Theisen-Eaton Puts Rio Ducks on the board with Bronze
08/14/16 | General, Track and Field
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brianne Theisen-Eaton showed newfound maturity in her bronze-medal effort in the heptathlon at the 2016 Olympics at Olympic Stadium on Friday and Saturday. What's up for debate is whether the former University of Oregon athlete revealed it more in her comeback from a wretched first day or in how she planned to celebrate.
"With some NyQuil and sleep," the Canadian athlete said Saturday night in response to a question about her party plans.
The 2011 UO alumna struggled during Friday's session of the seven-event competition. After four results -- including 17th out of 29 in the shot put -- she sat in sixth overall. Yet instead of letting her performance torment her, as it had when she faired similarly at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and cried all night, she said she woke up Saturday feeling rested, not restless.
"Yesterday, even though things were going bad, I was holding myself together," the 27-year-old said. "I didn't freak out, I wasn't panicking. I was just trying to stay calm, and (tell myself), 'It's going to be OK. I still have tomorrow and a lot can happen in three events, you know.'
"That's probably why I woke up feeling fresh today, because I didn't freak myself out. I just kind of shrugged my shoulders and was like, 'You have work to do.'"
She started the day with a fourth-place finish in the long jump and added 11th in the javelin and fifth in the 800 to tally 6,653 points. Belgium's Nafissatou Thiam won the gold with 6,810 points and 2012 gold medalist Jessica Ennis-Hill of Great Britain took the silver with 6,775.
Theisen-Eaton's husband, 2010 Oregon alum Ashton Eaton, who is in Rio to defend his gold medal, had been chatting with her throughout the competition. He donned a Canada hat in support of his wife Friday night and had garnered some flack on social media for it. That didn't stop him from wearing it again Saturday when he greeted her with a hug after final tallies were announced.
She said it helped her realize how many people from both countries were rooting for her.
"I actually feel like maybe our fan base grew a little bit, just from that situation," she said. "But I think it definitely helped tonight because I realized the amount of people who were just there, like 'We're cheering you on. Go Team North America!'"
Top American finisher Barbara Nwaba, 27, who placed 12th, has trained with the couple in Santa Barbara. She said as a realist about her own abilities, she was among those secretly rooting for Theisen-Eaton to grab the gold.
"I'm so proud of her. She kept in it and she's awesome," Nwaba said. "She got her medal and so she's going to be known for doing that -- getting a medal at the Olympics and being one of the best."
