Five Ring Circus

Let’s focus on some races all Americans can agree on. Olympic races. “Eight years ago, Noah Lyles had just graduated high school and signed a professional contract with Adidas when, in a meeting with his new agent, he called his shot: His ultimate ambition was not just to run fast, but to transcend track-and-field stardom and achieve mainstream fame. His ubiquity during Olympics broadcasts both in his competitions and ad campaigns is a testament to how successfully he has done both.” GQ: Sprinter Noah Lyles Wants Four Olympic Gold Medals—and Plenty More After That. Plus, The Noah Lyles Show: U.S. track superstar is on a mission to conquer the Paris Games

+ LeBron James has been voted by his fellow Olympians to be the Team USA flag-bearer at the opening ceremony on the River Seine on Friday in Paris.

+ 30 U.S. Olympians to watch in Paris: Simone Biles and more.

+ And for a reminder that the Olympics provide escapism, but never an escape from reality. NYT (Gift Article): The Decathlete Who Picked Up a Gun. “About 500 top-level Ukrainian athletes and coaches have died in the war. Volodymyr Androshchuk promised his loved ones he would make it back.”