Brittney Griner was emotional after securing Olympic gold EPA France pushed Team USA all the way in the final Getty
She helped the US beat hosts France 67-66 in a thrilling final to win her third gold medal.
“This one meant a lot to me,” Griner said.
“I mean, just having a chance to play for gold, represent my country, what my country did for me. Yeah, this is the highest on the pinnacle right here.”
Griner , 33, was handed a nine-year sentence in Russia and spent 10 months in jail.
She spent 10 months in jail before U.S. officials were able to negotiate her exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The Phoenix Mercury center had been playing in Russia during the WNBA break and vowed never to play internationally again unless it was for her country.
“It was a long journey, a hard journey to get back into it,” she added.
“I’m just happy that my body was able to hold up and be able to be here.
“Waking up, going to practice, even when you don’t want to practice, having the opportunity to do that, because we overlook it.
“That’s the opportunity that we get to do and I just cherish every second I can now.”
Griner scored a record 30 points in the gold medal match at Tokyo 2021 and managed four in five minutes Sunday.
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