Five things to know about Nelly Korda’s chase for a second gold medal at Paris Olympics
Like most of the athletes in this week’s Olympic field, Nelly Korda grew up dreaming of winning major championship titles.
She watched both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games with her uber-talented and tight-knit family, but never thought she’d be the one wearing a gold medal.
Yet, now here she is in Paris, a two-time major champion and two-time Olympian looking for a second gold medal.
“Doesn’t really feel like I’m defending,” she said of competing for gold in a different country three years later. “I’m just going to go out, enjoy the experience.
Hopefully enjoy the fans. The men had amazing fans out here. I was wowed by how many people are out here watching and just happy that I’m back in this position. I’m here representing my country. I’m a two-time Olympian and I’m living out my dream.”
Here are five things to know about World No. 1 Nelly Korda, a six-time winner on the LPGA this season, as she prepares to take on Le Golf National at the 2024 Summer Games:
Family firsts
When it comes to good vibes, Korda has plenty coming into Paris with younger brother Sebastian winning on the ATP Tour over the weekend and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler taking gold on the men’s side.
Sebastian, the youngest of the Kordas’ three children, could’ve joined Nelly in Paris representing the U.S. tennis team but opted not to compete.
The Olympics are staged in between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and many of tennis’ top-ranked players are skipping the Games to prepare for the next Grand Slam.
On Sunday night, Sebastian clinched the Mubadala Citi DC Open, 32 years after his father, Pedr, won the then-Sovran Bank Classic. They are the first father-son duo to win the same ATP Tour event.
The Kordas’ mom, Regina, competed in the 1988 Olympic Games, but Petr never did make an Olympic appearance.
“We always make fun of the boys because we say that the girls in the Korda family are the only ones that are the Olympians and the boys are not,” said Nelly, whose older sister Jessica, a one-time Olympian, is on maternity leave.
Fan for a day
In 2021, Korda was unable to take in any other sports during the pandemic but took advantage this time in Paris, catching Katie Ledecky win the 800m freestyle, something she first accomplished as a 15-year-old in London, then again in Rio and once more in Tokyo.
