Good News Friday: Amazing, medal-winning comebacks from North Carolina’s Olympians

Our North Carolina Olympians are crushing it in Paris. Plus, check out some of NC’s bucket list destinations. 

Happy Good News Friday! We’re here to brighten up a very rainy week with some positive NC news stories. 

For past editions of our weekly positive story roundup, go here. 

Simone Biles and other international gymnastics stars coming to Charlotte and Greensboro this fall

 

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If you’ve been watching Olympic gymnasts defy gravity on your phone or TV this summer, now you have a chance to witness their awe-inspiring skills in person! 

The Gold Over America Tour (or GOAT, its very appropriate acronym) is making two stops in North Carolina this fall–Charlotte on Oct. 9 and Greensboro on Nov. 1. 

The tour features some of the biggest names in gymnastics–Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey from the U.S. women’s Olympic team, and Paul Juda and Stephen Nedoroscik (aka “Pommel Horse Guy”) from the men’s Olympic team, just to name a few. 

It’s not your average gymnastics meet, though; it’s a pop concert-meets-gymnastics spectacle with impressive choreography, lighting, and visual effects. 

Tickets are available online for all you gymnastics fans.

3 NC landmarks make list of U.S. bucket list destinations

 

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Honest Eco recently conducted a survey to uncover the country’s top “alternative” bucket list destinations, and three NC spots made it into the list’s top 100. 

Asheville’s Biltmore Estate secured the number 10 spot on the list, with Cape Lookout National Seashore coming in at 50, and Pisgah National Forest at 93. These inclusions sure show off the diversity of features that NC has to offer–from the mountains to the beach to our rich history–but we reckon we could fill the whole list with 150 bucket list-worthy NC destinations. 

Take a look at our guide to the most beautiful outdoor spots in North Carolina. 

NC Olympians bring home medals

 

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This year, 11 of Team USA’s Olympians hail from North Carolina, and though the Olympics aren’t over just yet—the Closing Ceremony is Sunday—these athletes have already helped bring home some of those coveted pieces of hardware. 

A few NC Olympians had awesome comebacks to win big in unexpected events.

US women’s rugby had never medaled at the Olympics before this year, but with the help of our two NC stars, Naya Tapper and Sammy Sullivan, Team USA upset the Australian team by scoring a last-second try to bring home the bronze medal.

Another surprising bronze medal win came from Bryson City’s Evy Leibfarth, who brought home Team USA’s first medal in canoe slalom since 2004. 

Leibfarth had the 12th best time in the Olympic semifinal of the women’s individual canoe slalom event, making her the very lowest seed in the event final. But Evy didn’t lose hope; she put on a killer performance, paddling the course a whole 7.63 seconds faster than her qualifying time to clinch the bronze medal at just 20 years old.

On Thursday, Charlotte native Anna Cockrell beat out Dutch star Femke Bol to win the silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles, giving Team USA a 1-2 finish, with Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone taking home the gold. 

I won’t make you read through my play-by-play of every NC Olympian’s winning moments, but I do want to shout out Tommy Paul and Cierra Burdick, who also brought home medals. Plus, look out for Kaylyn Brown in the 4×400-meter relay finals and Steph Curry in the men’s basketball finals, both happening this Saturday!