What Team USA is Most Looking Forward to in Paris vs Tokyo

What I'm looking most forward to in Paris

is the fact that there will be an audience!

[upbeat music]

In Tokyo, obviously, you know, we had Covid restrictions

for safety protocols.

It's almost like my first Paralympic games all over again.

I was in Tokyo and I was 21 years old,

fresh outta college, just a little baby.

Didn't know anything about this world.

I feel confident going into Paris knowing that I've had

that experience and I understand what's to come.

Obviously I don't have the Olympic energy experience

because we didn't have any fans in the stands,

but I do know that it's pretty cool.

I was in Europe last year for some track meets

and the fans are crazy, so that's what I expect

from Paris for sure.

The big thing that I'm really looking forward to

at the games in Paris is having spectators at the event.

In Tokyo it was a little weird it being in the middle

of Covid and not having any spectators with us.

The only people that were in the stands were the other teams

and that wasn't a lot of people.

In Paris I'm definitely looking forward to fans, I think,

and having my family watch, I think I do a lot of it

for fans and to be able to play in front of 'em

will be amazing.

I'm really excited in Paris to leave the village

and to go see the city

and to see my family who's gonna be there,

meet athletes in a really different way

and have a really true Olympic experience,

which I feel like there's definitely big

pieces missing in Tokyo.

Not that they didn't do a wonderful job,

but it wasn't quite, I think that experience

that we always kind of grew up hearing about,

It was amazing having the fans in Rio, so to kind

of bring the fans back for Paris will be amazing,

just venturing out into the city

and seeing some of the culture, the museums,

the architecture, all that.

And yeah, just getting back to just being able

to enjoy the village without, you know,

being confined to your room.

I'm excited to explore Paris.

I wanna go on like, a full food tour when we're in Paris.

I think the difference with Tokyo Olympics

and Paris, definitely the spectators

and the audience is gonna be there.

I think that gonna be, make so much difference.

Tokyo was a very unique Olympic experience,

which I would not change for the world.

I think it was a great one, being a rookie,

but I am very much looking forward to the Paris games,

to have like, all that energy from the stands,

be able to watch and support other sports,

get to meet more people from team USA and other countries

and just enjoy one of my favorite cities

and one of my favorite hobbies.

Competing in Tokyo, the prior games

and having no crowd, you know, it was amazing

to get a medal, but having a crowd there

is gonna be unbelievable.

The food is amazing.

I'm just telling you right now, you guys,

if you've never been to Paris before,

the food just tastes so much better

than anywhere I've ever eaten.

[cheerful music]