🍵 1st Asian American Olympic Gold

In case you missed it:

• Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia wins gold and Peng Wu of China wins silver in Men’s Speed Climbing

• Siyi Xie and Zongyuan Wang of China win gold and silver in Men’s 3m Springboard Diving

• Shifang Luo of China and Hsing-Chun Kuo of Taiwan win gold and silver in Women’s 56kg Weightlifting

• Rizki Juniansyah of Indonesia and Weeraphon Wichuma of Thailand wins gold and silver in Men’s 73kg Weightlifting

• Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan wins gold and gets an Olympic record in Men’s Javelin with a distance of 92.97m. Neeraj Chopra of India gets silver.

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Olympics

Meet the 1st-ever Asian American Olympic gold medalist

Sammy Lee, the son of Korean immigrants, made history by becoming the first Asian American athlete to win a gold medal for the U.S. in the Olympics. Lee achieved this distinction by winning the gold medal in the 10-meter platform diving event at the 1948 London Olympics, a title he successfully defended at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, making him the first diver to do so.

The obstacles: Born in Fresno, California, in 1920, Lee was inspired to pursue his Olympic dream after watching the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. His journey was reportedly hindered by racial prejudice at the time, as nonwhite residents were only allowed to swim one day per week during what was called “International Day” every Wednesday. This was the day before the local pool’s weekly draining and cleaning, which severely affected Lee’s training. Jim Ryan, a local coach, took him in as a student and taught him to dive in a sandpit, which helped strengthen his legs.

Other careers:  Besides his athletic career, Lee joined the U.S. Army, where he attained the rank of major, while studying at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and served as a physician during the Korean War. Lee, who became a doctor before retiring from practicing medicine in 1990, also helped coach the 1960 U.S. Olympic team and the 1964 Japanese and Korean Olympic teams in diving. Lee died from pneumonia on Dec. 2, 2016.

Olympics

Athletes review Paris Olympics’ food

@thelibero

Paris food vlog! #olympics #usavolleyball #volleyballplayer #food

The food being served at the Paris Olympics is OK but not great, according to some athletes who shared their reviews on TikTok. 

What they’re saying: In his review, American volleyball player Erik Shoji rated the grilled or baked chicken and grilled tofu he had as “not terrible, not great.” Meanwhile, Filipino American gymnast Aleah Finnegan, who represented the Philippines at the Olympics, said in her video, “Honestly, the food here, it’s good. It’s not really seasoned,” but pointed out that seasonings were available at the food hall. Singaporean swimmer  Quah Jing Wen echoed Finnegan’s sentiment in her post, noting  that the food she tried was “lowkey always lacking salt.” While Filipino American fencer Lee Kiefer did not give specific reviews about the meal she had in her video, she rated the chicken tikka and curry beef she tried “5-stars” each.

The food scene: The food at the Paris Olympics was prepared by French catering company Sodexo Live, who was tasked to make over 40,000 meals daily for nearly 15,000 athletes. The organizer divided the food area into several cuisines, such as French, Asian, Afro-Caribbean and international sections. Vietnam’s pho and nem (vegetable spring rolls) were among the Asian dishes selected to be served at the Paris Olympics.

Olympics

Indian star wrestler retires after disqualification from Olympic gold medal match

India’s Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from her women's 50-kilogram freestyle gold medal match against USA's Sarah Hildebrandt at the Paris Olympics after failing to make weight by a mere 100 grams on Wednesday morning. The 29-year-old three-time Olympian, who has been a leading voice in India's anti-sexual harassment movement in wrestling, seemingly announced her retirement from wrestling a day after her disqualification, writing on X, “Mom, wrestling defeated me. I have lost. Please forgive me. Your dream, my spirit, it’s all shattered. I don’t have more strength than this now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024.”

Rapid weight fluctuation: Phogat, whose usual diet consists of protein-rich foods and vegetables, failed to shed the excess weight despite a night of exercises and resorting to drastic measures like sauna use, fluid restriction and even cutting her hair. Experts attributed her weight gain to rapid weight fluctuations influenced by various factors, including hormonal changes and stress. 

Inspiring Olympic journey: Phogat's journey to the final was highlighted by her stunning upset victory over reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the first round. The disqualification is a devastating blow for the anti-sexual harassment advocate, who participated in athlete-led protests demanding action against sexual abuse allegations last year. 

Olympics

Danish gold medalist flexes Chinese fluency

Denmark’s two-time Olympic gold medalist in badminton Viktor Axelsen has surprised many Chinese social media users with his fluency in Chinese during an interview with Hong Kong media. The 30-year-old athlete revealed to CCTV in May that he began learning Chinese with a personal tutor in 2014.

Flexing his Chinese: Axelsen, who is known by his Chinese name “An Sai Long,” showcased his Chinese speaking skills during an interview with Hong Kong TVB after defeating Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men’s singles badminton finals at the Paris Olympics on Monday, earning his second gold medal. His command of the language garnered positive reactions from Chinese speakers commenting under the network’s post. One comment read, “Your Mandarin is actually better than that of most Hong Kong people,” while another said, “Not only is he humble in victory, but he can also speak fluent Mandarin. This champion is truly surprising.”

Beating stress: In a Douyin post on Aug. 6, Axelsen shared how he uses Chinese calligraphy as a form of stress relief during his downtime from training, saying, “I found this book at the airport... which allows me to learn and practice writing. So, I told myself that maybe I will start learning how to write, and it can also be a good way for me to unwind when resting.” He previously told Olympics.com that he initially picked up the language as a joke, believing it could help him improve his badminton skills. He said, “The biggest thing for me has been to be able to speak with a lot of different players, especially Chinese players. Know how they do stuff.”

Olympics

China accuses U.S. of double standards amid doping scandal

The China Anti-Doping Agency accused its American counterpart of double standards on Tuesday for its handling of doping scandals in the U.S. On Thursday, the Chinese agency called for increased scrutiny of American track and field athletes, questioning the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s handling of such cases. 

China pushes back: Earlier this year, the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics accepted China's explanation that 23 Chinese swimmers' positive tests for a banned substance before the Tokyo Olympics resulted from tainted food. However, the U.S. launched an investigation under a 2020 law allowing federal authorities to probe sports doping and cover-ups. In response, China's Olympic delegation head urged his American counterpart to cease "long-arm jurisdiction" and ensure the smooth and safe participation of all athletes in the upcoming Los Angeles and Salt Lake City Games. 

Tit for tat: CADA and Chinese state media have particularly focused on U.S. sprinter Erriyon Knighton, who tested positive for a banned substance earlier this year but was cleared to compete after an arbitration panel attributed the result to contaminated meat. Chinese state media highlighted the more than 600 tests Chinese swimmers have undergone at the Games with no violations found.

Olympic Bites

IOC confirms North Korean athletes didn’t receive Samsung phones: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Thursday that North Korean athletes at the Paris Olympics did not receive Samsung smartphones — the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 — provided to all 10,500 competitors. “We can confirm that the athletes of the National Olympic Committee of DPRK have not received the Samsung phones,” an IOC spokesperson said. Earlier in the day, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of preventing prohibited items from entering North Korea under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2397. The resolution, enacted in 2017, bans the supply, sale or transfer of “all industrial machinery,” including smartphones, to North Korea due to its nuclear program. Pyongyang has 14 athletes participating in seven sports in this year’s Olympics.

News

Skydiving student and instructor die in tragic accident

Kayla Kieko Black, 28, and her skydiving instructor, Devrey LaRiccia Chase, 28, were tragically killed during a routine jump in Perris, California, on Aug. 2. 

What happened: The pair encountered a "dust devil," a small, tornado-like air column, which caused their parachutes to spin uncontrollably, leading to a fatal crash. Both were rushed to a Riverside County hospital, where Chase succumbed to her injuries on Friday, and Black on Sunday. Chase’s husband, Freddy, expressed his sorrow for the incident and mentioned that Skydive Perris is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. 

About Black and Chase: Black, a Buena Park resident, worked as a server at Niko Niko Japanese Restaurant in La Habra for nearly nine years and had recently started working at Benihana in Anaheim. Unbeknownst to her family, Black had signed up to be an organ donor, a decision that has provided solace to her loved ones. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help her family with funeral expenses. Chase, who met Freddy through their shared love of skydiving, was described as “beautiful inside and out,” with a contagious laugh. A GoFundMe page has raised nearly $60,000 to transport her back to Maine.

News

Asian passengers are being attacked on buses in New Zealand’s capital

Anna Zhang, an immigrant from Thailand, became the latest victim in a series of recent attacks targeting Asian passengers on Auckland buses.

What happened: Zhang, a student and part-time hotel worker, was allegedly assaulted by a group of teenagers who attempted to rob her on a No. 70 bus traveling from Botany to Britomart in Downtown Auckland on Aug. 2. After trying to retrieve her stolen bus card, her assailants repeatedly kicked her in the abdomen. While she did not sustain serious physical injuries, the incident took a toll on her mental health. She also expressed regret over her decision to immigrate, telling the New Zealand Herald, “If I could turn back time, I would not choose New Zealand.”

The big picture: The latest attack is part of a disturbing trend of violence against Asians on Auckland’s buses. On June 28, a 39-year-old woman struck a 16-year-old Asian student with a metal rod, resulting in damages to the victim’s teeth. On July 22, a 45-year-old woman was filmed pushing and spitting at Asian Kiwi passengers, demanding that they “go back” to their “own country.” Both incidents reportedly occurred on the same No. 70 route. The suspects in both cases have also been arrested. “Most public transport customers are respectful of others, but these small number of incidents are of course really concerning, and we are taking it seriously,” Rachel Cara, Auckland Transport’s general manager of public transport operations, told The Times.