The Olympics bring many sports and many athletes into a spotlight that shines only once every four years. And the road to get there is often anything but golden.
For most Olympic athletes, especially in the United States, they compete for love more than money.
Case in point: U.S. track and field star Will Claye, who won silver medals in the triple jump in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016 and a bronze in the long jump in 2012.
"The medals — I put the medals away. You know, I never really basked in the medals because I was always chasing another medal," said Claye.
Claye had been one of the lucky ones, having a shoe sponsorship that allowed him to pay the bills while training.
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But in the Tokyo games he missed another triple jump medal by barely one inch, then just missed making this year's team.
"Right now, I don't have a super sponsor because I didn't make the team. The last Olympics I got fourth, you know. So at that point, my shoe company that I was with — I was with Puma, they dropped after I didn't get a medal.," Claye said.
The U.S. team is not government-funded, which leaves athletes to fend for themselves. Some make millions of dollars in endorsements, but most do not.
The U.S. women's rugby team won a dramatic and improbable bronze in Paris which has brought them a spotlight they never had before.
"I trained with a lot of those ladies in Chula Vista. So I've seen them, a lot of them, for the past eight years," Claye said "At the training center, grinding it out, making it happen. Then they came out with a bronze medal and just the support they're getting right now is amazing to see."
That new support includes a $4 million donation by Michelle Kang, the owner of the National Women's Soccer League's Washington Spirit franchise. That will allow the women to focus on getting even better for the 2028 games in LA.
Rapper Flavor Flav is sponsoring the U.S. women's water polo team.
Claye is already working to make it to the LA games in 2028, if his mind, body and pocketbook can get there.
"I'm just hoping that, I can get a little bit more support leading into 2028. I'm hoping that, because it's expensive. You see Lebron James spend $1 million on just therapy, just to take care of his body and look how good that's doing him. He's playing like he's 25 out there right now," Claye said.
Most Olympians can't afford things like high dollar therapists, but to reach Olympic glory they can't afford to do anything but keep trying.
