Home2024 Olympic GamesTEAM USA: Biden welcomes U.S. Olympic & Paralympic teams to White House

TEAM USA: Biden welcomes U.S. Olympic & Paralympic teams to White House

The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here!

≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

“We felt so much pride, and I’m honored to welcome 400 athletes from Team USA today here at the capital. Part of a nation so vast, so diverse, and so talented, it’s like no other country on Earth.”

U.S. President Joe Biden saluted a huge gathering of U.S. Olympians and Paralympians on the South Lawn of The White House on Monday, following remarks by Olympic swimming star Torri Huske, Huske’s parents, 2028 women’s wheelchair basketball player Adrina Castro and Paralympic men’s wheelchair basketball gold medalist Paul Schulte.

Biden spoke about the impact of Team USA:

“When you competed, it wasn’t just you in the spotlight. You represented all the people who sacrificed for you, as was mentioned earlier, just as you’ve sacrificed yourselves – early hours, long days, intense training, sometimes overcoming extreme disappointment.

“For many of you, you hold down multiple jobs to fund your dreams.

“And, by the way, we need to do more to support all of our Team USA athletes. You’re parents [sic]. You’re caretakers [sic]. And 28 of you have also worn a uniform representing our country and one of our armed forces.”

And he added:

“How many parents talk to their kids who are having difficulty and say, ‘You can do this. You can overcome anything’? I think we underestimate how much you do, what incentives you provide for people. You know, they see you and they begin to believe in themselves.”

Biden also noted the attraction of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on him and his staff:

“My staff would have their TVs on watching you as I was trying to get briefed on national security. But in fairness, I had the TV on in the Oval Office as well.”

Biden said that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams won more medals combined than all other nations, which was wrong. While the U.S. led the Olympic medal count with 126 to 91 for China, the Chinese won 220 Paralympic medals to 105 for the U.S., for a combined 311 to 231 edge.

But Team USA’s Olympic total was the most ever for a Games held outside the U.S. and the 105 Paralympic medals was the third-most ever for a European Paralympic Games.

Biden also said that while he couldn’t be in Paris, he’s looking forward to the 2028 Los Angeles Games:

“Because I’m president and I cause commotion when I go places, they wouldn’t let me go the Olympics. But I watched it all. …

“In the next few years, we get to showcase to the world from our own backyard. … I won’t be president. They can’t stop me from going there then.”

Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 547-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

Must Read