. It’s only, like, roughly two-and-a-half weeks’ long. So it’s a lot of effort and a lot of work. And now is the time to shine. And I wish the best for all the athletes that are competing.

GOLODRYGA: This isn’t the first Olympics to be mired in controversy, perhaps not to such a degree as a global pandemic, but we have seen Zika, right, really hang over the Olympics in Brazil. And there had been doping controversies in Olympics of the past. What is your advice to the athletes, and have you given and offered advice to athletes that are there now, as to what they should really be focusing on in trying to tune out all of the other noise? Because I can imagine it’s stressful when they keep hearing of yet more and more cases of positive tests.

SCURRY: Yes, it’s so true, especially the athletes that are in the Olympic Village right now. I mean, there’s a lot going on. And what I always say is, focus on what you can control. So you can control your own attitude, you can control your own effort, you can control the fundamentals that you need to produce for your sport.