America has produced many great athletes when it comes to the Olympics, from Michal Phelps to Katie Ledecky and more. And as the Team USA turns to Paris, it is hoping to discover more greats among the greatest. Many records would be broken at the Paris Olympics as the greatest of the greatest in various sports assembled in Europe, to create history. Coco Gauff is no different, as her debut Olympics is set to go on records from the beginning itself. This is not all, as the American’s journey is set to begin with the experienced basketball legend LeBron James. Whose record did she break to mark her start?

The USA would certainly remember the celebrated Alpine Skier, Cindy Nelson. She was the youngest flag bearer for the USA at the Olympics at age 21. However, the time has come for the record to be replaced with the US Open champion, Gauff. Yes, the World No.2 will be the joint flag bearer at the Olympics with LeBron. With this, she broke an over a 48-year-old record made by Nelson.

Back in 1971, Nelson made it to the US Ski team, and at the 1976 Austria Olympics, she won a bronze medal. This is not all, the Hall of Fame ski player was crowned the national champion 7 times, and the first American to make it to the four Olympics all through 1972-84. This is just the snippet of her celebrated career. And to take over her legacy, the young tennis star has already stepped into the big shoes. Now, she would accompany LeBron James through the River Seine while carrying her nation flat in a white blazer!

However, it’s not just Nelson’s shoes that the player has stepped in. Many see Gauff as the successor of the Williams sisters in tennis. Rightly so, as she marked her Wimbledon debut as she handed a defeat to the former multiple time Grass Slam champion, Venus Williams. Kudos to the World No.2, as she has been unstoppable since the start of her career. And if her journey taught her one crucial lesson, it is the fact that she “always tries to be a better person.”

Coco Gauff focuses on bettering herself as she navigates through the flows and ebbs of the tennis circuit

The announcement of being the flag bearer for her nation isn’t Gauff’s first encounter with fame. She shot up to the pedestal from the start itself. However, her journey has been anything but easy. From emotional losses to fist-pumping and crazy triumphs, the 20-year-old tennis star has experienced a lot in just a short period. And after everything, Gauff is done pleasing the world.

Opening up about the pressure, expectations, and her growth, Gauff said, “All of a sudden, you just have so much attention on you. So it is something that I have learned, but I will say that it is hard at times. I guess dealing with it all. Because you know I don’t ever try to appear perfect, but at times you know there are eyes on you and you me naturally. I want to like please everyone.”

Certainly not an easy task to deal with, as wherever she goes, a few, if not many, eyeballs follow her around to get the latest updates. But with time she has certainly got better at handling the fame.