PARIS — ’s eyes began to fill as she heard the first notes of the Star-Spangled Banner. As she watched the U.S.
flag rise, she cried unabashedly. It wasn’t long ago , uncertain of when – or if – she’d get back home. Now, as she stood on the top step of the medals podium, the heavy around her neck, Griner was overcome with emotion.
By the time the anthem finished, her face was wet with tears. While her teammates huddled together and began cheesing for photos, Griner took a second to compose herself, swiping at her face with her hand before she joined them. “It means so much to me,” Griner said, her voice growing thick once again.
“I didn’t think I’d be here, like I’ve said before. And then to be here winning gold for my country, representing, when my country fought so hard for me to even be standing here – yeah, this gold is going to hold a special place.” Griner’s story is known to most everyone by now.
Arrested in February 2022 after two nearly-spent vape cartridges with hash oil were found in her bag, she spent almost 10 months in a Russian prison. Though marijuana in any form is illegal in Russia, Griner was a political pawn. Arrested just days before Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, she was a propaganda gold mine for Vladimir Putin in his cold war with the United States.
A valuable bargaining chip, too. In her book, Griner how dehumanizing and demoralizing her imprisonment was. What kept her going was the love of her family, her bas.