Time for a debunk
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Happy Friday!
The best way to start the weekend? We’re biased, but sharing The GIST with a pal. Forward this newsletter to a friend you’re hanging with this weekend, then scroll on in preparation for the gab sesh ahead.
— American gymnast Jordan Chiles, breaking her silence after having her Olympic bronze medal stripped by the IOC due to a protocol technicality. The fight isn’t over yet, though — USA Gymnastics has promised to pursue the matter all the way to the highest court in Switzerland.
Breaking at the Paris Olympics
🕺 Time for a debunk
The GIST: A viral, memeable moment from the Paris Olympics has quickly become clouded by hate and malicious lies, with some falsely claiming that Australian B-Girl Raygun, aka, Rachael Gunn, conspired her way into the Games.
The context: Gunn performed one of the most…memorable breaking routines in Paris, taking over the Internet with her kangaroo dance and ultimately failing to earn any points.
- The 36-year-old said she was bringing “creativity” to breaking with her original moves, as she knew she couldn’t match her younger competitors’ power. Fair enough.
The misinformation: After the Games, false claims began to spread that Gunn, as well as her husband and coach Samuel Free, manipulated the Australian breaking qualification process so that she could compete.
- The rumor mill swirled so quickly that a change.org petition calling for a “full investigation” into Gunn garnered 57K signatures. It has since been taken down following demands from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
The facts: Neither Gunn nor her husband have held positions of authority in Australian breaking organizations, and Gunn secured her Olympic spot fair and square last October, earning the highest marks from a panel of nine judges, none of whom were Australian.
- The AOC is fully defending Gunn and has decried the harassment and bullying she’s faced, while Gunn herself is asking for privacy, calling the online hate she’s received “devastating.” Enough is enough.
⚽ USMNT reportedly hiring Mauricio Pochettino as new head coach
With a home World Cup just two years away, the USMNT has chosen Pochettino — an esteemed European coach with a lengthy Premier League resume — to lead the struggling men’s squad. Though a final contract hasn’t yet been signed, Pochettino is expected to take the reins before the squad’s September 7th friendly against Canada. Onwards and upwards.
🚴 Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma surges to the top of the Tour de France Femmes leaderboard after five stages
With only three stages left in the race for the coveted yellow jersey, 22 seconds separate the Polish cyclist from American Olympic gold medalist Kristen Faulkner and the Netherlands’ Puck Pieterse at the top of the rankings, setting up a fantastic finish heading into the final weekend of action. Allons-y.
🏀 Indianapolis will host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game for the first time
Before the W’s thrilling return to action post-Olympic break last night, the league announced on Wednesday that Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever, will host next year’s All-Star festivities. Shine bright, shine far.
⚾ NY Yankees slugger Aaron Judge becomes fastest player to hit 300 career home runs
The Yankees captain needed just 955 career games — a stunning 122 less than the legendary Ralph Kiner — to reach this historic milestone, and now has a league-leading 43 homers on the season after rewriting the history books in Wednesday’s win over the Chicago White Sox. All rise, indeed.
⛳ LPGA: Scottish Open — Ongoing through Sunday — Golf Channel
- Australia’s Minjee Lee sits atop the leaderboard with one round in the books from the land of unicorns, but American Megan Khang is lurking right behind her in second place. Expect chaos on the links with three rounds to go.
🏌️ PGA: FedEx St. Jude Championship — Ongoing through Sunday — ESPN+
- The three-weekend FedEx Cup playoffs have officially arrived, teeing off with the top 70 players on the FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List competing in this weekend’s St. Jude Championship.
- With only 50 making it through to next week’s BMW Championship, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
🥎 Athletes Unlimited Softball: Week 4 of 5 — Tonight through Sunday — ESPN Networks
- The innovative five-week, fantasy style season rages on and the standings are tighter than ever, with just four points separating the top-two — outfielder Amanda Lorenz and catcher Sashel Palacios. Batter up, baby.
Together With ION
Addicted to beach volleyball after taking in the Paris Olympics action? Enter: This weekend’s AVP Manhattan Beach Open.
Featuring Team USA Olympians, including Kelly Cheng & Sara Hughes and Chase Budinger & Miles Evans, the weekend is sure to be a, ahem, hit.
- The action culminates with the Finals airing live on ION Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Mark your calendar and tune in.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🇧🇼 Who came home in style
Batswanan track star Letsile Tebogo. The 21-year-old sprinter was welcomed home by a packed National stadium to celebrate his gold medal success in Paris.
👝 What’s in the bag?
Let’s ask Snoop Dogg — the hip-hop legend shared what he brought with him for his Olympic Games adventures. Magnifique.
📈 Who’s the most valuable
The Dallas Wings, who were just valued at $208M, making them the most valuable team in the W. Everything’s bigger in Texas, after all.
Take Your Pick
NY Liberty
Las Vegas Aces
No better way to spend your weekend than taking in this 2023 WNBA Finals rematch (and potential 2024 Finals preview) between Breanna Stewart’s Libs and A’ja Wilson’s Aces. Let us know who you think will win tonight’s 6 p.m. ET showdown. Swish swish.
Today’s email was brought to you by Lauren Tuiskula, Alessandra Puccio, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Janine Kiefer, Emma Leishman, Emily Ohman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Parul Kanwar. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster and Alessandra Puccio. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.