{"id":9257,"date":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tegnasandbox.com\/tegna\/advertise\/2020\/08\/17\/preparing-to-cover-her-5th-games-tegnas-cheryl-preheim-shares-her-favorite-olympic-memories-2\/"},"modified":"2023-01-25T10:57:13","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T17:57:13","slug":"preparing-to-cover-her-5th-games-tegnas-cheryl-preheim-shares-her-favorite-olympic-memories-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/preparing-to-cover-her-5th-games-tegnas-cheryl-preheim-shares-her-favorite-olympic-memories-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing to Cover Her 5th\u00a0Games, TEGNA\u2019s Cheryl Preheim Shares Her Favorite\u00a0Olympic\u00a0Memories\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of the NBC family for two decades, Cheryl\u00a0<\/span>Preheim<\/span>, weekday evening anchor for 11Alive in Atlanta,\u00a0<\/span>covered the 2012\u00a0<\/span>Summer\u00a0<\/span>Olympics in London, England;\u00a0<\/span>2014\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>inter Games in\u00a0<\/span>Sochi, Russia<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>2016 Summer Games in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the 2018 Winter\u00a0<\/span>G<\/span>ames<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>PyeongChang<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0South Korea.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With a unique opportunity to<\/span>\u00a0share the<\/span>\u00a0inspirational<\/span>\u00a0stories of many team USA athletes<\/span>, s<\/span>he’s closely followed the journeys of Olympians like 3-time Olympian Elana Meyers Taylor, 5-time gold-medal swimmer Missy Franklin, and gold-medal skier Mikaela Shiffrin.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a challenge to choose one favorite memory from years of an event built on inspiration and the stories of incredible people who overcome tremendous odds to reach their dreams.\u00a0<\/span>In her own words, h<\/span>ere are some of\u00a0<\/span>Preheim\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0favorite Olympic moments<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hugging History with Swimmer Missy Franklin<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

I was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at the<\/span>\u00a0London Aquatics Center in 2012.\u00a0<\/span>It was a sold-out crowd.\u00a0<\/span>17-year-old Missy Franklin was making her Olympic Debut<\/span>\u00a0dancing and smiling on the pool deck.\u00a0<\/span>She<\/span>\u00a0had a way of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reminding people about the joy of the sport. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My team and I had<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>followed her for\u00a0<\/span>year<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0leading up to the Olympics.\u00a0<\/span>She and h<\/span>er family opened their home and let us into their lives.\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019d known the Franklins since Missy was<\/span>\u00a011. By the\u00a0<\/span>time we were in London<\/span>, they<\/span> were like an extended family<\/span>.<\/span> I was\u00a0<\/span>standing near the diving boards, just 50 fee<\/span>t away\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>the wall she touched to win her first Olympic gold.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When she got out of the water and came over to us, we hugged. I\u00a0<\/span>said to her, \u201cYou are now Missy Franklin Olympic gold medalist!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0She laughed and cried simultaneously<\/span>\u00a0and said, \u201cI can\u2019t believe it. I really can\u2019t believe it!\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having seen all it took<\/span>\u00a0for Missy and her family<\/span>\u00a0to get that moment<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ga<\/span>v<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>me a deeper appreciation for the significance\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0reaching th<\/span>e Olympic<\/span>\u00a0dream<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That Olympics<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Missy Franklin\u00a0<\/span>broke a world record<\/span>,<\/span>\u202fbecame the first woman to\u202f<\/span>win<\/span>\u202ffour\u202f<\/span>gold medals in a single Olympics in any sport<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and was the most decorated woman of the 2012 Games. Michael Phelps was the most decorated man. She went home and got ready for her\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>enior year of high school.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fun & Games<\/span><\/b>\u00a0with Skier Mikaela Shiffrin<\/span><\/b> in Sochi<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Snow and rain are not a good combination. The morning of the gold medal\u00a0<\/span>s<\/span>lalom race\u00a0<\/span>at the 2014 Games in<\/span>\u00a0Sochi<\/span>,<\/span> the rain was breaking down the\u00a0<\/span>snow on<\/span> the course<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

O<\/span>ur\u00a0<\/span>TV<\/span>\u00a0equipment\u00a0<\/span>was drenched\u00a0<\/span>as we waited at the finish line. At\u00a0one point,\u00a0<\/span>Russian Olympic volunteers stopped to talk with us.\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>hey offered\u00a0<\/span>us\u00a0<\/span>some garbage bags to help protect our camera<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Team USA skier Mikaela Shiffrin crossed the finish line to win her first Olympic gold medal, she came to talk to us. We were wearing those garbage bags over our soaking wet winter coats.\u00a0<\/span>Mikaela<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>laughed\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>said she may have won gold, but we should win best dressed<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Swimmer Simone Manuel Makes History in Rio<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

At the\u202f2016 Olympics\u202fin Rio, I watched as Simone Manuel made history with her gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. She became the first <\/span>African-American<\/span>\u00a0woman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming. She set an Olympic record, too.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had the opportunity to interview Simone and her mom. They were both incredible and talked about the honor of having the chance to encourage others to follow in Simone\u2019s footsteps and be a part of the sport.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking Forward to Tokyo<\/span><\/b>\u00a0with Christian Taylor<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

The reigning\u00a0<\/span>Olympic<\/span>\u00a0and world triple jump champion\u00a0<\/span>Christian Taylor<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>an inspiration. He is humble, grounded<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and kin<\/span>d even as he was voted \u201cAthlete of the Decade\u201d for Track and Field.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>He is favored to win\u00a0<\/span>his 3<\/span>rd<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>consecutive\u00a0<\/span>Olympic\u00a0<\/span>gold in 2021.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Christian is<\/span>\u00a0dedicat<\/span>ed to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>help<\/span>ing<\/span> the next generation have access and opportunity to the sport<\/span>. He also\u00a0<\/span>works to\u00a0<\/span>help ensure that same opportunity to athletes from<\/span>\u00a0around<\/span>\u00a0the world.\u00a0<\/span>His dad was his coach growing up and still coaches at his high school<\/span>\u00a0in Metro Atlanta<\/span>. It was great to<\/span>\u00a0see them work together to help young athletes when he hosted his invitational\u00a0<\/span>for hundreds of kids around\u00a0<\/span>Georgia<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u00a0<\/span>recently\u00a0<\/span>just launched\u00a0<\/span>The Athletics Association, a body for athletes to have a greater voice and influence over their sport.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>He is a voice for sport, social justice, and building community. H<\/span>e sees his position as a leader on Team USA goes far beyond the competitio<\/span>n.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Your Advertising Strategy for the Tokyo Games?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Olympics has always symbolized a time when the world pauses, in peace, to come together around the idea that if you work hard you can achieve a dream. Coming after postponement, a global pandemic, and heightened awareness and action addressing social injustice, the 2021 Games will be <\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>significant and powerful opportunity for the world to come together and showcase the peace and unity that the Olympics stand for.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Share your\u00a0<\/span>Olympic goals with us<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and a member of\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>TEGNA\u2019s Power of Inspiration team <\/span>will help you<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>l<\/span>aunch<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a gold medal campaign of your own.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the 2012 Games in London to Tokyo in 2021, 11Alive weekday evening anchor Cheryl Preheim shares her favorite memories from covering the games throughout her career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","wpautop"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tegna.com\/advertise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}