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Meet the Olympics superfan who spent her savings to get to her 7th Games

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PARIS (AP) — Covered with pins and adornments, Vivianne Robinson is hard to miss in the streets of Paris.

The Olympics superfan has attended seven Summer Games over the span of 40 years. But this trip to Paris came at a hefty price — $10,000 to be precise.

Robinson, 66 and from Los Angeles, maxed out her credit cards and worked two jobs to afford the trip and the 38 event tickets she purchased. She worked on Venice Beach during the day, putting names on rice necklaces, and bagged groceries at night. She said she has to work two more years to make up for the money she spent following her passion for the Summer Olympics to Paris.

“It was hard to save up and it’s a big budget, but it’s a thousand times worth it,” she says.

Even still, she was disappointed to pay $1,600 for the opening ceremony only to end up watching a screen on a bridge. “You know how long that takes to make that much money?” she ask, eventually adding: “But things happen in life and life goes on and you win if you lose a few.”

During her interview, a passerby suggests Robinson use her fame to open an account and ask people to help fund her passion.

“That doesn’t matter. I can make the money eventually,” she responds.

Robinson’s fascination with the Olympics started when her mother worked as a translator for athletes at the University of California, Los Angeles, during the 1984 Olympics in the city. Her mother would come home after work with pins from athletes that she passed to her daughter.

Her newfound hobby of collecting pins led her to Atlanta 1996, where she made rice necklaces for athletes in exchange for their pins.

“I got all the pins and I got to meet all the athletes. And in those days, it wasn’t high security like now,” she recalls. “Now you can’t even get near the athletes’ village.”

From there: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, London 2012 and Rio 2016. She secured a visa for Beijing 2008, but couldn’t ultimately afford the trip. Tokyo was similarly doomed: She bought tickets, but got refunded as COVID-19 soared and the Games were held without spectators.

Robinson’s outfits started simply but have become more complex over time. She spent a year working on her Paris outfit, decorating it with hundreds of adornments. Tens of Eiffel Tower ornaments hang from her hat, just above her Olympic ring earrings. Affixed to her clothes are patches, pins and little flags.

Her outfit attracts attention. Not a minute goes by before someone stops Robinson to take a photo with or of her. She does it with a smile on her face but admits that it can get too much.

“It is a little bit overwhelming. I can’t really get anywhere because everybody stops me for pictures. It takes a long time to get to the venues, but it’s OK,” she says.

And she says feels a little like the celebrities she’s so excited to have seen — like Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg at gymnastics.

As soon as these Olympics end, she will start working on the next one, from working on outfits to saving up for tickets, no matter what it costs.

“Oh, I’m going to do it forever. I’m going to save all my money and just concentrate on Olympics,” she said.

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For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo loses in Almaty Open final in three sets

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan – Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo lost to Russian-Armenian player Karen Khachanov in three sets at the Almaty Open men’s final on Sunday.

Khachanov won his seventh ATP Tour title 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

The 28-year-old Khachanov has won both of his matches with the 23-year-old Diallo.

Khachanov also beat Diallo 6-4, 6-4 in the Round of 64 at this year’s National Bank Open.

Diallo had seven aces to Khachanov’s six and the Russian-Armenian had a double fault.

Khachanov converted 6 of 19 break points, while Diallo managed to convert 3 of 6.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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New Zealand wins cricket’s Women’s T20 World Cup for 1st time with 32-run victory over South Africa

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — New Zealand won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, beating South Africa by 32 runs on Sunday after a standout performance from Amelia Kerr with bat and ball.

South Africa’s chase was held to 126-9 in 20 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in reply to New Zealand’s 158-5 in the final of the 18-day tournament.

South Africa was also seeking to become a first-time champion.

After South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl, Kerr top scored for New Zealand with a 38-ball 43. Brooke Halliday hit 38 runs in 28 deliveries and opener Suzie Bates scored 32 in 31. Nonkululeko Mlaba took 2-31 in four overs for South Africa.

South Africa made a strong start to its chase, reaching 51-1 in 6.5 overs but never really threatened afterward, reaching the halfway stage of its innings at 64-3.

Wolvaardt top scored for South Africa with a 27-ball 33.

Kerr took 3-24 in her four overs, including Wolvaardt’s wicket.

Both teams fielded an unchanged side from their semifinal wins where South Africa stunned defending champions Australia in the first semi by eight wickets on Thursday, while New Zealand beat West Indies in the second semifinal by eight runs on Friday.

This was South Africa’s second straight final appearance in the tournament. Losing to Australia by 19 runs, it had finished runners-up in its home tournament in 2023, its best result in the tournament.

New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the tournament final for the first time since 2010. In the first two editions – 2009 and 2010 – it had lost to England by six wickets in London, and to Australia by three runs in Barbados.

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AP cricket:

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Brazil’s Lula cancels trip to Russia for BRICS summit after an accident

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SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday canceled his trip to Russia for a BRICS summit after an accident at home that left him with a cut in the neck, his office said.

The 78-year-old leader was scheduled to attend a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies in the city of Kazan from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

Hospital Sirio Libanês in Sao Paulo said in a statement that the leftist leader was instructed not to take long distance trips, but can keep his other activities. Doctors Roberto Kalil and Ana Heleno Germoglio said they will regularly check on Lula’s recovery.

Brazil’s presidency said in a separate statement that Lula will take part in the summit by videoconference and will continue his work in capital Brasilia this week. It did not disclose details about what caused the president’s injury.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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