• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    Going for gold

    The astounding Texas athletes competing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Jul 5, 2021 | 2:15 pm

    After a long, excruciating extra year of waiting, the Tokyo Olympics are finally off and running this month. The event still known as the "2020 Olympic Games" starts Friday, July 23, and Team USA is set to jet over its best athletes — dozens of whom are Texans.

     

    Competitors from the Lone Star State are going for gold in events from gymnastics to long jump, from archery to wrestling, from shooting to swimming.

     

    Here's a quick look at top Team USA athletes from Texas (and how to follow them on Instagram), organized by sport. And by "from" Texas, we mean born or live here, or have ties to Texas schools or training centers around the state.

     

    One high-profile Olympic qualifier who'll now miss out? Dallas' Sha'Carri Richardson, whose positive drug test disqualified her from running both the 100-meter individual race and the relay.

     

    (Note: Most bio information comes from the official Team USA site. The story will be updated as more details become available.)

     

     Gymnastics

     

     Simone Biles, 24
     From: Spring
     On the road to Tokyo: The most decorated gymnast of all time hardly needs an introduction here. She clinched her historic seventh U.S. title in Fort Worth last month.
     Fun fact: So much has been written about her, there's practically nothing people don't know, but here's something fun: her favorite food is Italian.
     Follow: Instagram @simonebiles

     

     Jordan Chiles, 20
     From: Originally from Vancouver, Washington, but trains at the World Champions Centre in Houston with Simone Biles.
     On the road to Tokyo: She was the 2021 Winter Cup all-around, vault, and floor exercise champion and balance beam silver medalist.
     Fun fact: Her favorite thing about gymnastics is being around her friends and being able to do things that other people can't...like fly.
     Follow: Instagram @jordanchiles

     

     Diving
     

     Hailey Hernandez, 18
     Event: Springboard
     From: Southlake (The recent Southlake Carroll High School grad will attend University of Texas at Austin).
    On the road to Tokyo: 2018 World Cup team member (9th, 3-meter) and two-time World Junior Championships silver medalist is the youngest female diver going to Tokyo for Team USA.
     Fun fact: She has superstitions about what suit she wears and always talks to her coach and divers before her turn to dive.
     Follow: Instagram @_hailey.hernandez_

     

     Alison Gibson, 21
     Event: Springboard
     From: Austin (and attended UT Austin)
     On the road to Tokyo: 2020 World Cup team member
     Fun fact: When she's not training, she enjoys art, music, comedy, dance, data analytics, life coaching, inspiring, and consulting young athletes.
     Follow: Instagram @aagtexas

     

     Jordan Windle, 22
     Events: 3-meter, 10-meter
     From: UT Austin (hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
     On the road to Tokyo: 2020 World Cup team member
     Fun fact: Jordan and his dad Jerry co-authored a children's book called An Orphan No More...the True Story of a Boy about a white rooster who adopts a brown boy. The foreword was written by Greg Louganis, Jordan's favorite diver.
     Follow: Instagram @jordanpiseywindle

     

     Swimming

     

     Simone Manuel, 24
     Event: 50m freestyle
     From: Houston (Sugar Land)
     On the road to Tokyo: Four-time medalist (2 golds, 2 silvers) at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
     Fun fact: If she wasn’t a competitive swimmer, she would be either a singer or dancer.
     Follow: Instagram @swimone

     

     Drew Kibler, 21
     Events: 200-meter freestyle, 4x200m relay
     From: UT Austin (hometown: Carmel, Indiana)
     On the road to Tokyo: 2019 NCAA champion (800 freestyle relay)
     Fun fact: Enjoys fine art photography, slackening, drawing, painting, and hiking.
     Follow: Instagram @drew_kibler

     

     Townley Haas, 24
     Events: 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle
     From: UT Austin (hometown: Richmond, Virginia)
     On the road to Tokyo: Gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
     Fun fact: Got engaged in December 2020.
     Follow: Instagram @townleyh

     

     Natalie Hinds, 27
     Event: 4x100m freestyle relay
     From: Midland
     On the road to Tokyo: Hinds made history at the 2015 NCAA Championships as she, Lia Neal, and Simone Manuel became the first African-American swimmers to go 1-2-3 in a single event.
     Fun fact: After the death of George Floyd, Hinds spoked out to share her support for the Black Lives Matter movement in swimming and beyond.
     Follow: Instagram @_nhinds

     

     Lydia Jacoby, 17
     Event: 100m Breaststroke
     From: Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, but committed to UT Austin
     On the road to Tokyo: One of 11 teenagers on Team USA swim team.
     Fun fact: The first Alaskan swimmer on Team USA.
     Follow: Instagram @lydiaalicee_

     

     Erica Sullivan, 20
     Event: 1500m Freestyle
     From: UT Austin (hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada)
     On the road to Tokyo: She finished second in the 1,500-meter freestyle, behind Katie Ledecky
     Fun fact: She's a big movie fan and likes to compare the Best Picture nominees to types of everyday swimmers.
     Follow: Instagram @erica.sully

     

     Track and Field

     

     Ronnie Baker, 27
     Event: Men's 100m
     From: Texas Christian University (hometown: Louisville, Kentucky)
     On the road to Tokyo: He was named the Gatorade Kentucky Track and Field Athlete of the Year twice after winning the 100m and the 400m at the 3A state meet.
     Fun fact: He is a kinesiology major at TCU.
     Follow: Instagram @ronnie_baker14

     

     Jasmine Moore, 20
     Event: Triple Jump
     From: Grand Prairie
     On the road to Tokyo: A star at Mansfield Lake Ridge High School at University of Georgia.
     Fun fact: She is the youngest of the three women competing in triple jump for Team USA.
     Follow: Instagram @jasmineemoore

     

     Sally Kipyego, 35
     Event(s): 10,000-meter, Marathon
     From: Texas Tech University (born in Kenya, now lives in Eugene, Oregon)
     On the road to Tokyo: Won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London (representing Kenya).
     Fun fact: Became a U.S. citizen in 2017.
     Follow: @sallykipyego

     

     Bryce Hoppel, 23
     Event: 800-meter
     From: Midland
     On the road to Tokyo: First place at 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships and Outdoor Championships
     Fun fact: Loves playing many different sports, with baseball and soccer being his favorites outside of track and field.
     Follow: Instagram @brycehoppel

     

     Fred Kerley, 26
     Event: Men's 100m
     From: Texas A&M (hometown: Morgan City, Louisiana)
     On the road to Tokyo: World Championships 2019 – gold (4x400m relay); 3rd (400m)
     Fun fact: Younger brother Mylik ran with him on the Texas A&M track team.
     Follow: Instagram @fkerley99

     

    Read about more Texas A&M Aggies competing in the Olympics here and Texas Longhorns competing here.

     

     Inika McPherson, 34
     Event: High jump
     From: Galveston and Port Arthur
     On the road to Tokyo: Competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games
     Fun fact: Hobbies include reading, writing poetry, drawing, playing the guitar, designing clothes, singing, and playing basketball and volleyball.
     Follow: Instagram @inika_mcpherson

     

     Cycling

     

     Connor Fields, 28
     Event: BMX
     From: Plano (now lives in Las Vegas)
     On the road to Tokyo: Two-time Olympian (2012; 2016 - gold medalist)
     Fun fact: His go-to indulgent snacks are doughnuts and fried chicken.
     Follow: @connorfields11

     

     Lawson Craddock, 29
     Event: Road cycling
     From: Houston
     On the road to Tokyo: Two-time winner of Stage 1 of the Tour Columbia (2019, 2020)
     Fun fact: Injured from a crash, he finished all 21 stages of the 2018 Tour de France and raised over $200,000 for the velodrome in Houston after damage from Hurricane Harvey.
     Follow: Instagram @lawsoncraddock

     

     Shooting

     

     Vincent Hancock, 32
     Event: Skeet
     From: Fort Worth
     On the road to Tokyo: A three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist going into the Tokyo Games.
     Fun fact: A former sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, he earned the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Distinguished International Shooter Badge.
     Follow: Instagram @vincent_hancock

     

     Austen Smith, 19
     Event: Women's Skeet
     From: Keller and Dallas
     On the road to Tokyo: She was the 2019 Skeet National Champion.
     Fun fact: She graduated high school shortly after making the Olympic Team and enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington to study aerospace engineering. Her 20th birthday is the day of the Olympics Opening Ceremony.
     Follow: Instagram @austen.smithh

     

     Phillip Jungman, 26
     Event: Skeet
     From: Bryan and Caldwell, Texas
     On the road to Tokyo: 30th at the 2019 World Cup Changwon (skeet)
     Fun fact: He is an active duty specialist in the U.S. Army.
     Follow: Instagram @phillipjungman

     

     Softball

     

     Cat Osterman, 38
     From: Houston (now lives in New Braunfels)
     On the road to Tokyo: The celebrated left-handed pitcher is the 2004 and 2008 Olympic silver medalist.
     Fun fact: Wore No. 8 for Olympics in 2004 and 2008. Will wear No. 38 for this, her third Olympics, at age 38.
     Follow: Instagram @catosterman

     

     Volleyball

     

     Chiaka Ogbogu, 26
     From: Coppell
     On the road to Tokyo: She was a four-time AVCA All-American while playing at University of Texas. She is the Longhorns' all-time blocks leader.
     Fun fact: She says she is pursuing volleyball "for as long as I can to put myself out there so that young Black volleyball players can see themselves represented more in this sport."
     Follow: Instagram @chiaka11

     

     Basketball

     

     Ariel Atkins, 24
     From: Duncanville
     On the road to Tokyo: The Washington Mystics guard was named WNBA All-Defensive second team: 2018, 2019, and 2020.
     Fun fact: She participated in the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere (FLAME) program during the summer of 2016.
     Follow: Instagram @iamarielatkins

     

     Brittney Griner, 29
     From: Houston (also a star at Baylor University)
     On the road to Tokyo: Rio 2016 Olympic Games gold medalist
     Fun fact: Volunteers with former Houston Rocket guard Steve Francis' Holiday Bowling and Christmas Party for underprivileged children.
     Follow: Instagram @brittneyyevettegriner

     

     Skateboarding

     

     Jordyn Barratt, 22
     Event: Women's Skateboard Park
     From: Dallas (lived in Hawaii and now in California)
     On the road to Tokyo: She won 4th place in the 2018 World Championships.
     Fun fact: She was the first female to compete as a pro in both US Open skate and surf in the same year.
     Follow: Instagram @jordynbarratt

     

     Boxing

     

     Ginny Fuchs, 33
     From: Houston
     On the road to Tokyo: Placed 3rd in the 2018 Elite Women's World Championships.
     Fun fact: Her favorite food is any kind of croissant.
     Follow: Instagram @ginnyfuchsusa

     

     Fencing

     

     Courtney Hurley, 30
     Event: Individual, Team Epee Fencing
     From: Houston and San Antonio
     On the road to Tokyo: Two-time Olympian (2012, 2016); Olympic medalist (bronze)
     Fun fact: Has one older sister, Kelley, who qualified to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
     Follow: Instagram @thathurleygurrl

     

     Kelley Hurley, 32
     Event: Individual, Team Epee Fencing
     From: Houston and San Antonio
     On the road to Tokyo: Three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016); Olympic medalist (bronze).
     Fun fact: Has one younger sister, Courtney, who also qualified to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016.
     Follow: Instagram @thishurleygurrl

     

     Archery

     

     Mackenzie Brown, 26
     Event: Recurve
     From: Flint, Texas
     On the road to Tokyo: Part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Archery Team
     Fun fact: She has a talent for photography, and also enjoys baking and knitting in her spare time.
     Follow: Instagram @mackbrown14

     

     Rowing

     

     Gia Doonan, 27
     From: UT Austin (hometown: Rochester, Massachusetts)
     On the road to Tokyo: Won a bronze World Championship medal in 2019 in Women's Eight
     Fun fact: She learned about rowing in high school and fell in love with the sport then, she says.
     Follow: Instagram @gia_doonan

     

     Wrestling

     

     Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 28
     From: Katy
     On the road to Tokyo: 2019 World Champion
     Fun fact: She has a twin, Tarkyia, whom she credits with introducing her to wrestling.
     Follow: Intsagram @mensahtamyrastock

     

     Tae Kwon Do

     

     Paige McPherson, 29
     From: Abilene
     On the road to Tokyo: Won bronze at the 2012 Olympic Games, came in 11th at 2016 Olympics
     Fun fact: Is a part of the nonprofit organization A Safe Haven For Newborns, which helps newborns from the dangers of abandonment and aids mothers-to-be.
     Follow: Instagram @aka_mcfierce

    Simone Biles is the best gymnast in the world and the biggest name on Team USA.

    Simone Biles, Olympic trials
      
    Getty Images
    Simone Biles is the best gymnast in the world and the biggest name on Team USA.
    celebritiestexassports
    news/entertainment

    most read posts

    Vila Brazil to bring affordable Brazilian steakhouse to Cedar Hill

    Oak Cliff Dallas address says bye Swank and hello Indian restaurant

    Family-owned cafe to serve empanadas and Argentinian food in McKinney

    Movie review

    Early days of pandemic become a powder keg in tense movie Eddington

    Alex Bentley
    Jul 18, 2025 | 12:47 pm
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington.

    The coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on the entire world, one that has been shown in various ways by movies and TV shows. However, even though a number of productions have attempted to show what life was like during the early days of the pandemic, few have tried to truly reckon with the way lockdowns and restrictions changed people.

    Filmmaker provocateur Ari Aster does just that in Eddington, set in a fictional small town in New Mexico in early 2020 that proves to be a microcosm of the debates taking place worldwide at that time. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is not a fan of mask mandates or other restrictions imposed by the government, while mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) tries to lead by example in an effort to keep his community safe.

    The men butt heads not just on how to deal with the pandemic, but also over a personal history involving Joe’s wife, Louise (Emma Stone). When news of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota makes its way to town, it starts a slow simmer among the town’s youth population, putting even more stress on Joe and his small department. Conspiracy theories, white guilt, partisan politics, cults, and more combine to make the community into a powder keg that threatens to explode at the slightest provocation.

    Aster (Midsommar, Beau is Afraid) takes aim at all sides in a film that’s part satire and part thriller. No matter how each viewer reacted to the pandemic, the film offers at least a character or two that will come close to representing their viewpoint. Although opinions may differ, it seems clear that Aster is not portraying one side as “right” or more righteous than the other. What he is doing is demonstrating just how much was happening in a short period of time, and how those things could negatively affect anyone.

    On the flip side, the film also challenges viewers with viewpoints that may not match their own, which can make for an uncomfortable experience at times. The reactions various characters have to certain events range from rational to wholly unexpected, and Aster seems to delight in keeping the audience on their toes the entire time. This is especially true when violence rears its ugly head, resulting in some intense and upsetting scenes.

    Not everything in the film lands, though. A subplot involving Louise and Vernon (Austin Butler), a cult leader who preys on her fears, feels tacked on, with no relation to the film as a whole. In fact, the character of Louise is a misfire in general, one whose purpose makes little sense. Aster also lets (asks?) some actors speak in almost inaudible tones at various points in the film, a frustrating experience in a film as dialogue-heavy as this one.

    Phoenix loves to dig into off-kilter characters, and this one ranks high on that scale. Even if you don’t enjoy what his character does, it’s hard to fault the performance that brings him to life. Most of Pascal’s scenes are with Phoenix, and while he matches Phoenix’s energy, the lower key nature of his character leaves him overshadowed. The nature of the film means few others make an impact, although Deidre O’Connell as Joe’s passive-aggressive mother-in-law and William Belleau as Officer Jiminiz Butterfly stand out in their scenes.

    Few of us would volunteer to go back to the baffling days of early 2020, but Eddington does a great job of examining what was happening at the time and how events united some and divided others. It’s not a feel-good film, but it is one that will make viewers re-examine their reactions at the time and how those influenced the current reality.

    ---

    Eddington is now playing in theaters.

    coronavirus pandemicfilmmovies
    news/entertainment
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Dallas intel delivered daily.
    Loading...