Monobob: Team USA’s Humphries, Meyers Taylor go 1-2 at Olympics

Monobob at the 2022 Winter Olympics
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The 2022 Winter Olympics (schedule here) marked the debut of monobob, a new bobsled event. The first ever Olympic medals in women’s monobob were awarded on Sunday night in the United States (Monday morning in Beijing) – just after Super Bowl LVI concluded.

Two Team USA athletes – Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor – claimed gold and silver, marking the U.S. team’s first 1-2 finish in bobsled since 1932. Canada’s Christine de Bruin won bronze.

If you’re still confused about what monobob is or why it’s making its Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, On Her Turf is here to help. See below for an explanation of how monobob works, as well as live updates from the four runs of competition.

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Monobob – Live Updates and Results:

Fourth Run of Women’s Monobob: 

10:00pm ET: In the final run, the top-ranked athlete (based on combined time from the first three runs) starts last. That means Team USA’s Kaillie Humphries – who currently leads by 1.55 seconds – will be the final competitor down the track.

Here’s are the top-10 women heading into the fourth and final monobob run. The athlete with the fastest cumulative time will win the inaugural Olympic gold medal.

  1. Kaillie Humphries (USA)
  2. Christine de Bruin (CAN)
  3. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA)
  4. Laura Nolte (GER)
  5. Breeana Walker (AUS)
  6. Huai Mingming (CHN)
  7. Ying Qing (CHN)
  8. Cynthia Appiah (CAN)
  9. Melanie Hasler (SUI)
  10. Nadezhda Sergeyeva (ROC)

10:15pm ET: While 20 athletes will compete in this fourth and final run, only the final five really have a shot at a medal. Currently in gold-medal position is Kaillie Humphries with a massive lead of 1.55 seconds. That will be nearly impossible for anyone to overcome unless Humphries makes a major mistake.

10:25pm ET: It’s time for the final 10 athletes!

10:36pm ET: Let’s talk about home ice advantage. The 2022 Winter Olympics mark China’s first time competing in a women’s bobsled event, and both of China’s monobob athletes – Huai Mingming and Ying Qing – will finish in the top 10.

10:42pm ET: Germany’s Laura Nolte just posted the second-fastest time of the run to move into first. Only Aussie Breeana Walker went faster in this run. But here comes the final three…

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10:45pm ET: Elana Meyers Taylor is guaranteed at least a bronze! She slides into first with two athletes remaining…

10:47pm ET: The U.S. is guaranteed to win gold in women’s monobob after Canada’s Christine de Bruin slides into second.

10:49pm ET: Team USA finishes 1-2! First time the U.S. finishes 1-2 in a bobsled event since 1932. Kaillie Humphries wins gold, Elana Meyers Taylor gets the silver. Christine de Bruin of Canada will take home bronze.

10:51pm ET: Wow. Humphries’ margin of victory (1.54 seconds) is the largest margin of victory in bobsled since 1980, per NBC Sports’ Nick Zaccardi.

11:03pm ET: All of the records! Here’s some of the history Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor just made at the 2022 Winter Olympics:

  • First U.S. gold in bobsled since 2010
  • First U.S. gold in women’s bobsled since 2002 (the debut of women’s bobsled)
  • Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor extend their lead as the most decorated female bobsledders in Olympic history with four medals each
    • Humphries: 3 gold, 1 bronze
    • Meyers Taylor: 3 silver, 1 bronze
  • By winning gold, Kaillie Humphries is just the second athlete, and first woman, to win winter Olympic gold medals for two distinctly different nations. Short track speed skater Viktor Ahn won three gold medals with South Korea in 2006 before switching affiliations and winning three more gold medals for Russia in 2014.
  • At age 37, Elana Meyers Taylor is the oldest woman to win an Olympic medal in any winter sport, breaking the record 36-year-old Lindsey Jacobellis set earlier in Beijing.
  • At age 37, Elana Meyers Taylor is the oldest woman to win an Olympic bobsled medal of any color.
  • At age 36, Kaillie Humphries is the oldest female gold medalist in the sport of bobsled.

  • By claiming her fourth career Olympic medal, Elana Meyers Taylor is the most decorated U.S. bobsled athlete of all time. It’s an impressive feat given that men have previously had two medal opportunities while Meyers Taylor only had one. (Note: Humphries won her first three medals while competing for Canada. The 2022 Winter Olympics mark Humphries’ fourth Olympic appearance, but first representing the United States. Humphries departed the Canadian federation in 2019 after filing a complaint alleging verbal and mental harassment by Canada’s bobsled coach.)

Video of Kaillie Humphries’ winning run in the Olympic debut of women’s monobob:


A few frequently asked questions about monobob, like: What is monobob?

Women’s monobob is the newest bobsled – also known as “bobsleigh” – event. One athlete pushes, drives, and brakes, though just getting the 365-pound sled to the start line is a team effort.

At the 2022 Winter Olympics, only women will compete in monobob. The event was added as a way to help equalize the men’s and women’s bobsled events, but even with monobob, they aren’t exactly equal. Men compete in a two-man and four-man event, while women have a two-woman and monobob competition.

RELATED: How close are the Winter Olympics to being gender equal?

How do you win in monobob?

Like all other Olympic bobsled events, monobob competition consists of four runs (across two days). Final rankings are determined based on combined time from all four runs.

How much does a bobsled weigh?

A monobob weighs 365 lbs., which is just 10 pounds less than a two-woman sled (375 lbs). That said, monobobs are far less expensive than two-woman sleds: about $15,000 compared to $70,000.

How fast does a bobsled go?

In women’s monobob, athletes competing in Beijing reach upwards of 75 miles per hour by the time they reach the end of the track.

Why was monobob added to the Olympics?

While men have competed in two Olympic bobsled events for nearly a century, thanks to the addition of women’s monobob, the 2022 Winter Olympics will mark the first time that female bobsledders have two medal opportunities.

Female pilots, that is.

But while only one athlete competes in monobob, it isn’t really a one-woman event.

Push athletes (also known as brakemen) help with every aspect of the event, “Except the actual ride down the track,” U.S. pilot Elana Meyers Taylor said.

Meyers Taylor and fellow U.S. driver Kaillie Humphries – the most decorated female bobsledders in Olympic history with three medals each – weren’t particularly happy when monobob was added to the Olympic program. They had instead been advocating for the addition of a four-woman event.

READ MORE ABOUT THE DEBUT OF MONOBOB: Despite the name, monobob is not a one-woman event

Women’s monobob was appealing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because the event arguably allows for more competitive balance between nations. Monobob sleds are far less expensive – and with all sleds produced by the same manufacturer – there is less room for wealthy bobsled nations to pay for technical bells and whistles.

But the additional event has resulted in a different cost, one that falls on the shoulders of the athletes who aren’t even eligible to win a medal in the event.

Female push athletes often spend just as much time preparing for the monobob competition as they do the two-woman event. “We’re increasing the workload, but with less people to do it,” said U.S. push athlete Sylvia Hoffman.

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Bobsled Competition Format:

Start Order:

  • Run 1: The top 10 pilots (based on their international ranking) choose start numbers between 4-13, with the highest-ranked athlete picking first.
  • Run 2: The start order is based on results from the first run. The 20th-ranked athlete starts first, then 19th, and so on.
  • Run 3: The top-ranked pilot after the first two runs starts first. The lowest-ranked pilot goes last.
  • Run 4: In the final run, start order is reversed again. The top-ranked athlete (based on combined time from the first three runs) starts last.

Monobob – Live Updates/Results from Runs 1-3:

 

First Run (8:30pm ET): 

8:32pm ET: Women’s monobob has made its Olympic debut! South Korea’s Kim Yoo-Ran is the first athlete down the track, clocking 1:06.68, an automatic track record.

8:36pm ET: U.S. pilot Elana Meyers Taylor, the top-ranked monobob athlete in the world, is the fourth athlete to go. She has a big skid at the top, but still clocks the fastest time so far (1:05.12). Plenty more athletes to come, though, including…

8:38pm ET: Fellow American Kaillie Humphries is on track! Humphries is making her fourth Olympic appearance in Beijing, but first representing the United States. Humphries comes down into first (1:04.44), despite a few mistakes.

MORE ABOUT KAILLIE HUMPHRIES’ TEAM USA SWITCH: Two days after gaining U.S. citizenship, Kaillie Humphries wins bobsled World Cup

8:45pm ET: Canada’s Christine de Bruin – the seventh starter of the day – slides into second place (tied with Meyers Taylor). De Bruin made her Olympic debut four years ago, finishing seventh in the two-woman event in PyeongChang.

8:48pm ET: Germany’s Laura Nolte with a strong run (1:04.74), sliding into second. Nolte won the gold in this event when it debuted at the Youth Olympic Games in 2016. Current monobob standings are: Humphries, Nolte, and de Bruin and Meyers Taylor tied for third, with 11 athletes still to come in the first run.

8:55pm ET: A few surprises so far… Australia’s Breeana Walker had some slides and skids, as did Germany’s Mariama Jamanka. Both athletes have some work to do in the final three runs to get back into podium contention.

8:57pm ET: China’s Ying Qing slides into fifth (1:05.16) in her Olympic debut. Her countrywoman, Huai Mingming, is currently sixth. While most athletes are still getting to know the Olympic track (guided by a test event in October, plus some training runs in the last week), the host nation clearly has more practice on this track. Heading into the 2022 Winter Olympics, China’s best ever finish in any Olympic bobsled event? Twenty-sixth place, a result achieved by China’s two-man and four-man sleds at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

9:11pm ET: Here is Jamaica’s Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian… Eight years ago, Fenlator piloted the third U.S. sled at the 2014 Sochi Games. She has since switched to representing Jamaica, and four years ago, she piloted Jamaica’s first ever women’s Olympic bobsled team. In the debut of Olympic monobob, Fenlator-Victorian slides into 18th, a full two seconds back from Humphries’ leading time.

MORE SLIDING NEWS: Last-place finisher in women’s skeleton is just happy to be at Olympics

9:15pm ET: That’s it for the first run. The second run begins in less than an hour (10pm eastern, 11am in Beijing). Current standings: 1) Humphries, 2) Nolte, 3) de Bruin and Meyers Taylor (tie). With three runs remaining, there are plenty of athletes in the mix for a spot on the podium. The top eight finishers are all currently within one second of each other.


Second Run (Saturday at 10pm ET): 

10:02pm ET: We are back on track for the second heat of women’s monobob! A quick reminder on the competition format: in run #2, athletes go in reverse order of their ranking from run #1. That means Team USA’s Kaillie Humphries, who leads by 0.30 seconds, will go last.

10:12pm ET: After a tough first run, Germany’s Mariama Jamanka – the defending Olympic gold medalist in the two-woman event – struggles again, her sled fishtailing at moments.

10:15pm ET: Margot Boch, a first-time Olympian for France, takes the lead…. but with the fastest athletes still to come, how long will it hold up?

10:19pm ET: Canada’s Cynthia Appiah was considered a contender in women’s monobob after a strong World Cup season. But the 31-year-old from Toronto is likely off the podium after struggling in her first two runs.

10:22pm ET: Romania’s Andreea Grecu moves into first. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics mark Grecu’s third Olympic appearance, but the 28-year-old is aiming for her best-ever finish after finishing 15th and 17th in 2018 and 2014, respectively.

10:30pm ET: Swiss slider Melanie Hasler slides into first… for now.

10:36pm ET: Talk about home track advantage. Huai Mingming and Ying Qing are both guaranteed to finish the top 10 after day one despite China never having fielded a women’s bobsled team before. With four athletes remaining, Huai is in first while Ying is in fourth.

10:37pm ET: Wow. Canada’s Christine de Bruin with two big runs. Definitely will enter day two in contention for a medal even if she doesn’t finish day one in the top-three.

10:40pm ET: Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor, who had a tough start to these 2022 Winter Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, slides into second behind de Bruin.

10:42pm ET: Germany’s Laura Nolte, who was in second after the first run, misses her line near the top of the track and struggles the rest of the way. She squeezes between de Bruin and Meyers Taylor in the standings.

10:44pm ET: A statement day from Kaillie Humphries. With the best lines of any competitor, she posts the fastest times in both runs. She will enter the second day of women’s monobob competition with a massive 1.04-second lead, a huge margin in bobsled.

10:47pm ET: Here are the top 10 athletes after the first two runs.

  1. Kaillie Humphries (USA) – 2:09.10
  2. Christine de Bruin (CAN) +1.04 seconds
  3. Laura Nolte (GER) + 1.22 seconds
  4. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) +1.32 seconds
  5. Huai Mingming (CHN) + 1.80 seconds
  6. Melanie Hasler (SUI) +1.94 seconds
  7. Breeana Walker (AUS) +1.99 seconds
  8. Ying Qing (CHN) +2.05 seconds
  9. Andreea Grecu (ROU) +2.17 seconds
  10. Cynthia Appiah (CAN) and Margot Boch (FRA) + 2.18 seconds

10:53pm ET: Women’s monobob competition continues on Monday morning in Beijing (Sunday night in the United States). Run three begins at 8:30pm ET, while medals will be awarded at the conclusion of run #4 (10pm ET). A full women’s monobob schedule is below.


Third Run (Sunday at 8:30pm ET): 

8:30pm ET: The first ever medals in women’s monobob will be awarded today. Final rankings will be based on cumulative time from all four runs (lowest combined time wins). Here’s where the rankings stand after the first two runs:

  1. Kaillie Humphries (USA) – 2:09.10
  2. Christine de Bruin (CAN) +1.04 seconds
  3. Laura Nolte (GER) + 1.22 seconds
  4. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) +1.32 seconds
  5. Huai Mingming (CHN) + 1.80 seconds
  6. Melanie Hasler (SUI) +1.94 seconds
  7. Breeana Walker (AUS) +1.99 seconds
  8. Ying Qing (CHN) +2.05 seconds
  9. Andreea Grecu (ROU) +2.17 seconds
  10. Cynthia Appiah (CAN) and Margot Boch (FRA) + 2.18 seconds

8:33pm ET: Team USA’s Kaillie Humphries, who is in first place after two runs, kicks off the third heat.

8:35pm ET: Canada’s Christine de Bruin slides into second, but she continues to lose time on Humphries.

8:40pm ET: Just outside of the medals after the first two runs, U.S. pilot Elana Meyers Taylor with a very speedy run. Good enough to push her past Germany’s Laura Nolte and into bronze-medal position heading into the medal-deciding run.

8:48pm ET: WOW. Australia’s Breeana Walker was expected to be a medal contender in the Olympic debut of monobob, but after a tough first day, she appeared to be out of the medal mix. But she comes down the track with the second fastest run of the heat so far – behind only Humphries – to move from seventh to fifth in the standings. As it stands now, she is just a half-second off the podium.

8:52pm ET: Because of the way the start order works (fastest athletes go first in run #3), no more athletes in this run are expected to contend for a spot on the Olympic podium in Beijing. With every slider who comes down, Kaillie Humphries just looks more and more impressive. She currently leads the field by 1.55 seconds – a massive lead in bobsled.


Women’s Monobob Schedule – 2022 Winter Olympics

Bobsled Event Date/Time (U.S. Eastern Time)  Date/Time (Beijing, China)  How to Watch
Women’s Monobob (Run 1) 2/12/22 8:30 PM 2/13/22 9:30 AM NBC | Peacock | NBCOlympics.com
Women’s Monobob (Run 2) 2/12/22 10:00 PM 2/13/22 11:00 AM Peacock | NBCOlympics.com
Women’s Monobob (Run 3) 2/13/22 8:30 PM 2/14/22 9:30 AM Peacock | NBCOlympics.com
Women’s Monobob (Run 4) 2/13/22 10:00 PM 2/14/22 11:00 AM NBC | Peacock | NBCOlympics.com

The NBC Olympics research team contributed to this story. 

Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges still to come and embracing her AAPI heritage

Head of USA Gymnastics Li Li Leung.
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Li Li Leung joined USA Gymnastics as president and CEO in March 2019, when the organization was reeling from the fallout of Larry Nassar’s widespread sexual abuse and the subsequent revelations of larger cultural issues within the sport. Since then, Leung has seen USAG through an ongoing transformation, one that hinges on the work of the survivors and staff around her, whom she is quick to credit. That evolution, as she calls it, has included instituting new norms and standards at all levels of the sport, particularly in matters related to athlete safety.

Among the notable USAG initiatives that Leung has brought to fruition is the Athlete Bill of Rights, established in December 2020 as a tool “to unite the full gymnastics community around a shared vision of behavioral expectations.” At the same time, USAG instituted a protest policy for national team members aimed at supporting athletes who choose to use their voice on public platforms. Both initiatives were among the first of their kind in sport.

Prior to joining USAG, Leung served as a vice president at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she was responsible for building and managing key partner relationships around the world. She continues to use that experience in her roles as vice chair of the National Governing Bodies Council of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Executive Committee.

Leung, who began competing in gymnastics at age 7, was a member of the U.S. junior national training team and represented the U.S. at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games. She was a four-year member of the four-time Big 10 champion University of Michigan gymnastics team and was an NCAA Championships participant.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, On Her Turf sat down with Leung to talk about her journey with USAG, the challenges still to come and how being a member of the AAPI community has shaped the person she is today.

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This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start by talking about your journey since joining USA Gymnastics in 2019. What have the last four years been like for you?

Li Li Leung: This was just an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me. And I really mean that because I started in the sport when I was 7 years old and did it for 15 years. It’s taught me all of these different skills that I apply to my daily life, both professional and personal. It feels a little bit like I’ve come full circle, and honestly, never in a million years did I think I would find myself in this role. … I joined at a time when it was a tumultuous time for the organization. It’s been just a little a little over four years now, and it has been an incredible journey — and believe it or not, I have enjoyed it. While it hasn’t been easy, I actually have enjoyed it, because I’ve been able to make it not just me. One thing that’s important to note is that — I had even said on my first interview with the board — it will take a village to accomplish what we need to accomplish. This is not a one-person job. And I was lucky enough to be able to bring on a leadership team that has been incredible, and also retain the staff that we have retained, as well as hire other new staff members. And it’s because of them and some really key volunteers that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to do.

OHT: Can you talk a little more about this cultural transformation that the organization has experienced and your approach to tackling this all-encompassing change?

Leung: When I was interviewing for the position, I actually met every single board member. It was really critical to both sides that they felt that I matched the role and their needs and also I had to be confident in the board believing in the ultimate mission of the organization and what we wanted to achieve. So that the culture really does stem from the well – from the top down and everything in between as well. And when I was looking for leadership team, … one of the characteristics I was really looking for was they couldn’t have an ego. The job couldn’t be about themselves or about what they would personally get out of the role. It had to be about them believing in the bigger picture and believing in what we collectively wanted to achieve. I knew that we would only be able to accomplish what we need to accomplish if people were willing to roll up their sleeves and just do whatever needed to be done, so that was one of the key things in terms of having no ego.

Since 2018, we’ve turned over more than 70 percent of our staff. We’ve been able to retain the really key members of our staff, who have been critical to our success, but also have been able to really bring in new thinking, new blood, new perspectives. Because the other thing I was looking for when I was hiring for the leadership team was diversity in perspectives. That was critical because I did not want to be surrounded by “yes people.” I wanted to be surrounded by people who would be willing to have really robust conversations and engage in difficult conversations, because ultimately, you end up in a better place because of that.

In 2020, we reset our mission to be about building a community and culture of health, safety and excellence, with athletes who thrive in sport and in life. So we were no longer about developing technically superior gymnasts who perform well in gym. We reset our focus to be about helping set our athletes up for success with the skill sets that you learn in gymnastics, and when we come to the office each day, that’s what we’re thinking about. …

The other piece is we also know from a community standpoint that our national team coaches are the most visible representation (of USAG), and a lot of coaches model them. So we’ve been working really hard in terms of working on educating our national team coaches. We work with Positive Coaching Alliance to do educational training with them as well. And we also have introduced training specifically for young coaches coming in, because we know when they come in and they’re new, that they’re eager to learn, and that’s when you can start training and moving them in a way. So our thinking is with this top-down and bottom-up strategy, eventually the middle will meet.

OHT: You noted how the coaches can be some of the most visible representatives of USAG. Regarding the addition of 2008 Olympic silver medalists Chellsie Memmel (USAG technical lead) and Alicia Sacramone Quinn (USAG strategic lead), how have those women impacted the program?

Leung: The addition of Chellsie and Alicia has been fantastic. They have been phenomenal to work with, and the fact that they have firsthand experience of having gone through it themselves – that also gives them a very good idea of what they would change and what they wouldn’t change, at the same time. It has been a phenomenal addition to be able to have this perspective of firsthand, high-level, high-performing athletes to be able to lead our high-performance team. And the athletes are saying it as well. They’re saying, “We trust them; we feel confident in their decisions; we can relate to them” — all of those things that historically haven’t really happened before.

Then in terms of the athletes who are going to college and coming back to compete with USA Gymnastics – there are so many aspects that I think are great about this. One: It’s showing a lengthened career in a sport that historically has not been very long because it’s so demanding on the body. So that means that our athletes are physically healthier, as well, that they can train and compete at a high level for a longer period of time. It also means that they’re enjoying it more because they’re staying in the sport. From an emotional standpoint, they’re finding a lot more joy in the sport, and they’re talking about it, too. And we love the fact that they’re talking about it. We want them to talk about it, and we want them to have voices and feel open and free about sharing what they’re thinking about. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying seeing almost like — I’m not sure if I can go as far as a new era in the sport maybe — but just this evolution of the sport and the athletes changing in front of my eyes.

OHT: What do you consider now to still be the biggest challenge or obstacle for USAG?

Leung: There are a couple of big initiatives on the list. One is we want to build a training and wellness center where all of our disciplines will train under one roof. This is a long-term project, obviously, but my vision around it is that it will be the heart and hub of gymnastics in America. And while this is where national team athletes will ultimately train to some extent, it is going to be a welcoming place for athletes of all different disciplines and all different levels. We want it to be a place where young athletes can come through and see their role models training. We want this to be a place of education for our community and judges. We want to be able to run clinics there for all different levels. We just want this to be a gathering place of gymnastics and to be able to celebrate the sport there at the same time.

We’re also going to reset our foundation. There’s been the National Gymnastics Foundation, but we are going to reset it and basically be much more proactive on fundraising and development to grow the sport and also to raise more money for athletes in their training.

OHT: Turning to AAPI Heritage Month and being named to the 2023 Gold House A100 List (the A100 is named each May honoring 100 Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society over the past year). What did that honor mean to you?

Leung: It was such an incredible honor to be recognized by them, and my fellow honorees — when I read the list, I thought to myself, “I don’t belong.” There are some incredible names on that list. But again, I go back to what I said earlier: I owe this honor to a lot of the other people who work [at USAG]. I think the really important thing to recognize is that this was not done by just me. It was done by a lot of other people who are on staff and who aren’t getting the accolades or the recognition. But it was an incredible experience to be, and I’m very, very touched and honored to be on that list.

OHT: How do you identify within the Asian American Pacific Islander community? Did you embrace your heritage growing up and how has that shaped who you are today?

Leung: So I’ll tell you a story that I’ve mentioned to other people recently. I grew up in a town called Ridgewood in Bergen County, New Jersey, and most of my friends had blond hair and blue eyes. When I was growing up, I wanted the name “Nancy Smith,” and I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to fit in. As a kid, you always want to fit in. Then when you get older and wizen up a little bit, you realize that it’s okay and it’s good to be different, that you can use that to your advantage. And so upon growing up, I realized that it’s pretty special to be Asian American and there are benefits to being Asian American, and you should embrace the fact that you are different. In fact, I recently lectured to a women-in-sports-business class, and one of the questions they asked me was about impostor syndrome. I said the same thing that I’m saying to you now, which is absolutely embrace who you are. Absolutely embrace your differences, because those ultimately are embedded advantages to who you are and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. So that’s my philosophy now.

OHT: Do you or your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

Leung: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a tradition, but in the Chinese culture, food is really important. Food is what brings people together. It’s a sign of respect, and that is the ultimate unifying language in a way. So when we do get together as a family, it’s really important for us to get together around a meal, because that’s when we share our stories. That’s when we connect with one another.

OHT: You might have just answered my next question, but I want to ask: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Leung: It’s funny, I was actually at a conference last week and you were supposed to find someone you didn’t know in the conference and share a secret talent that you have. I shared that I can eat a lot more than most people think. Food is a really important part of our culture and in my upbringing and family.

OHT: Lastly, I wanted to ask, as we’ve seen an increase in hate-filled actions toward the AAPI community, what does supporting the AAPI community look like for you?

Leung: Well, I think kind of going back to my other answer, it’s just about embracing who you are and embracing your differences. I think part of it is being unafraid of it at the same time, which I know is really difficult. But if you’re going to truly embrace it, and then you can’t be afraid about embracing it at the same time.

MORE FROM ON HER TURF: Laureus award winner and three-time Olympic medalist Eileen Gu on Stanford, elevating women and changing the game

2023 Mizuho Americas Open: How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at Liberty National GC

Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand tees off on the eleventh hole during Day One of the HSBC Women's World Championship.
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The Statue of Liberty is the backdrop for this week’s inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tournament boasts a theme of mentorship and education, and includes a girls’ 72-hole, modified Stableford tournament featuring 24 juniors to go along with the 72-hole stroke-play event for 120 LPGA professionals.

The field is led by seven of the top 10 players on the Rolex Rankings including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 3 Lydia Ko, No. 4 Lilia Vu and No. 5 Minjee Lee. Also teeing it up this week are the finalists from Sunday’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, where Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her second LPGA title with a 3-and-1 victory over Japan’s Ayaka Furue.

Michelle Wie West is serving as the tournament host, and she’ll be on hand to welcome fellow Stanford alum Rose Zhang, who’s fresh off her second straight NCAA individual title and turned professional just last week. Zhang will have her first go at an LPGA prize purse, which tops out at $2.75 million this week with the winner taking home $412,500.


How to watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open

You can watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

  • Thursday, June 1: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Friday, June 2: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Saturday, June 3: 5-8 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
  • Sunday, June 4: 4:30-5 p.m. ET (streaming only on Peacock); 5-7:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock

ALSO FROM ON HER TURF: Wake Forest captures team title at 2023 NCAA DI women’s golf championships, Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins individual crown


Who’s playing in the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open?

The 120-player field features seven of the top 10 players (and 16 of the top 25 player) on the Rolex Rankings:

  • No. 1 Jin Young Ko
  • No. 3 Lydia Ko
  • No. 4 Lilia Vu
  • No. 5 Minjee Lee
  • No. 6 Atthaya Thitikul
  • No. 8 Brooke Henderson
  • No. 9 Georgia Hall

Also in the field are 2023 winners Celine Boutier (LPGA Drive On Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), plus several sponsor exemptions including reigning NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang and her Stanford teammate Megha Ganne. Ganne, a native of Holmdel, N.J., finished T-21 at the recent NCAAs and is playing as an amateur. Joining them as an exemption is fellow Cardinal Mariah Stackhouse, who has conditional status on tour in 2023. Monday qualifiers include tour rookie Alexa Pano and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith.

Among the notable juniors expected to play are 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Anna Davis, 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Yana Wilson and 2022 U.S. Junior Girls’ runnerup Gianna Clemente. The 24 junior players were invited through their standings in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.


What’s the format for the Mizuho Americas Open?

The professionals will play a 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut to the top 50 and ties after 36 holes. The 24 juniors will play a 72-hole, no-cut competition using the modified Stableford scoring format and a different yardage than the pros.

During the first two rounds, the AJGA players will all be paired together. During the final two rounds, one junior player will play with two LPGA pros with groupings based on scores. This unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase junior and professional competitors playing together.

Stableford scoring refresher: “Stableford” is a scoring system that awards points for the number of strokes taken on each hole in relation to par, rather than simply counting strokes like in stroke play. Unlike in stroke play, where players want the lowest score, the goal in Stableford scoring is to have the highest score. Standard Stableford points values are:

  • 0 Points – Double bogey or worse (two strokes or more over par)
  • 1 Point – Bogey (one stroke over par)
  • 2 Points – Par
  • 3 Points – Birdie (one stroke under par)
  • 4 Points – Eagle (two strokes under par)
  • 5 Points – Albatross or double eagle (three strokes under par)
  • 6 Points – Condor (four strokes under par)

More about Liberty National Golf Club

Located on the shore of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Liberty National Golf Club was designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite and officially opened on July 4, 2006. After the course received mixed reviews following the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust in 2009, the course underwent a renovation led by Steve Wenzloff of PGA Tour Design Services. Of note, the course hosted an event during the PGA Tour Playoffs four times (2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021) as well as the 2017 Presidents Cup, where the U.S. defeated the Internationals 19-11 for the Americans’ seventh consecutive victory in the competition and its 10th straight win overall. For this week’s event, the course will play to a par of 72 with an unofficial scorecard yardage of 6,671 yards.

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