Journalists from around the world are gathered in Paris as the Summer Olympics continues. They include a group of journalism students from Queens University of Charlotte.
Palmer Magri is among them and she joins me now to share some of her observations.
Marshall Terry: We’ll get to the competition in just a moment. First, what’s it like there in Paris with all of this going on?
Palmer Magri: I would say it's electric right now. There are a lot of people from all over the world, but just seeing the athletic talent at the highest level has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that myself and my fellow Queens students have never been able to experience before.
Terry: There are several athletes competing that are from Charlotte, or they at least have Charlotte ties. Tell me about a few of them who have stood out.
Magri: Yeah, so the first one that stands out to me is Matej Duša. So Matej placed 39th place in the 50-meter freestyle event and he's representing team Slovakia. Matej is only a 23-year-old and he only has a year left at Queens [University], completing his fifth year.
Next up we have a Charlotte native, Kaylyn Brown, who competed for Team USA, claiming silver in the mixed 4x4 400-meter relay that happened on Saturday. The 19-year-old Mallard Creek [High School] alumni helped Team USA set a new world record for the event.
Another one that stands out to me would be Seth Rider, who is a Queens alumni. Rider, as of Aug. 5, competed on the USA Mixed Triathlon team, finishing in second place and being the first ever Queens’ Royal to medal at the Olympic Games.
Another one that stands out to me would be Evy Leibfarth, who placed third in the women's canoe single, earning a bronze medal, this is her first Olympic medal; she is a current Davidson student.
Anna Cockrell competed in the women's 400-meter hurdle race, finishing fastest in her race with the time of 53.91 seconds [and] advancing to the semifinals. Cockrell is also the daughter of Bank of America Charlotte President Kieth Cockrell.
Next up with our women's rugby team, we have Naya Tapper, who competed in the USA Rugby Team, winning a bronze medal.
Next, we have a Charlotte native, Stephen Curry, making his Olympic debut. He competed with the USA basketball team, but is doing great things on and off the court with lesser-known sports, such as showing his support at table tennis and signing autographs for the table tennis athletes there.
Terry: What have been some of the other highlights for you, both from the Olympic events and just Paris in general?
Magri: I was able to see my favorite golfer, Scottie Scheffler, play, and it was amazing to see the different courses that they have here versus the courses that I've grown up around, such as Quail Hollow, the Divide golf course, different Charlotte courses. Also, the crowd was amazing. You had so many Team USA people, but you also had so many Team France people. And I got to a point where I was so mixed in with the Team France people that I wanted to be like them and also cheer for them.
Terry: What about just Paris in general? Have you gotten to take part in the culture, food, going to the museums?
Magri: Truthfully, my favorite part has been the metro. I've grown up in Charlotte, and I've grown up around the constant traffic that we're facing every day in Charlotte. So experiencing the metro and taking a break from having to drive a car has been a breath of fresh air for me. I'm able to just see Paris right outside of the (train) window and then get to my destination. So as somebody that really has never used public transportation, it's been smooth sailing here.
Terry: I’m surprised by your answer. I think that might be the first time in history somebody has said their favorite thing upon going to Paris for the first time is the transit, not the museums or the food.
Magri: I know — very different. But I'm telling you, it was so nice to get away from the Charlotte traffic to the point where I'm like, OK, I'm ready to go back and get back in the car now and appreciate those little things.
