We had the unique opportunity to speak with several decorated athletes on their road to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 - Hi, my name is Jordan Childs.
00:01 I am part of the Team USA Gymnastics Team.
00:04 - Hi everyone, I'm Shailese Jones
00:06 and I am an artistic gymnast.
00:08 - I'm Asia Wilson and I'm a professional basketball player.
00:10 (upbeat music)
00:14 - How are you prioritizing wellness
00:16 and self-care while training?
00:18 - I just make sure it comes number one.
00:19 You know, if your mental's not right
00:21 and your wellness isn't right,
00:22 then you're not gonna compete at your best.
00:23 So just making sure that everything is 100%
00:27 before you go out there and compete at your best
00:29 is the number one thing to go.
00:31 - I think the beautiful thing about training
00:32 for the Olympics or everything in between
00:34 is like the Olympics is right in the middle of our season.
00:36 So I kinda get a headstart
00:38 'cause I'm already in that type of form of training.
00:41 But yeah, I really put that first,
00:42 whether that's going to bed early
00:44 or putting my phone down to really make sure
00:45 that I'm rested and ready for the task.
00:47 - What are you most excited about Paris
00:49 and attending the Olympic Games and participating?
00:53 - The most exciting thing about Paris and the Olympic Games,
00:57 I'm really just excited to do it all over again.
01:01 I was able to do Tokyo, so now leading up into Paris,
01:03 it's gonna be really fun, it's gonna be amazing.
01:06 I can't wait 'cause there's a lot of gymnasts out there
01:08 that are really, really talented.
01:09 So it should be really fun
01:10 just to see all of our performances
01:12 and do everything that we know we can do.
01:14 - Just enjoying the moment, you know?
01:15 I feel like we've all worked so hard to be out there.
01:17 So just actually setting,
01:20 being out there on this stage would be awesome.
01:22 - This will be my first Olympics outside of the pandemic.
01:25 So just having an opportunity for my family
01:26 to come and see me play on the world's biggest stage
01:30 is definitely what I'm most excited about.
01:32 Just to have people in the stands,
01:33 it's definitely gonna be a lot of fun.
01:34 - How important is it for you
01:35 to represent black women at the Olympic Games?
01:38 - It means so much.
01:39 I feel like we've all been training so hard for this
01:41 and I feel like the community is just super strong
01:44 and it's growing by the minute.
01:45 So like we just made history at the World Championships,
01:48 I hope to do it again in Paris.
01:49 - It's super important for me to represent black women
01:51 at the Olympic Games.
01:52 I mean, I have a tatanami, unapologetic,
01:54 it's something that I strive to be every single day
01:55 because I want to be true to myself
01:57 and show other people that they can do the same.
01:59 And so for me to be a black woman in these spaces,
02:01 in these places, it's a joy to be in and I'm super blessed.
02:04 - It's really, really important.
02:05 Honestly, the diversity, not only in my sport,
02:07 but also other sports around have been, you know,
02:10 really, really deep diving into the culture about everything.
02:14 So for me, it's really cool.
02:16 It's always gonna be in history books.
02:17 It's always gonna be something that I'll be able to,
02:19 you know, tell my kids or even the younger generation
02:21 that no matter the skin color,
02:23 no matter the looks or anything like that,
02:25 you just embrace who you are and be authentic to who you are.
02:28 So knowing that I do that for myself
02:30 and hoping that that younger generation will do the same
02:32 and I'm really, really honored
02:34 to be a part of that community for sure.
02:35 - How are you staying fit?
02:36 Can you give us an overview of your fitness routine?
02:39 - Yes, how do I stay fit?
02:40 Well, I really just kind of work out a lot.
02:42 I know that's cliche, but I actually kind of do.
02:45 Anytime that I'm having a downtime or something
02:46 that I'm just like, let me just go to the gym
02:48 and get some shots up and work out.
02:50 And obviously in season, we're working out every single day.
02:52 So I try to stay fit with that.
02:53 But my diet, I need to work on that a little bit more,
02:56 but we'll get to that.
02:57 - I start every morning with my physical therapy
02:59 and then I go into practice at one o'clock.
03:02 I'm there training.
03:03 I do conditioning for about two hours afterwards
03:05 and then I'm done around six, seven.
03:07 - What do you love most about being a black woman?
03:09 - Ooh, what do I love most about being a black woman?
03:12 The versatility.
03:14 I feel like as black women,
03:15 we can do a lot of different things,
03:16 whether it's with our hair, whether that's with our style
03:18 and the way that we enter into rooms,
03:20 I feel like we brighten them up instantly.
03:21 And I love that about me.
03:22 I love that about us as black women
03:24 and continue to strive for those high, high ceilings
03:27 that we can go after always.
03:29 - I love the strength and the beauty that it comes with.
03:31 I feel like some people overlook us,
03:32 but I feel like we have everything
03:34 and more that everyone else has.
03:36 - What do you love most about your culture
03:39 and bringing it to Paris?
03:41 - What do I love about my culture and bringing it to Paris?
03:45 Knowing that we have the ability to put our minds
03:50 and do anything, really.
03:51 Like as powerful as we are, whether women, men,
03:55 like we are very powerful.
03:57 We are dominant in what we do.
03:58 And I'm really, really excited just to be able
04:00 to present that and do the things that, you know,
04:03 at the end of the day, we are strong, independent women
04:07 or strong, independent men.
04:08 So it's really cool just to be able to like, you know,
04:10 showcase that for sure.
04:12 - Best piece of advice for black women
04:13 following their dreams.
04:15 - Hmm, the advice I would give for black women
04:18 following their dreams would have to be, be true to you.
04:20 Be true to you and don't let anyone change you off of that.
04:22 If that's your goals, dream big, have fun with that
04:25 and never switch up.
04:25 I think sometimes we have to code switch or wear a mask.
04:28 Take that mask off and be true to yourself.
04:30 - Believe in yourself, really embrace your beauty.
04:32 Stay strong, you know, and anything is possible, really.
04:36 You got it, girl.
04:37 (upbeat music)
04:39 (upbeat music)