Michael is a digital sports strategist for Bay Area News Group. The Denver-area native went to Arizona State's Cronkite School of Journalism and worked several years in Phoenix before coming to Northern California, mostly for the fish tacos.
Alexa Knierim, third from right, with her USA figure skating teammates Vincent Zhou, Zachary Donohue, Madison Hubbell, Evan Bates, Madison Chock, Brandon Frazier, Nathan Chen and Karen Chen, finally receive their gold medals from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday, Aug.
7, 2024, in front of the Eiffel Tower at Champions Park in the Trocadero during the Paris Olympics. The presentation was delayed more than two years after a Russian skater tested positive for a banned substance. PARIS — A touch of winter came to the Summer Games on Wednesday when the United States figure skating team finally got its gold medals as The special medal ceremony allowed the nine Americans to parade on a runway in the bright Paris sunshine, gaze at the Eiffel Tower and bask in warm cheers from the fans packed into the stands at Champions Park.“I think it absolutely was worth the wait. Definitely,” said Fremont native Karen Chen, wearing the first gold medal of her career around her neck. All nine American skaters came to Paris, including Evan Bates, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and the South Bay-raised Vincent Zhou. Seven of the eight members of the Japan team came to get their silver medals — an upgrade from their third-place result in Beijing. The athletes were honored with a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” not the Tchaikovsky piano piece that would have been played for the Russians in Beijing. The ceremony in France was watched by family, friends and fans. Not in a near-empty indoor ice arena in China during an Olympics staged through a COVID-19 lockdown.“It is very memorable for all of us to be here and to get our medals,” Karen Chen said, “to just see the crowds, see everything and embrace it all.”“I thought it was perfect for the occasion,” she said of a ceremony confirmed only two weeks ago. A Russian appeal trying to win back the Olympic team title was dismissed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport just before the Paris Games opened. The title had been stripped in January when a different CAS panel disqualifiedNo Russian skaters are getting medals in the French capital, although their third-place finish was confirmed during the Paris Olympics in yet another CAS ruling. The Russian Olympic Committee has been formally suspended from the games, but 15 individuals are competing as neutral athletes after vetting.“My heart goes out to them,” said Zhou, one of the new Olympic champions. The unusual setting for a Winter Games medal ceremony had more unusual features: no podium, no bronze medalists and no flagpoles. An American flag was shown on a big screen. Still, Bates said, Paris had been spoken of as “the dream scenario” to get medals when the U.S. left Beijing without any. It had been his fourth Olympics and it is his first medal. “I don’t know what it feels like but this feels pretty good,” said Bates, who skated ice dance with Chock.“We grew up dreaming of this — but not in 90-degree weather,” Bates said in the shade, before Chock quipped: “We’re not built for this heat.” Theirs was the first of several Olympic results amended by doping cases that will have the rightful medals presented at Champions Park. On Friday,are set to be presented with their upgraded medals, including two American champions from the 2012 London Olympics who originally got silver medals behind Russians later shown to be doped.will be get her gold medal as the Olympic champion in the women’s 400-meter hurdles and Erik Kynard in men’s high jump. “Today is a victory for clean athletes everywhere,” Chock said. “Some athletes have to wait much longer than 2 1/2 years.”Harriette Cole: I was in another city, and I saw him with a womanMiss Manners: My departing co-worker offered me a gift. Was my response out of line?Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez end hope for 'quickie divorce' as they cut off contactDear Abby: We weren't discreet, and I got kicked out of the houseMichelin California 2024 results: Which restaurants won stars, which lost stars?Asking Eric: This young woman is a stranger, but I'm told she's family and I must take her inMigrant day laborers sue Home Depot, CPD and city of Chicago, alleging abuse and harassment
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