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| Good morning, friends of The Short List! We hope you're managing to get wherever you're going this weekend. And if you're flying Spirit Airlines, we suggest you pay close attention to your itinerary. |
| Hard as it may be to believe, the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics is Sunday! But before the flame is extinguished, here are a group of Olympics stories we think are worth a second look: |
| ►Four gold medals in a row: The United States men's basketball team on Saturday did what they were not able to do in group play two weeks ago: Beat France. Despite all the obstacles of building a roster following a COVID-19 impacted NBA season and early struggles, Team USA defeated France 87-82 to win the gold medal for the fourth consecutive Olympics. "We went through some real adversity. We just fought though everything," Kevin Durant, who led the U.S. with 29 points, said. |
| ►There can be acceptance. There can be joy: Canada midfielder Quinn, one of the first openly transgender athletes to compete at an Olympics, is now a gold medalist. The shootout victory over Sweden was a huge moment for them and Canada, the team's first title at the Olympics or World Cup, writes USA TODAY's Nancy Armour. As craven politicians try and demonize people, particularly children, for being who they are, Quinn is a powerful symbol that the future doesn't have to be filled with despair or hate. |
| ►'We are so proud': USA TODAY's Christine Brennan notes that time and again at the Tokyo Olympic Games, U.S. athletes have climbed onto the medal podium to be rewarded with gold, silver or bronze. In a historic first, nearly 60% of those U.S. medalists have been women. |
| ►Major meltdown: The U.S. men's 4x100-relay team was a huge disappointment, but perhaps no one was as upset as track and field legend Carl Lewis. "... America is sitting there rooting for the United States and then they have this clown show," he told Christine Brennan. "I can't take it anymore. It's just unacceptable." |
| ►What Simone did: Gymnast Simone Biles' withdrawal from competition – brought on by a case of "the twisties" that put her mental and physical health in danger – was one of the top stories of these Games. But even though she won no gold medals, Biles nonetheless enhanced her legacy, writes Nancy Armour. "Exaggerated as it might sound, by doing what she did in Tokyo, Biles has saved lives." |
| ►Money for medals: For athletes from some countries, an Olympic medal brings more than glory and fulfillment for years of hard work. It's a pay day – and occasionally a big one. USA TODAY took a a look at how much money 21 countries are paying their athletes for medals won in Tokyo. The numbers may surprise you. |
| Have a great weekend! Be sure to check out the rest of the long reads below. |
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