Sports
Brittney Griner speaks to reporters for first time since returning to Phoenix Mercury
WNBA star released from Russian penal colony in December
Now that she is back on her home court, preparing for the upcoming WNBA season, Brittney Griner talked with reporters Thursday for the first time since returning to play with the Phoenix Mercury.
“I’m no stranger to hard times,” Griner said, fighting back tears. Asked how she became so resilient after spending nearly 10 months in a Russian prison on drug charges, she said: “Just grind it out. Just put your head down and just keep going and moving forward.”
Brittney Griner speaks on her resiliency in her first press conference upon her return to the court 🧡
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 27, 2023
“Put your head down and just keep going and moving forward” – @brittneygriner pic.twitter.com/b72ePflcSo
In a wide-ranging news conference that attracted more media and dignitaries than a typical practice, Griner spoke about her imprisonment in Russia, her appreciation for those who supported her and her wife during those terrible months and what’s next for her: A memoir about how she survived the experience she called “unfathomable.”
“I’m never playing overseas again,” the two-time gold medalist said, making only one exception for a return to the Olympics. “The only time I would want to would be to represent the USA.”
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, who signed employment protections for LGTBQ workers and contractors into law on her first day in office, joined Griner’s wife Cherelle and members of the Mercury organization in giving the WNBA center a standing ovation.
Although team representatives told KTVK-TV Griner couldn’t share details of her detention by the Russian government, Griner did say having pictures of her family and Cherelle kept her hopes for freedom alive.
“Just being able to see their faces, that did it for me,” she said. “The moment where you kind of want to give up, you look at the photos, and it kind of brings you back to what you’re waiting on. You’re waiting to be back with your families, with your loved ones in a safe place.”
Griner returned to the U.S. in December in a prisoner swap, more than nine months after being arrested in Moscow for possession of vape cartridges containing prescription cannabis.
The out lesbian athlete said her team has been in touch with the family of American Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter being detained in Russia on espionage charges. “No one should be in any of the conditions that I went through or they’re going through,” said Griner.
On Thursday, the Mercury unveiled a mural at their home court, the Footprint Center. It features Griner as well as other Americans being held prisoner overseas, including Paul Whelan. It includes the hashtag “Bring Our Families Home.”
The Mercury have two preseason games next month, one on the road against the four-time champion Seattle Storm on May 9, then back in Phoenix hosting the Los Angeles Sparks on May 12.
The season begins May 19 in L.A. at Crypto.com Arena and then Griner and the Mercury return for their home opener against the Chicago Sky on May 21.
Brittney Griner holds first news conference since her release from Russian prison:
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes won medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday.
Cayla Barnes, Hilary Knight, and Alex Carpenter are LGBTQ members of the U.S. women’s hockey team that won a gold medal after they defeated Canada in overtime. Knight the day before the Feb. 19 match proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron, who is gay, and his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry won gold. American alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who is bisexual, won gold in the women’s downhill. Amber Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, was part of the American figure skating team that won gold in the team event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, who is in a relationship with Vali Höll, an Austrian mountain biker, won gold in women’s freeski slopestyle.
Bruce Mouat, who is the captain of the British curling team that won a silver medal, is gay. Six members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — Emily Clark, Erin Ambrose, Emerance Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Laura Stacey, and Marie-Philip Poulin — that won silver are LGBTQ.
Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naeslund, who is a lesbian, won a bronze medal in ski cross.
Belgian speed skater Tineke den Dulk, who is bisexual, was part of her country’s mixed 2000-meter relay that won bronze. Canadian ice dancer Paul Poirier, who is gay, and his partner, Piper Gilles, won bronze.
Laura Zimmermann, who is queer, is a member of the Swiss women’s hockey team that won bronze when they defeated Sweden.
Outsports.com notes all of the LGBTQ Olympians who competed at the games and who medaled.
Sports
US wins Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey
Team captain Hilary Knight proposed to girlfriend on Wednesday
The U.S. women’s hockey team on Thursday won a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. The game took place a day after Team USA captain Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter — Knight’s teammates — are also LGBTQ. They are among the more than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes who are competing in the games.
The Olympics will end on Sunday.
Sports
Attitude! French ice dancers nail ‘Vogue’ routine
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry strike a pose in memorable Olympics performance
Madonna’s presence is being felt at the Olympic Games in Italy.
Guillaume Cizeron and his rhythm ice dancing partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry of France performed a flawless skate to Madonna’s “Vogue” and “Rescue Me” on Monday.
The duo scored an impressive 90.18 for their effort, the best score of the night.
“We’ve been working hard the whole season to get over 90, so it was nice to see the score on the screen,” Fournier Beaudry told Olympics.com. “But first of all, just coming out off the ice, we were very happy about what we delivered and the pleasure we had out there. With the energy of the crowd, it was really amazing.”
Watch the routine on YouTube here.
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