The United States' Christopher Bailey, takes a victory lap after his team won the men's 4 x 400 meters relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris saw Team USA take home 126 medals — with 15 of them earned by “Peach State” athletes.
Over a month after the games, four of the 12 Georgia athletes who medaled at the games reflect on the experience of representing Team USA, how their victories have impacted their lives since returning home and what the future holds for upcoming Olympics competitions.
A double dive
Dunwoody native and professional swimmer Brooks Curry is already a two-time Olympic veteran at age 23, scoring his second medal as part of the men’s U.S. 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay team.
The California-based athlete is relaxed about his future career. He believes the victories have only made him more determined to pursue new goals, including faster times and an even stricter diet.
“I definitely want to qualify for some individuals and world championships and things like that,” Curry added. “You can still have a goal after you’ve already kind of achieved the biggest award.”
After a short European vacation to celebrate his silver medal, Curry returned to the pool with the University of California-Berkley swim team, where he has trained since completing his undergraduate career at LSU.
Curry says the team practices in the water roughly nine times a week, on top of weight lifting and other dry land activities.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been a great, great transition,” Curry said of training with the team. “Just having a really good training group is something that pushes you every day that is super important. And so that’s like one thing that keeps you kind of excited to get to practice.”
Curry says his daily routine has remained similar to his pre-Paris schedule. He’s already prepping for a spot on Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Curry says that will probably be his final Olympic Games.
“Normally you kind of peak out when you’re around 30,” said the swimmer.
Lifting up the stakes
Marietta athlete Hampton Morris wasn’t sure what weighed more — the plates that he lifted to win his bronze medal or his rigorous interview schedule after his victory.
After winning his first-ever Olympic medal for the men’s 61 kg weightlifting, the 20-year old was immediately placed into two days of media events beginning as early as 6 a.m. and ending as late as midnight.
But some perks came with the hectic experience, including being featured on a catwalk with other medalists and an interview on “The Today Show.”
“That was right in front of the Eiffel Tower … that was amazing,” Morris recalls.
Bronze medalist Hampton Morris of the United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men’s 61kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Morris was also excited to meet the other athletes staying throughout the Olympic village.
“What really blew my mind was that … every single person there is the best in the world at what they do, and that’s just such an amazing atmosphere to be in,” he said. “There’s just so many people, they almost feel legendary just based on their legacies in their own sports.”
The excitement still hasn’t worn off for the young athlete, but life back home in Georgia is returning to normal outside of a couple of events and appearances to help celebrate his win.
Morris, who still trains in the same home garage that helped lead him to Paris, says his father’s discipline and advice continue to prepare him for upcoming competitions — including a possible return to the Olympics in 2028.
“Having my dad as my coach has been very, very helpful in that regard,” said Morris. “He’s always able to keep an eye on me and just watch out for me if I’m doing something that goes against my goals … he’s able to remind me what I’m working towards.”
When asked about his future plans, Morris paused before mentioning his excitement about attending college, which he believes will help with potential business ventures.
“I’m thinking about being involved in sports beyond just as an athlete, but there’s still a lot to figure out about that.”
Hampton Morris of the United States competes during the men’s 61kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Chasing success
Atlanta native Chris Bailey has always known the importance of having a career plan outside of his athletic endeavors.
In fact, the 23-year old runner was in the process of completing his master’s degree in operations management while training for Paris, where he won gold in his first Olympics.
“I wouldn’t say it was too bad,” he said, noting that most classes were online and flexible to his schedule. “Sport does end eventually, and a lot of people aren’t prepared for that.”
Bailey didn’t expect to succeed in his track and field career so quickly.
He began taking the sport seriously at the age of 17 as a student at Carver Early College High School, on the recommendation of his JROTC instructor.
From there, he earned a scholarship to Mississippi Valley State University before transferring to Tennessee State and later going to Arkansas for his graduate degree.
Bailey describes his Olympic experience as a whirlwind, particularly competing in the 400-meter relay that won him the gold. He raced alongside U.S. runners Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin, who had all previously secured gold in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“I knew that they were going to handle business. It was just more so me popping off and making sure I put the baton around in time for them,” he said.
While the victory felt well earned, Bailey said he missed not being able to share the experience with his family, who were all watching at home in Atlanta.
However, the young athlete, who is currently not sponsored by any businesses or brands, hopes he can afford to send his family to see him compete in Los Angeles in 2028.
“This year, this past season was all about patience, and I believe this next season for me is going to be about determination and how bad I want it.”
A fourth time shot
Much like Bailey, sports shooter Vincent Hancock credits his family for playing a large role in his success. In fact, his daughters were not only there cheering him during his events in Paris, but they also assisted him in training.
“They were out with me practicing almost every day when I was practicing six to seven days a week and shooting quite a bit for probably anywhere from two to four hours a day,” Hancock said.
“They will remember [traveling to Paris], I hope, for the rest of their lives,” he added.
Hancock, 38, said he has gotten much better at balancing his athletic career with family.
The five-time Olympian has evolved from a young athlete into a father, U.S. Army veteran, business owner and, most recently, record holder.
In Paris, the Eatonton native became one of only eight athletes in history to win four Olympic golds in the same individual event — for Hancock, it was men’s skeet.
Other American athletes who have accomplished this feat include Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis and Katie Ledecky.
“It’s an honor, obviously, to me to have my name in the same threshold as those guys,” the shooter said. “On the social media side, things have grown. Sponsorship opportunities have grown. Speaking engagement opportunities have grown.”
Hancock’s love of shooting started at a young age, with his father taking him to the South River Gun Club to shoot skeet at age 10, and later to the Wolf Creek Shooting Complex where the 1996 Olympics shooting events were held.
“I did really good the first day. The second day I could hardly hit anything,” reflected Hancock. “I looked at my parents on the drive home that night and said, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to go to the Olympics and I want to win a gold medal.’”
And over 20 years later, Hancock hopes to end his Olympic career with a fifth medal in 2028. The decorated athlete originally envisioned for Paris to be his last hurrah.
However, the idea of competing on U.S. soil for the first time in his career was too good to pass up.
Hancock says that the secret to his success has come from always remembering to have fun when on the field — which he struggled with early in his career — and allowing himself to be “comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
“I’m really, really thankful that God’s given me the opportunity to do this for a long period of time, and for whatever reason, he’s seen fit to allow me the chance to win four gold medals so far … we’ll see how it goes in LA.”
