Jordan Larson: Olympic gold medal is 'the culmination of years of hard work'
That sentiment comes in part from the longevity of the 37-year-old Larson, who joined the U.S. national team in 2009 after a standout collegiate career. University of Nebraska.
The gold medal winners at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics are: London 2012 And a bronze medal Rio 2016He recorded an incredible decade of dominance, including winning the world title in 2014. FIVB Nations League The U.S. women won gold medals in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
“Winning gold in Tokyo is the culmination of years of hard work,” Larson explained, noting that it was a first for the U.S. women's team.
“In reality, [a gold medal] “Everything you achieve is just a snapshot of a moment in time. It's the journey that sticks in your memory. And I think that's a good thing. When you put more emphasis on pure results and less on results that are based on daily effort, you fall in love with the process and getting better every day. Knowing that you're putting in the right amount of effort to get what you “want” gives you hope.”
It's a work ethic Larson has tried to embody among his U.S. teammates competing among the best programs in the world.
“Over time, we've learned from our failures and shortcomings what we can do to make ourselves better,” she continued. “And culturally, I think we've built a great foundation of what it means to be a good teammate and how we should work every day. Culture is important. If we don't know how to work with each other, we're not actually going to feel good. And we try to cultivate that.”
Larson said the culture encompasses a system of group and individual improvement, and that he and his Olympic teammates Jordyn Poulter He made similar comments in a separate interview with Olympics.com last month.
“I'm always evolving,” Larson said, adding, “A new generation is coming in and it's a whole different landscape. I had to figure out how to navigate that space if I wanted to stick around. So I'm really grateful for how much I've grown. I'm a totally different player than I was my first year on the national team.”
“And I don't take for granted the opportunities I've had. I expect it will help me in whatever I do next.”
