Wondering who to root for at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics? My New Favorite Olympian and My New Favorite Paralympian will immerse you in the stories of seven Team USA athletes outside their sport.
Sarah Adam
Sarah Adam, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, is attempting to become the first woman to ever represent Team USA at a Paralympics in wheelchair rugby, a sport so violent it is nicknamed “murderball.” Full story
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Nick Mayhugh
Paralympic sprinter Nick Mayhugh shares the lessons he learned from his grandfather Bill Mayhugh, a popular radio host, and his grandmother Shirley Culpeper Mayhugh, a performer who was signed by the same agency that represented Marilyn Monroe. Full story
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Jennifer Lozano
Jennifer Lozano, nicknamed “the Troublemaker,” started boxing after experiencing bullying, racism and cartel violence splitting her time between Mexico and the border town of Laredo, Texas. Full story
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Jesse Grupper
Jesse Grupper, a climber who studied engineering at Tufts and Harvard, designs devices to help children with disabilities participate in climbing. Full story
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Kelly Cheng
Kelly Cheng, who has been open about her mental health challenges, started a mentorship program to help the next generation of beach volleyball players prioritize their mental health. Full Story
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Jordan Chiles
Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles explains how the landscape has changed for women of color since she first started doing gymnastics — and what she’s doing to help with Brown Girls Do Gymnastics. Full story
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Lydia Jacoby
Lydia Jacoby, who unexpectedly became an Olympic champion as a 17-year-old swimmer from Alaska, opens up about her battle with post-Olympic depression. Full story
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About the hosts
Natalie Coughlin is a three-time Olympian who won 12 Olympic medals (three gold, four silver, and five bronze), which ties her with two athletes as the most decorated woman in U.S. Olympic history. She received the World Swimmer of the Year Award in 2002 and the American Swimmer of the Year Award in 2001, 2002 and 2008. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2022.
Zena Keita is a host and analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area’s Golden State Warriors postgame show Dubs Talk Live. She is also a host and contributor to The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show, part of The Athletic Podcast Network. She is a native of Paris who was raised in North Carolina.
Previous seasons of My New Favorite Olympian
Beijing 2022
Tokyo 2020
