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Paralympic equestrian rider reflects on finally winning gold in fifth Games in Paris

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Paralympic equestrian rider reflects on finally winning gold in fifth Games in Paris

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When Becca Hart was a child, she didn’t have the same experience as everyone else her age or almost anyone else growing up.

While other kids were playing sports and taking dance lessons, Hart was often on the outside looking in, as she had been born with familial spastic paraplegia, a hereditary condition that weakens her legs.

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“You’re going to be like everyone else. But the world quickly pounds into you that that’s not the case. And I was really mad about that,” Hart told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

But one day, she got on a horse. And nearly 25 years later, she’s a Paralympic gold medal winner.

Becca Hart poses with her three gold medals from Paris. (Mercury LLC)

Hart says she “struggled with my disability as a kid” as the “magic” of enjoying childhood was essentially gone. That is, however, until she rode a horse for the first time.

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“But I was a horse-crazy little kid, and something clicked in my brain. This horse doesn’t care if my legs don’t work, they will do everything I need them to do. It was this light-bulb moment, and all of a sudden, I was able to take all the anger I felt and push it into a passion for horses and sport, and that was the catalyst for my obsession with horses and competing that has spanned over 25 years.”

Hart first participated in the Paralympics in Beijing in 2008, and it finally took until this past summer to earn gold; she is the captain of the USA’s equestrian dressage team.

But while she is not competing, Hart has worked at Starbucks since the year she made her Paralympic debut. But the company has become so much more than her place of employment.

“Starbucks has been wildly a part of my journey since before I was on the international scene. I was a working student trying to make my break into international performance. I needed a job, and Starbucks was there.

Becca Hart competes in Paris. (Mercury LLC)

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LOS ANGELES KICKS OFF JOURNEY TO 2028 OLYMPICS IN STYLE

“My manager knew I was doing ‘professional sports’ on the side, and he said, ‘Why don’t you look at this elite athlete program? It might be something useful for you.’ I looked into it, and they’ve been one of my main corporate sponsors for the last 16 years. Having the flexibility to travel the world, keep my job and have the financial backing to support that has been kind of paramount to getting triple gold this year.”

Hart jokes that the alarm clock going off at 3 a.m. to head to work shortly after winning gold was a tough kick back into real life, but on her return to work, she got a champion’s welcome.

“They decked the store out in gold, everything, streamers, sparklers, balloons. And the entire community came in at the end of my shift, the entire fire department, sheriff’s department, the mayor, my friends, customers, they all came in, and we just had a blast,” she said.

Hart admitted there were times she had to keep herself from getting distracted while competing.

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“When I glance to my right, there’s the [Château Versailles], the gardens, the waterfront, and I’m like, ‘Focus. Focus.’ I had to remind myself to really hone in,” Hart said. “I enjoy the pressure. Pressure is a privilege, but it’s tight. I needed a good performance, but I also needed a personal best, which is asking a lot in the Olympics, but we were able to pull it off.”

Gold medalist Rebecca Hart of Team United States poses for a photo during the Paris Summer Paralympic Games at Château de Versailles on Sept. 3, 2024, in France. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

And while her goal is finally accomplished, the best part about her sport is that there is longevity. Now, she wants USA equestrian to become a dynasty, and she will be in Los Angeles in 2028.

“We worked too hard and too long. We’re just getting good, we’ve just brought the U.S. into the spotlight, and I want to stay there, especially on home turf in four years.”

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Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

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Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

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The chaos between LSU coaches who left Ole Miss alongside Lane Kiffin but are still coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff is certainly a whirlwind.

Joe Judge, Ole Miss’ quarterbacks coach, has found himself in the thick of the drama — while he is not headed for Baton Rouge, he’s had to wonder who he will be working with on a weekly basis.

When asked this week about what it’s like to go through all the trials and tribulations, Judge turned heads with his answer that evoked his New England Patriots days.

 

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Aaron Hernandez sits in the courtroom of the Attleboro District Court during his hearing. Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of Odin Lloyd in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Aug. 22, 2013. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

“My next-door neighbor was Aaron Hernandez,” Judge said, according to CBS Sports. “I know this is still more chaotic.”

Hernandez was found guilty of the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, which occurred just three years into his NFL career.

“If you watch those documentaries, my house is on the TV next door,” Judge added. “The detectives knocked on my door to find out where he was. I didn’t know. We just kind of talked to the organization. But it was obviously chaotic.”

Aaron Hernandez was convicted of the 2013 murder of semipro football player Odin Lloyd. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

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Judge, though, was able to compare the two situations to see how players can combat wild distractions.

“Those players that year handled that extremely well. Came out of that chaos, and we had some really good direction inside with some veterans and some different guys. You have something like that happen — how do you handle something like that? How do you deal with something like that? So you keep the focus on what you can handle, what you can control, which at that time was football for us, and we went through the stretch, and we were able to have success that year,” Judge said.

Judge also compared this scenario to the 2020 NFL season when he was head coach of the New York Giants, saying he would have “no idea” who would be available due to surprise positive COVID-19 tests.

Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants looks on during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. The game took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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The Rebels face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, the College Football Playoff Semifinal, on Thursday night.

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Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

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Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

Calabasas pulled off a huge win in high school basketball on Tuesday night, handing Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 16 victories in a Marmonte League opener.

The Coyotes (13-5) have quietly turned around their season after a 2-4 start, winning 11 of their last 12 games.

One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills. He also leads the team in taking charging fouls.

He transferred to Calabasas after his freshman year at Viewpoint.

As for beating Thousand Oaks, coach Jon Palarz said, “We got to play them at home and had great effort.”

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This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

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Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

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The Atlanta Hawks have parted ways with four-time NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, trading him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster move, according to ESPN.

The Hawks will reportedly be receiving veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in the deal. 

Washington was Young’s preferred destination, and the two sides were working on a deal to get the 27-year-old point guard to the nation’s capital.

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Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.   ( Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Young’s agents were having conversations with the Hawks, who sit at 17-21 so far this season, about trading their client out of Atlanta.

There is a mutual connection in Washington, too, as executive Travis Schlenk drafted Young fifth overall in 2018 out of Oklahoma.

It marks the end of an era for the Hawks. Young has been the focal point of their offense since he was taken in that draft. He is the team’s career leader in three-pointers and assists, having led the team to the postseason in three of his eight seasons. The Hawks went the furthest in 2021, where they made the Eastern Conference Finals.

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However, the new era was brewing already in Atlanta, with forward Jalen Johnson taking the next step in his career, averaging 23.7 points per game this season. The pickup of Nickeil Alexander-Walker also helps, as he’s averaged 20.5 points per game in 36 appearances.

Meanwhile, Young has played just 10 games this season, as he’s been dealing with leg injuries, most notably a right MCL sprain.

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on after the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Hawks also get some flexibility on their books, as they could make some more moves. Anthony Davis is reportedly available from the Dallas Mavericks, making him a good target for Atlanta.

Young has $95 million remaining on his deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option this offseason.

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Atlanta will be taking on McCollum’s contract, though the veteran guard has a $30.6 million expiring deal.

Through his 10 games this season, Young is averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field.

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks drives down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena on April 7, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Over his career, Young has dropped 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game, while leading the league in the latter category last season with 11.6 per contest.

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