Valentine’s Day is a great time to recognize the intense passion that players have for their respective sports. Olympians like Josh Kerr and Kevin Mayer share what they value most about their athletic endeavors—whether it was love at first sight or a more gradual relationship.
This is a celebration of these athletes’ ongoing relationship with their sports. We adore watching the romantic tales that emerge on the fields and in stadiums around Valentine’s Day, as athletes give their all to the sports that are precious to them.
As the highly anticipated Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 draw closer, let’s celebrate the passion that some of the best athletes in the world have for their sports. In athletics, as in matters of the heart, spectacular stories can arise from chance meetings.
Laurin the fine example
Althéa Laurin, a renowned taekwondo practitioner from France, is a prime illustration of this. Laurin almost missed the opportunity to take up taekwondo, even though she earned a bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 and rose to the top as the world champion in 2023. Although her mother had first encouraged her to pursue karate, she ended up taking a taekwondo class after making a coincidental error while waiting at the neighborhood club.
she said; “On the first day, we did some stretching exercises and I seemed to have an aptitude for it. We played a few games, and it was through having a lot of fun that I really got into the sport. I was feeling good about it and in the end I never changed sport.” an article from olympics.com mentioned.
Koumba Larroque’s journey into the realm of professional wrestling was unique. The French athlete’s journey into the sport began when she followed in her brothers’ footsteps, but the magic that drew her to wrestling is similar to that of her countryman Laurin. Larroque’s wrestling narrative is distinguished by its distinct fusion of ancestral influence and personal connection. It presents a journey in which tradition and personal affinity meld together to create an engrossing drama on the wrestling mat.
Not even a week has passed since Dina Asher-Smith announced her mentorship changes, but already some of the athletes have made the same career-altering decision to switch coaches, prompting one fan to ask, “It’s the year of the coaching switches, isn’t it?”
Some 🇬🇧 coaching changes announced today ahead of 2024 season:
Laviai & Lina Nielsen to Tony Lester in Denmark 🇩🇰
With less than 10 months to go before the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris commence, track and field athletes made some pretty big changes in their careers this week.
Starting with the fastest sprinter in Great Britain, Smith opted to leave her coach of 19 years, John Blackie, to train under the tutelage of Edrick Floréal, who’s currently based in Austin, Texas. She penned a heartwarming message on Instagram to let her fans know about the big change and also to thank coach Blackie for helping her realize her dreams.
Next come Laviai and Lina Nielsen—the courageous twin track and field athletes who inspired millions of people with their story of battling with MS, a severe chronic central nervous system disorder that causes vision issues, difficulty walking, and tingling sensations.
Laviai specializes in the 400 m and 4×400 meter events, while Lina competes in the 400 m hurdles. The twin has now decided to train under Tony Lester in Denmark.
In addition, Pozzi will now be trained by former sprint hurdler and Olympic silver medalist Colin Jackson. Pozzi had previously been coached by two outstanding coaches: Malcolm Arnold, Colin Jackson’s former coach, and Santiago Antunez, a Cuban genius who has trained several Olympic winners and super hurdlers for decades.
Finally, Kristal Awuah has also taken a courageous step toward realizing her aspirations by switching to train under Linford Christie in London.
Michael Johnson’s take on athletes changing coaches
Following the announcement, Michael Johnson, an American retired sprinter who won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship gold medals, took to social media to express his thoughts.
A coach is important to an athletes success, but they cannot help athletes produce results beyond their potential, their work ethic and commitment, or their ability to execute on race day. The best coach athlete relationship is a partnership where both parties understand their responsibilities to the relationship and the athlete’s success.”
Several track athlete coaching changes 10 months ahead of Paris ‘24. Most are smart moves. Smart reasons: -Relationship isn’t working. -Disagreement on training and competing strategies. -Athlete needs a new training environment or partners. Not so smart reasons: -Poor…
Several fans agreed with Johnson; one X user said, “Very true. Especially when you become a professional, it’s a 50/50 relationship with your coach. Got to do what works for you as an athlete, and your coach will help you when you get in those ruts.”
On the other hand, one X user asked whether a window of 10 months was enough. Johnson responded that any competent coach would have taken the necessary steps to familiarize themselves with the athlete’s prior program in order to facilitate a rapid transition to a new program.
As track and field athletes gear up for their races in the upcoming Paris Olympics, two American sprinting champions, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, took a break from their hectic schedules to visit a local high school in Richardson’s hometown of Dallas, Texas. On September 27, Lyles and Richardson attended Desoto High School.
The two star athletes were guests at Dream Big’s health and wellness event, and each shared short yet impactful motivational messages for the students and aspiring athletes.
🚨Attention Dallas TX🚨
I will be speaking at DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL today at 6:30-8:30 PM (DOORS OPEN AT 5:30 PM) It is open to the public!!
For Richardson, she conveyed to the audience a concept instilled in her by her grandmother at a young age and which has remained with her to this day.
“My grandmother told me, whatever you are going to do, put your best foot into, the best self into it,” said Richardson.
“Always take a risk, when you take a risk, you don’t know what you can get. But if you don’t take risks, you are going to have regrets.”, she added.
As a young athlete, Richards started her athletic endeavors in the Texas area, where she participated and distinguished herself in various state level athletic competitions. In the years that followed, she continued to participate in national and international events, where her accomplishments gained international recognition.
In August and September 2023, Richardson further established her status as one of the world’s fastest women by winning three medals at the World Championships and another gold medal at the Zurich leg of the Diamond League meeting.
And just recently, Richardson took the number 1 spot in the women’s 100 meter rankings for the first time with 1,472 points, brushing past Shericka Jackson and Marie-Josee Ta Lou.
Noah Lyles: Everybody is gifted
As for Noah Lyles, he imparted to the students that everyone possesses a gift, however, it is ultimately up to the individual to develop and utilize that gif
“No matter what they are able to grab, I want them to know that everybody is gifted with something,” Noah Lyles said.
“It’s just learning how to use it, it doesn’t have to be the same way as the person next to you.”, he added.
In his X account, Lyles thanked everyone who attended the event.
“Thank You Everyone for coming out you guys where amazing!!!”
Born to track and field athletes, Kevin Lyles, and Keisha Caine, Lyles continued on their legacy and went on to become one of the most prominent sprinters in America. Currently ranked number 3 in Men’s 200 meters with a personal best of 19.31 seconds, Lyles is expected to make a splash in the international track and field scene when he competes in the Paris Olympics next year.
Alessandro Ossola, a Paralympic sprinter, had one of the happiest days of his life at the Paralympics, and it had nothing to do with his performance in his athletic race.
Even though Ossola did not make it to the T63 100 metres final, he managed to get his fiancée to say “yes” when he proposed to her in the Stade de France grandstand following the race. In front of 40,000 spectators, Ossola knelt and asked Arianna for her hand in marriage, to her shock and delight.
The athlete said: “Our relationship is like a maelstrom because every athlete needs people around them to push them… Sometimes, she believed in me more than I believed in myself, and that’s something truly amazing. ‘You can do it, you can succeed, you can, you can,’ she would say. This is something everyone needs, and I hope that everyone finds someone like her. She is my partner … for life.”
In a motorcycle accident in 2015, Ossola lost most of his left leg and his first wife died as well. He says that playing sports helped him smile more and more after his accident, when he lost everything else.
“Some might say today wasn’t an amazing day for me from a sporting perspective. I say it was. At 36 years old, I was competing with the best in the world, and I’m really proud of that,” Ossola declared.
Ossola, who also founded the first inclusive padel circuit in history and a nonprofit organization aimed at dispelling myths about disabilities, said this could be his final Paralympic competition. He also competed in Tokyo three years ago. Ossola said: “With what I’ve achieved in these last days at the Paris Paralympics, I feel like I’ve closed that circle. Now, I’m ready to start along a new path because my life isn’t over, and I have many things left to do.”
An athlete like Marie-Josee Ta Lou rejoicing in her accomplishments and receiving the recognition she deserves is always a heartwarming sight for anyone. And news outlets are always quick to feature her victories on websites and social media.
What they don’t show, however, are her moments of defeat and the other athletes who don’t make it to the podium, the way their heads hang in despair, their eyes fixated on the ground as they search for answers as to why they didn’t win, or their attempts to restrain themselves from breaking down in public.
The life of an athlete is not always easy, as Marie-Josee Ta Lou has discovered over the years. In an exclusive BBC Sports tell-all interview, Ivorian sprinter Ta Lou talked about her journey, her resilience, and how Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce helped her in dark times.
Ta Lou’s Ups and Downs
For a sprinter, Ta Lou is considered a successful athlete among her peers. She’s had impressive records and wins over the years. In 2015 and 2018 African Championships, she clinched first place in both the 100 meter and 200 meter events, the disciplines she specializes in. She also got a silver medal for her 22.08-second performance in the 2017 World Championships.
Her personal best in 100 meters is 10.72 seconds, which is just 0.23 seconds off the world’s fastest time. She achieved this record at the Monaco Diamond League last year.
This year, she continued her winning streak in the Florence, Oslo, Lausanne, and London legs of the meeting.
However, in August, Ta Lou was met with a fourth place finish at the World Championships in Budapest and missed the podium.
“I wanted to get a medal but finished fourth. I have been in a situation where I have been crying alone in my room,” Ta Lou said.
“I was so crushed and even considered ending my season in Budapest. But my strong faith in God is what strengthened me to show up for a double shot at the Diamond League finals in Eugene.”, she added.
Ta Lou is no stranger to failure; she’s missed the podium numerous times in her career, her most notable being the fourth and fifth place finishes in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The World Championships, however, proved to be particularly challenging for her to bounce back from, as she stated that she was fully prepared in terms of mental, physical, and emotional readiness.
Ta Lou on Fraser-Pryce: She never gets exhausted of motivating me
Despite having the urge to throw in the towel, Ta Lou has, fortunately, a good support system around her. In her interview, she mentioned Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce specifically, and of how she won’t let her give up running.
“Her words are loud in my head every single day and she never gets exhausted of motivating me to wake every morning and do what I like.”. Ta Lou said.
“Shelly-Ann is one of the many reasons you will see me in Paris for what could be my last Olympic Games,” she added.
Following the public revelation of Ta Lou’s personal struggles and her remarkable resilience throughout the years, her fans are now eagerly anticipating her participation in the Paris Olympics next year and are hoping, like Fraser-Pryce, that she will not retire from the sport.
The golden girls of Team USA who sprinted, hurdled and jumped to glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics are the queens of hearts, adored by their fans and their wanna-be, presumptive and legal spouses. Yes, Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Masai Russel are all taken, rumoured to be taken, or already taken. Here are the men in their lives.
Gabby Thomas
Gabby Thomas and McManes
Olympics 200-metre champion Gabby Thomas is dating young entrepreneur and Ivy Leaguer Spencer McManes. He can understand the pressure she is under as a former athlete himself.
McManes played quarterback for Yale in his college years.
Gabby, 27, and the Yalie met in 2022 and have been going strong ever since. He was there for her in Paris, cheering her on to a golden treble – pure gold in the 200 metres, 4×100 metres, 4×400 metres.
Not just a jock, McManes, 29, has a degree in political science. After briefly holding a job, he got into business himself and owns a non-alcoholic kava seltzer brand called Kaviva. It promises to give you “the perfect buzz” without a hangover. The drink is touted to be “athlete approved”. By Gabby, no doubt. She just loves the guy behind the drink. Cheers.
Sha’Carri Richardson
Sha’Carri Richardson and Coleman
Sprint queen Sha’Carri Richardson, 24, is rumoured to be dating fellow sprinter Christian Coleman. Though not officially confirmed, the two clearly became a twosome almost a year ago when they started going out at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. They have been showing up at each other’s events and spotted “getting cosy” on a number of occasions, including a night out in Paris after the Olympics.
One of them had reason to celebrate. Richardson won silver in the 100-metre before anchoring Team USA to 4×100-metre relay gold, but Coleman was out of luck. He missed out on the 100-metre and 200-metre and fumbled in the 4×100-metre relay, where the US team was disqualified because rules were broken in the baton exchange between him and Kenny Bednarek. Too bad, but, at least, he’s got the girl.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin officially tied the knot with former NFL player Andre Levrone Jr. 💍
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) May 10, 2022
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 25, kept faith with her fans, winning Olympic gold in the 400-metre hurdles as they expected, easily outstripping the world champion Femke Bol in Paris.
She has kept faith with her boyfriend, too.
McLaughlin-Levrone is married to Andre Levrone Jr, who graduated from the University of Virginia in 2017 and played three seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL. They got engaged in August 2021 and tied the knot in May 2022.
Faith is important in both their lives.
Devout Christians, McLaughlin-Levrone and her husband are part of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles. Andre is enrolled at The Master’s Seminary, which trains people for the ministry, and is affiliated with the church.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s twin golds in Paris – in the 400-metre hurdles and 4×400-metre relay — called for a celebration. So she and her spouse are off to a holiday in Greece.
Tara Davis-Woodhall
Olympics long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall’s life is a touching love story. She is married to Paralympian and double amputee Hunter Woodhall. (See picture at the top of the page.) Their love story began at a track meet in Idaho in 2017. It was a long-distance love affair, with Woodhall competing in Arkansas and Davis-Woodhall in Georgia and Texas, but distance cannot dampen true love.
Both competed at the Tokyo Olympics. Davis-Woodhall finished sixth in the long jump and Woodhall clinched bronze in the 400-metre at the Paralympics.
The lovers then got engaged in September 2021 and married in October 2022. Davis-Woodhall, 25, has got even better since marriage. She won gold in Paris.
Melissa Jefferson
Melissa Jefferson
Melissa Jefferson, 23, won bronze in the 100-metre and gold in the 4×100-metre relay in Paris. The Olympic success follows another personal milestone. Jefferson got engaged to her college sweetheart, Rolan Wooden II, in October 2023.
Wooden, a former Coastal Carolina football player, proposed at a beach picnic, a moment Jefferson happily shared with her followers on Instagram.
The couple met at Coastal Carolina University and Jefferson’s post-engagement Olympic success is a prelude to more happy years.
Masai Russel
Masai Russel, 24, who became an overnight star winning gold in the 100 metres hurdles, broke into tears after her victory. She was overwhelmed she won at the Olympics.
The newly-crowned champion also wrote a note to her boyfriend Robbie Springfield, thanking him for never giving up on her. They have reportedly been together since college, both having competed for the University of Kentucky. Springfield works in collegiate sports as an assistant at the Morehead State Cross Country team. Specializing in sprints and jumps, he is just the man to help his girlfriend on and off the track as well.
