OlympicTalk · Jan 13, 2017
Matt Grevers, after tearfully watching Olympics on airplane, keeps swimming
Swimmer David Plummer retires after 2 medals in RioFor years, U.S. swimmer Matt Grevers thought he would be in Rio de Janeiro on the night of Aug. 8, 2016.
Instead, he was at the Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport.
It’s 8:35 p.m., and Grevers is seated on his plane, which is taxiing to its takeoff runway. Grevers is unmissable at 6 feet, 8 inches, but in this instance he’s trying his best to be inconspicuous.
That’s because he’s ignoring (or at least delaying) protocol to turn off his phone. Grevers is watching on a stream the finalists being introduced for the Olympic men’s 100m backstroke final.