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Getting a chance to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics was already a win in itself for Brittney Griner following her nearly 10-month imprisonment in Russia.
The WNBA star, 33, revealed that she teared up as the “Star Spangled Banner” played following the U.S. women’s basketball team’s 67-66 victory over France because it was a moment she didn’t think she would get to experience.
“My country fought for me to get back. And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There’s just no greater feeling,” the Phoenix Mercury player said about the Sunday, Aug. 11 win, per Yahoo Sports.
Although this is Griner’s third Olympic gold medal, she noted that her emotions were “all over the place,” as this one would “hold a special place amongst the other two.”
“I didn’t think I would be here,” she said, per Yahoo Sports.
According to Olympics.com, the athlete contributed four points and two rebounds during the game and dedicated the win to her newborn son, Bash. Griner welcomed Bash with her wife, Cherelle Griner, in July.
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The win comes more than two years after she was detained in Russia on Feb. 17, 2022, after a customs dog allegedly found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her carry-on bag. Griner was initially sentenced to nine years in prison, but she was released in a prisoner swap on Dec. 8, 2022.
In May, Griner opened up to PEOPLE about how her imprisonment left her fearful of traveling internationally.
“My wife and I [used to enjoy going] down to Mexico for a bit. But now I’m just like, ‘Nah, I can’t do it.’ We can go to a beach in America. There’s plenty of beaches here. There were countries I wanted to visit before, but [not] now,” she said.
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The basketball star, however, told PEOPLE that she was open to traveling to Paris for the Olympics because “the same country that brought me home would protect its Olympic athletes.”
