How Team USA’s Stars Prepare for Competition

The third time proved to be the charm for heptathlete Chari Hawkins, who finished second at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June after consecutive 15th and sixth place finishes. “I haven’t stopped crying since it happened,” the 33-year-old Idaho native told reporters. “Being an Olympian, oh, man! It’s so cool!”

On Making the Team: “I’m going to be honest, it’s almost traumatic making the Olympics. Because in America, there’s so many incredible athletes that it’s so hard to do. So, all we do up to trials is stress and freak out and cry and have panic attacks. And so, when you make it, there’s this overwhelming feeling of relief and happiness, but also that moment of, ‘Oh my goodness, we barely escaped with our lives as well.'”

Last-Minute Training: “The great thing about the Olympic trials is because there’s so many incredible athletes, we have to peak for that moment. So now we’re already in great shape, we’re ready to go. We’re needing to smooth out the edges and sharpen the tools and show up and just kill it in Paris.”

While in Paris…: “When I was 10 years old, I remember talking to my mom because she was always like, ‘I don’t want you to get any tattoos.’ I have no idea why I did this but I was like, ‘Listen Mom, I’m not going to get any tattoos unless I’m going to get the Olympic rings when I make the Olympics.’ My mom was like, ‘Chari, if you make the Olympics, I’m going to buy you the tattoo.’ So that will be happening in Paris.”