The last three and a half years have been challenging for athletes. Whether it was interruptions in training, illness or the one-year postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games due to the pandemic, athletes needed to stay strong and composed while remaining focused on their goals. That spirit, backed by the legacy of the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), was evident at the NYAC All Sports Dinner on Nov. 13.
Olympic champion discus thrower Valarie Allman earned a silver medal at this year’s World Athletics Championships and reflected on the importance of the New York institution. “The NYAC has such a rich history in athletics and in the Olympic movement,” she said. “I hope to carry forward the legacy that the club represents. It definitely is a motivator to wear that winged foot [the club’s emblem] and to be here to celebrate in person.”
A number of athletes competed at the recently concluded Pan Am Games, including gold medal-winning hammer thrower Deanna Price, a NYAC member since 2016. “It’s amazing to be a part of the NYAC legacy and say, ‘I’m an Olympian. I’m a hammer thrower. I’m a part of the New York Athletic Club,’” said Price.
The sport of water polo was extremely well represented at the All Sports Dinner. Spirits were high that the U.S. men’s and women’s teams have qualified for next year’s Olympics in Paris. “I’m excited for the USA team,” said Isabel Williams, a goalie for the University of California Berkeley and a member of NYAC’s team.
Olympic silver medalist and six-time world champion wrestler Adeline Gray spoke on behalf of the honored athletes. The pandemic impacted Gray’s personal life as she and husband Damaris Sanders had planned to start a family after the 2020 Olympics. With plans delayed for a year, she is grateful for the ongoing support that NYAC offered.
“A lot of us who came out of the COVID experience, whether we got to accomplish our dreams or not, struggled to find our footing,” said Gray, who gave birth to twins in July 2022 and won bronze at the 2023 World Championships, securing the U.S. an Olympic berth. “We didn’t really get to celebrate and have our moment in Tokyo [at Olympics in 2021]. I remember coming here at this club and finally getting to feel like I got to celebrate.”
