South Garden
11:47 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you. Thank you, Jilly.
You know, as the man who heads up the Veterans Affairs for The united states — the large dude standing there — you should sit down, fellas — knows, I’m glad the Lord didn’t come down and give me a selection amongst getting President and an Olympian. (Laughter.) I — I experienced all individuals Walter Mitty desires, you know. And they weren’t about being President they had been about getting a great athlete. I assumed I was, you know, in superior faculty and higher education. (Laughter.)
But I explain to you what, you all are unbelievable. You’re totally extraordinary. Welcome to the White Household. Welcome to the White Residence. (Applause.) This is your house. This is the People’s Household.
The Bidens are a huge sports spouse and children, and we enjoy looking at the Olympics. And Jill came house from Tokyo — all she could do was speak about you all frequently. You think I’m kidding. I’m not. (Laughter.)
And we know that, no make a difference the outcomes, we wished to honor you in this article at the White Property. I’m going — and I’m sorry you had to hold out that 12 months in between the time it was set and the time to go. I indicate, you have been through so damn — darn substantially. (Laughter and applause.) You’ve been as a result of so a lot.
6 hundred American Olympians and Paralympians from the Summer season Video games in Tokyo and the Winter season Games in Beijing. Athletes from all throughout The usa, from all kinds of backgrounds — including 18 veterans of the United States Armed Forces who are listed here today. They are right here currently. (Applause.)
And more than 260 medals throughout a dozen athletics, weighing a million lbs. (Applause.) Thanks for permitting me keep those people medals, man. It made me really feel crucial for a 2nd. (Laughter.) They are a thing else. Thank you.
We also know the pride your families felt and how hard it was for them and for you that they could not be there in human being with you.
Our preferred section of the Olympics — Jill and my family members — was observing your family members check out you. I’m not joking — seeing your families view you, finding out about who you are. For the reason that we master about how massive and assorted and gifted — how terrific this country is, just how various we are.
The pandemic built instruction and competing specially hard and draining. But you did it. You all did it. And we were in awe not just of your remarkable athleticism but your stamina and your point out of intellect — but most of all your character. You all have these outstanding character.
No issue what function you compete in, you draw inspiration from your operate — your tough work, your courage, your willpower as you check out it — as we view you. I’m really serious.
Whether you’re a would-be athlete like me or you have never played a sport — I’m significant. You’re just — I — glance at you. Glimpse how you deal with victory and defeat. It’s just astounding. Astounding.
And as I was stating to a pair of the Paralympians, you encourage persons. You encourage persons about the environment. You encourage them to go after — to go after their hopes and their desires not just in sport but in daily life.
I’ve experienced young children come up to me and say, “Did you see? Did you see? I consider I can.” Not a joke. You all know it. It is real.
There are people today you’ll in no way meet up with who witnessed how difficult you competed, trained, and pushed by yourself. And you aided them believe that in them selves. You’ve assisted them imagine that they can do matters that, “Maybe, perhaps — just maybe I can.”
They appear at you and see that in spite of the psychological, mental, and money, and bodily toll, you’ve hardly ever gave up. You just really don’t quit.
As I said to our overseas leaders — my counterparts: There is no stop in America. There is just no stop. And you are the quintessential instance of that. There is no give up in The united states. None. (Applause.)
The electric power of your illustration provides so quite a few people power to under no circumstances give up as properly. It issues. It especially matters these days. Mainly because of the pandemic, so much turmoil has occurred. So numerous people are dealing with issues, specially minimal young children, in terms of health, psychological wellness issues, and the like. You have offered individuals so significantly hope.
In you, I see who we are as a nation. The only nar- — country in the planet that can be outlined by one word — a single phrase. I was questioned when I was in the Tibetan Plateau with Xi Jinping — and he appeared at me. We experienced just — I experienced a simultaneous interpreter, and he experienced one. And he looked at me and he explained, “Can you determine America for me?” It’s a correct story it is been posted all around the entire world by now. And I explained, “Yes, I can, in just one word: opportunities.”
We feel: In America, nearly anything is probable. And you are the explanation of what we imply. (Applause.) You are — it’s all about possibility, breaking limitations. You stand for the pretty soul of The us, and that’s not hyperbole. You genuinely do.
I’m absolutely sure you’ve been told this a thousand situations considering the fact that you have been dwelling when the folks discuss to you and inform you about what they imagined when they were observing you.
You know, and as sporting activities does like couple matters, you served us unite the nation. We’ve been a incredibly divided nation philosophically of late, but you brought us together. For no matter the divisions, when we see you contend, we feel a typical delight in people a few letters: U-S-A. I signify that. There is a prevalent delight. It crosses all political spectrums.
You know, by the lows and the highs and the tears and the pleasure, we were with you every single moment — with all of you — no matter whether it was your first time competing or the fruits of your vocation.
I want to thank you for demonstrating what we can do with each other as one The usa and a single Group United states. And now — now it’s my honor to introduce 1 of our astounding athletes, Elana Meyers Taylor. (Applause.) Hometown: Douglasville, Ga. Her father, a star soccer participant at the Naval Academy ahead of turning out to be a Maritime.
Like so many of you, she grew up playing athletics: college or university softball in this article in D.C. at G.W. — George Washington University — as a pitcher and a shortstop. She came near to earning the Olympic Softball Staff, but by no means gave up on her Olympic dream.
In the course of the 2002 Winter season Video games in Salt Lake, she viewed the American bobsledder Vonetta Bouquets turn into the very first Black athlete to acquire a gold medal at a Wintertime Video games. (Applause.)
And this is what I necessarily mean by inspiration. With her mother and her dad’s support, she switched athletics, trained hard. You know she’s devoted — she even married a bobsledder. (Laughter.)
Educated more difficult soon after turning out to be a mother. And right after a silver and bronze in Beijing, she turned the most decorated female to ever compete in Olympic bobsled and the most embellished Black athlete in the Winter Olympics background. (Applause.) And she committed her medals to her lovely baby boy, Nico.
She carried our flag during the Closing Ceremonies. Right now, she’s right here to signify her fellow Olympians and our region at the White House.
Elana, the podium is yours. You attained it. (Applause.)
11:55 A.M. EDT