A Shot at Glory
Every Journey Has a Story. Kate Ziegler swam over 200,000 miles to get there. Tyson Gay ran over 25,000 miles to get there. Donald Robinson broke more bones than he can remember to get there. For America's hopefuls, the trip to Beijing began long before this summer. Every night, for two weeks leading up to the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games, MOJO in conjunction with USA TODAY profiles Team USA's medal hopefuls.
Genre: Sport
Get Email UpdatesWatch A Shot at Glory Season 1
Episode 10
Beach Volleyball: Youngs and Branagh
aired: Wed, Aug 6, 2008
Youngs and Branagh joined forces just last year, but they've already proven to be formidable foes for the living legends in this sport: Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor.
Episode 9
Track: Tyson Gay
aired: Tue, Aug 5, 2008
Tyson Gay is one of the fastest men in America. Seven years ago, he was a lightly-recruited high school sprinter from Lexington, Ky. Since then, he’s traveled the road to community college, the University of Arkansas, and the professional ranks—all while upgrading his name from unknown to world champion. Tyson was in awe when he found he was running the same times as his heroes, Michael Johnson, Frankie Fredericks and Maurice Greene. In a sport dominated by outspoken athletes, Tyson is humble and reserved, a trait fostered by his mother, Daisy Lowe.
Episode 8
Gymnastics: Samantha Peszek
aired: Tue, Aug 5, 2008
At 16, Samantha Peszek has the passion of untarnished dreams, but the lack of history to fully comprehend the pressure that comes with those dreams. From McCordsville, Ind., she is the 500-watt gymnast who has eschewed the traditional home schooling route of her peers to maintain the ‘normal’ existence of mainstream schooling. She also debuted a double twisting double back on floor, a skill that only a few women in the world can do. Samantha was named USA Gymnastics TOPs Athlete of the Year for 2007. She has a firm grasp of every minute of her day, from being a straight A student into the afternoon, to a focused and serious competitor in the evening.
Episode 7
Kayaking: Brett Heyl
aired: Tue, Aug 5, 2008
Two years ago, Brett Heyl sought to improve his stock within the American kayaking scene - so he packed up everything he owned and moved to Charlotte, N.C., the new home of the U.S. Whitewater Center.
Episode 6
Triathlon: Laura Bennett
aired: Tue, Aug 5, 2008
Triathlete Laura Bennett, from North Palm Beach, Fla., came close to greatness before, narrowly missing out on the Olympics in 2000 and 2004. But after teaming up with fellow triathlete and husband of four years, Greg, she has found happiness both athletically and emotionally. Her husband was the first-ever athlete to win all five major Grand Slam events in 2007. Laura trains on hills, runs the trails of Boulder, Colo., and body bashes in Noosa, Australia. Watch as she competes in the 2008 World Championships, and prepares for the most important race of her life.
Episode 5
Swimming: Kate Ziegler
aired: Fri, Aug 1, 2008
Breaking Janet Evans’ swimming record last year just shy of her nineteenth birthday secured Kate Ziegler’s legacy in history and set the stage for her international dominance of distance swimming.
Episode 4
Boxing: Gary Russell
aired: Thu, Jul 31, 2008
Gary is the youngest member of USA Boxing's Elite Team and the number one amateur international bantamweight champion of the world. He won both the U.S. Championships and National Golden Gloves at just sixteen.
Episode 3
Track: Wallace Spearmon
aired: Wed, Jul 30, 2008
Three years ago at the University of Arkansas, 23-year-old Wallace Spearmon Jr. was the yin to Tyson Gay’s yang, the gregarious personality to Gay’s quiet demeanor. Now these two are rivals seeking the same international glory.
Episode 2
BMX: Donny Robinson
aired: Tue, Aug 5, 2008
“A Champion in Balance.” A professional BMX Racer measuring in at 5 foot 5 inches and a buck fifty, Donny Robinson looks the part of the consummate underdog. Originally from California, “dR” is a BMX national champion, and with the trip to Beijing right around the corner, he’s not planning on slowing down. Donny began at age five at the Napa Valley BMX track, during the summer of 1989. In 1996 he was named as one of "The 10 Hottest Amateurs" and future top Pro BMXers by BMX Plus! BMXdebuts as an Olympic sport in 2008, opening new doors for Donny including additional sponsors and cutting edge training techniques. For a year Donny has lived by these rules: a strict diet, strong faith and plenty of family time.
Episode 1
Wrestling: Daniel Cormier
aired: Mon, Jul 28, 2008
For Daniel Cormier, from Lafayette, La., freestyle wrestling provides a vehicle for stability in a life filled with tragedy.
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