Episode XIV: The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games
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Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring. Or should we say, Ajito, Ajito, Ajito. Why? You went there. I went there. It's the Paralympics. We're still here, y'all. You thought it was over, but it's really only just begun. Paris is still lit up with some of the world's finest. And I don't mean little steaks. Finest little steaks? Yeah.

I love a steak frites. Yeah, that's French, right? Yes, of course. 100%. Steak frites, babe. I mean, can we just get into it? I love a steak. What's your favorite type of steak? Frites. You know, it is really... Frites, frites, frites, frites, frites. That feels like a very, like,

like humor of the time, like irreverent, like a very lonely island. Yeah. Instead say, steak-free, free, free, free, free. That feels like a very lonely island circa 2009 sketch. Well, it's a very Matt Rogers, Bowen Yang circa 2024 podcast conversation. 100%. I think steak-free, you don't get any more chic when it comes to meat and potatoes. And if this were our other podcast, that would be a rule of culture, but it's not, we can't. But it's not, so we can't.

It's literally meat and potatoes. Isn't that amazing? It is amazing. It's what our ancestors ate. Yeah, and it's a staple. And don't question it.

I feel like steak frites, it's not when you go to the restaurant and be like, oh, I'm going to have steak frites. Right. But it's always there and you're like, okay, you know what? That could actually be that girl. And if you order it, it will be that girl. Oh, see, it's funny that you're gendering it as that girl because I kind of think of steak frites as like an old flame, an older man. You do? It's like that guy that you forgot that you had a fling with and you see him on the menu. Like you go to the restaurant and you're like, I'm going to order a nice, you know, chicken breast steak.

But then you go to the menu and then the steak freak comes your way and goes, hey, kid. Yeah, it's me, Old Faithful. It's Old Faithful. I feel like steak freak is...

Security. Stake free is it's knowing that you're going to be taken care of, but you always think you want like seafood fra diavolo. You know what I mean? You always think you're in Italy. You want to get into it. You want to get into it. Like you really want you want to go to the restaurant and you want you're like tonight.

I'm spicy. It's like when you go to brunch and you're like, I'm getting shakshuka. I'm getting shakshuka. You know what I mean? But then steak freight shows up. Yeah. Like, it's just...

Steak frites, it's literally a good metaphor because it's like, wow, I really should order the steak frites. I know that I'll be taken care of. But cut to me eating raw seafood. I think this segues so perfectly into our conversation today about the Paralympics. Do you think so? I think the Paralympics end up being the steak frites that you still get, that you're still... Like, I'm not full yet on the Olympics. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm.

And it's like, I think this is a very, especially this year, especially with how wonderful these Olympics have been. Everyone's like, what am I going to do without the Olympics? Honey, the Paralympics start next Wednesday. Yeah. And it's going to be a good one. The Ajitos are in the sky. The Ajitos are in the sky. Now, what are the Ajitos? Those are the, it's not the five rings anymore. It's the three Ajitos, the flags. And you know what? Depending on my mood, sometimes.

Sometimes I think the Ajito is the chicer logo. The three Ajitos are colored red, blue, and green.

These are the three colors that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. So this is bringing everyone together. The symbol of the Paralympic Games is composed of three crescents, colored red, blue, and green, encircling a single point on a white field. The agito, which translates to I move in Latin. Agito. Agito. Is a symbol of movement in the shape of an asymmetrical crescent. The three agitos encircle a center point to emphasize the

the role that the IPC has of bringing athletes from all corners of the world together and enabling them to compete. The shape also symbolizes the Paralympic vision to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world. I mean, this is so beautiful. I move. Ajito, it's so chic. Anytime I think Ajit, I think Ajita. And

And that's not a great thing, you know? Oh, I have agita. No, we're taking it back. But agito, agito is you move. Let me tell you something. When I'm at the club, agito. When you see me out, very likely...

I'm going to be representing a Gito culture. I move. It's very Julia Robertson, best friend's wedding. I got moves. You never seen. I Gito like you've never seen. It's very ludicrous. And that it's not when I move, you move just like that. It's when I Gito, you Gito, just like that. When I Gito, you Gito, just like that. Hell yeah. Hey, DJ, I Gito that back. Yeah. So,

So we're really throwing it back to high school. Do you remember being a high school, a middle schooler? Rather, this is really more middle school and going to your middle school social and agitoing. I would agito in ways that were so like not burdened by what has been, shall we say? Yeah. But not even burdened by like, oh, like, am I dancing good? It didn't. Are you OK? Did you spill something?

I just it was an empty coffee cup that fell on the ground leave that in I want them to know it was me that's my new line whenever anything happens I say leave it in I want them to know it was me like I'm Game of Thrones Lady Yolanda I want Cersei to know I want her to know it was me um

Oh, yes. Middle school, dancing, Ajito-ing. How fast did you Ajito your mile in high school? Oh, 436. Wow. I'm so happy that you said that because I only have a couple more opportunities to let everyone know that I ran a 436 mile in high school at the age of 17.

fast as you don't very fast. This is so wow. I didn't even know it was going to unlock so much. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think Paralympics coverage is this perfectly I'm going to say untapped thing. Like I was going to say like anyone who's like, oh, what am I going to do now? Like the

The Paralympics are right there. You're going to get the same kind of human spirit, the peak of human experience and spirit are all still there. And it all kicks off at the Place de la Concorde. 11 days of competition, 4,400 athletes. Yeah. On the 28th of August, you can see the opening ceremony and there'll be plenty to look forward to with that. And at the games in general, I mean, athletes from all around the world will compete in

549 medal events across 22 Paralympic sports. The City of Light, aka Paris, will provide a perfect backdrop for these athletes. And it's been roughly three weeks since the Olympic Games, so we've had enough time to sort of cool down, re-energize, and then open back up and agito all the way through these Paralympic Games.

And, hey, Paralympians, use up whatever condoms the Olympians didn't get through in the village. And we could have helped with that. And I will say we are not over not being invited. We're not over not being invited. Milan, 2026. We better be there. We better be there. Oh, my God. I just thought about traveling to Italy again, and I had a terror flashback.

You know, traveling to Italy, you need to let go of control and of things going your way, because even if they don't, these people are going to look you in the eye. If you go to a baggage claim attendant and go, hey, I lost my luggage, they are going to look you in the eye and say, we survived fascism. And they won't care. They've earned their, shall we say, salary.

Wax. They are unbothered. Unbothered. And they've earned that.

But good luck to everyone who's heading over there for the Winter Olympics. We hope to do Two Guys, Five Rings again in 2026. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge to anyone in power that sort of wants us to continue this podcast. For example, this episode has been amazing. It's about the Paralympic Games, and I think we've said a few things about it. ♪♪

Let's talk about some of the sports that will be happening. Get this. Blind football is happening at the Eiffel Tower Stadium. What better location for watching blind football history unfold than at this iconic symbol of Paris? A public park located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower will host a temporary arena that can welcome up to 12,860 spectators. I'm sure those bleachers will be full.

Blind football. Can I just say that venue is my favorite venue of this Olympics year. It's so cool. That arena in front of the Eiffel Tower, I think it was where they had a lot of the volleyball events. You can't beat that backdrop. No, it's glamour. And did you know it was once the tallest building in the world? For a time it was. For a spell. For a spell. For a spell. We do have to point out...

The arena in the Nanterre is transformed into a pool for the first time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. So we're back in the Nanterre, but we just need to say it was a concert venue where the Stones and Paul McCartney have played, but Taylor took the heiress tour to Paris La Défense at Nanterre less than four months before the Paris Swimmers take the stage in style. Who wrote that? Mm-hmm. They know that these Taylor Swift illusions are catnip to us.

You know, Beau, there's tons of great storylines outside of all this that are going to be playing out at the Paralympic Games. For example, USA men's wheelchair basketball and women's sitting volleyball going for three peats here at the games. Both teams won in Rio and Tokyo and are favored for gold in Paris. Can we say whether it's the Paralympic Games or the Olympic Games? U.S., we got it. We got it.

We got it. We got this. Three Pete. That's there's no mistake. When you win three, one, three times, no one can say anything to you. Lightning doesn't strike twice. It sure as heck don't strike thrice. No.

And if it does, you are crazy unlucky. Oh my God, I'm so sorry for you. Can you imagine being struck by lightning once, let alone twice, let alone three times? You're not meant to be out in the world. No, but you are meant for gold. And maybe this will be an everlasting love. Everlasting love! Headliners in the pool, Jessica Long in SM8 is going for her fifth consecutive gold, and Mallory Wegman...

is swimming to defend her gold in the SM7 classification, now as a mother and fresh off hosting a studio show during the Olympic Games, primed and ready to get in the water, swim her way to gold. Come on now. There are different levels of mothering happening with Mallory Wegman. Wouldn't you say? You're a TV show host during the Olympic Games.

You are a new mother in the literal sense. You are defending your gold title in SM7. This is, of course, a classification in the event. Now, I think this is what you watch for. This is the whole reason why we love sports. And so we will be tuning in for Jessica and Mallory. And we...

applaud and root for them. Sarah Adam is the first ever woman to make USA wheelchair rugby as the team faces tough competition to stay on the podium. The Americans have never finished off the podium at the Paralympic Games. This could be their year.

I hope that Sarah is she leading the squad? No, but she's just making the squad. And I think she's competing mixed gender with the rest of the rugby team. So this is already so forward thinking in so many ways. But for Sarah to compete with the men for the rugby event is pretty incredible. Moving over to the track.

Ezra Freck is the world record holder in the men's high jump T63 and competes for a spot in his first Paralympic podium. The defending champ is American Sam Grew, who is balancing med school as he returns to competition in Paris. Jaden Blackwell headlines the men's sprinters in the 100 meter T38. Blackwell is expected to be the breakout star on the track in his first Paralympics and holds the world record in that event. And there's a little bit of a story about Ezra Freck.

There's more going on here. So Ezra Freck's origin story began at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo when, as he remembers, not winning a medal ignited an already burning internal flame. Oof.

Mm-hmm.

Now 19, Freck continues his dreams representing Team USA in the Paris Paralympic Games 2024 in the high jump, long jump, and 100 meters. This time he aims for a better finish than Tokyo as the next chapter in his story remains unwritten like Natasha Bedingfield wanted it. With the 2028 Summer Olympics hosted by LA, Freck, who hails from the city, aims to achieve what he calls the Triple Crown.

Golden high jump, long jump, and 100 meters. His feat has never been accomplished in the history of the Paralympic Games, the Olympic Games, or even track and field history in general. Let's talk about Allie Truitt.

Allie Truitt, this is crazy. She's headed to the Olympics after a shark attack. Roughly a year after losing part of her leg to a shark attack, Connecticut native Allie Truitt is set to compete for Team USA in the Paralympic Games in Paris starting August 28th, saying, I am so excited and just really can't wait to wear the American flag on my cap in races. Wearing the American flag to me stands as a thank you to the everyday American heroes all around me who have worked so hard this year to save me and are helping me rebuild my life.

Y'all, if you go to Turks and Caicos like Allie did, be careful of the sharks. She's since graduated from Yale University, where she competed as a Division I swimmer and was snorkeling with a friend when she was attacked. The pair swam roughly 75 yards in the open ocean.

With her saying me, bleeding profusely still, and both of us knowing a shark was still circling to get back to the boat to save ourselves. They did get back to the boat. A friend applied a tourniquet, which helped save Truett's life before she was airlifted to a Miami hospital. There, on her 23rd birthday, doctors amputated her leg below the knee.

Truett's prosthetist connected her with another of his clients, swimmer Jessica Long, who's on her way to competing at her sixth Paralympics this summer and hoping to add to her 29 medals. Truett and Long struck up a friendship and recently appeared on the Kelly Clarkson show together. Can I say, I think that if I saw a shark in the water, just anywhere around me, it wouldn't even need to attack me. It would be over right there. You would black out and then... Yeah. Yeah.

This is a miracle. It's insane. Not a miracle. It's just like you have stared death in the face. And God, for you to take that all the way to the Paralympics. Incredible. Incredible. Ali, we salute. I mean, can you imagine like from going from Shark Attack to gold medal?

That, I mean, it probably has been a movie. Wasn't it a movie? Wasn't there a movie called Soul Surfer? But that was Blake Lively. I don't think it was. I think it was. No, it wasn't. Soul Surfer was Anna Sophia Robb. Wow. Blake Lively was The Shallows. So Blake Lively was in a film where a shark absolutely terrorized her. But Soul Surfer, I believe, is about Miss Bethany. Right. But Ally's not a surfer. Who's Ally? Ally Truitt.

This is a mess. Oh, Soul Surfer was Anna Safia Roth. Yeah. Yes. Okay.

What about the Woodhalls, though? They are an Olympic Paralympic power couple. We all were wiping tears from our eyes when Tara Davis Woodhall won the Women's Long Jump event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just a couple weeks ago, who immediately ran to her husband and Paralympian Hunter Woodhall to celebrate the special moment together. I've never seen love like this.

You know that the life rights are being optioned. Oh, babe. Period. So now less than a month after his wife, Tara, won Olympic gold in the women's long jump, Hunter Woodhull will be aiming at bringing new items to their home collection at the Paralympic Games. Woodhull has three medals to his name already and will

and will be competing in the men's 100 meter T-64 and 400 meter T-62 in the French capital. They first met at the Simplot Games indoor athletics meet in Idaho in 2017. Hunter says he was leaving the track after running the 400 meter when Tara walked onto the track and said, I don't know why, but I just feel like I need to give you a hug. It writes itself. Oh my God. After that, the two started to exchange messages on social media. They got on the DMs and

And months later, they met again at the Arcadia Invitational Meet. That's when we started talking no stop. Tara Davis Woodhull said in a YouTube video they posted about how they met and they continued a long distance relationship while both were competing for different universities. Hunter and Tara got married in 2022. And today you will hardly find an event where one of them is competing and the other one's not there watching. New development as we head into the Paralympic Games. Hunter has recently revealed that he has contracted COVID amid training.

He posted on threads, I tested positive for COVID, unfortunate timing, but I knew it was a risk. Being around so much, celebrating and traveling won't be an excuse going to kick this thing and I'll be ready for the Paralympics. I feel like he's going to come back stronger than ever. I really do. I mean, like, I would hate for COVID to sneak back in. No. COVID, relax. You canceled 2020 games. You canceled Tokyo. It happened again in 2021 and it still was there. Yeah.

It was kind of there for Paris for the Olympics, but just leave the Paralympics alone. Please. Enough. Let these two have their gold medal ending. I'm serious. So, so much to look forward to, Beau, at the Paralympic Games. I mean, like, it's going to be an event like no other. Like no other. Let's give out our medals.

Gold medal, Hunter. Hunter. Hunter Woodhull. I mean, like, to me, I know this is going to end in a positive way because the power of love will compel. The power of love will compel. I guess we're going descending order. Oh, I suppose. No, that's okay. I'm going to give silver to Allie. I mean, shark attack to swimming. Mm-hmm. That is...

God, I mean, if you're a swimmer, if that's your life and it almost kills you and for you to still excel at it and to still want to tackle it head on and compete in it with the best of the world, that is incredible. And the bronze medal goes to the Eiffel Tower. So beautiful. Sorry, Ezra.

Follow Two Guys, Five Rings on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. And be sure to watch the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, August 28th to September 8th on NBC and Peacock. And you know they do such an amazing job of covering it, truly. We love you, Peacock and iHeart. We end every episode with a little tune. ♪