In a departure from the political histrionics, left-wing protest, and aggressive twerking that has come to characterize U.S. competitors during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, U.S. Olympic wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock went viral for her reaction to winning gold. Mensah-Stock said her performance was enabled by the “grace of God” and emphatically stated that she was proud to represent the U.S.
“Of course I surprised myself, it’s by the grace of God I’m even able to move my feet,” Mensah-Stock said during the post-match interview after winning gold. “I just leave it in his hands, and I pray that all the practice, the hell that my freakin’ coaches put me through, pays off. And every single time it does, and I get better and better, and it’s so weird that there is no cap to the limit that I can, and I’m excited to see what, what I have next!”
When asked how she felt about representing the United States in the Olympics, Mensah-Stock stated,”It feels amazing. I love representing the U.S., I freaking love living there, I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent U-S-A! Love it!”
All glory to God!
pic.twitter.com/CRdqbTuXw1
— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) August 3, 2021
Mensah-Stock’s speech received far more positive accolades from American spectators than the one given by silver medalist shot putter Raven Saunders, who shook her buttocks at the camera after failing to win gold and ranted about intersectionality:
Openly lesbian black U.S. shot putter Raven Saunders aggressively shook her buttocks at the camera in a twerk maneuver after failing to record a gold medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympics this weekend, and gave a lengthy speech about intersectionality, LGBT politics, and racial justice at her silver medal acceptance ceremony.
Saunders, sporting a neon green and purple buzzcut, Saunders made an X sign with her wrists at the podium for her silver medal, explaining, “It’s the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.”
Mensah-Stock is just the second American woman to take home gold in the Olympics.