SURFING THE NEXT CHAPTER | CARISSA MOORE

We always love when we get the chance to chat with 5X World Champion World Surf League Women's World Tour and the 1st ever Team USA Surfing Gold Medalist in shortboard at the 2020 Summer Olympics - Carissa Moore! We had the pleasure of having her as our cover for our FEB ISSUE #86 and we're glad to have her as this month's cover as she is someone who is not only a talented athlete, but she is someone who cares about her legacy in and out of the sport as well as giving back to others. In addition, she is navigating a new chapter in her journey, being a mother! We talk about this part of her life, what it looks, like and what she'll do next!

ATHLEIURE MAG: We've had the pleasure of having you as our cover in Feb '23 and we interviewed you again later that year! So it's always a pleasure to chat with you. You're in a great period of your life as you are expecting a child! What were the thoughts and decisions that you grappled with as you looked at stepping back from competition?

CARISSA MOORE: The decision to step back from competition wasn’t one that was taken lightly. It weighed on my heart for several years, but it took me awhile to find the courage to take the leap. Competitive surfing has been a huge part of my identity and drive for most of my life so just dealing with the unknown of what’s on the other side and the fears and anxiety that comes with that was something that took some time to process and work through. I eventually got to a point where the fear of staying the same far outweighed the fear of failure and what other people would think. I know in my heart it was time to pivot and to step outside of my comfort zone. This last year has really challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally but as hard as it has been at times, it feels good to be pushed to evolve in different ways. There was also the importance of starting a family and the stress of tour life for so many years that factored into my decision at this time. I needed a break to recharge and also give myself the space and grace to prioritize my family.

AM: What does this next chapter look like for you?

CM: It’s pretty cool because as much as this next chapter is up in the air and a little scary, it’s also so exciting because there are so many possibilities. There is a dream to maybe come back to competitive surfing when I’m healthy and ready, but I also don’t want to put any pressure on myself. It just feels like there is a little left undone for me in that space especially as a mom. I am super passionate about helping young girls and women thrive through my charitable foundation, Moore Aloha. Our mission is to support females as they navigate the waves of mental health and wellness by educating, empowering and inspiring through sport, mentorship and culture. Our events and programs have really blossomed into something special and super meaningful so I would like to continue to pour my heart into that and see where it goes. I’d love to get better at public speaking, maybe do a TedTalk and write a book one day. But honestly, just working on being the best wife, mom, athlete, human I can be.

AM: I know that family is so important to you and now that you will be bringing a little one into the mix, what are you looking forward to?

CM: I am just looking forward to doing life with our little. All the things, walks with the dogs, days at the beach, adventures around the world... I'm looking forward to seeing the world through her eyes and being bewildered by the magic around me all over again.

AM: In terms of surfing, we've seen you on the waves as a mama-to-be! How important is surfing to you in this transitional to enjoy what you love?

CM: Surfing has kept me sane during this time. Being pregnant is beautiful and miraculous but a massive transformation in all aspects. The changes have been so dramatic over such a short period of time that being on a board has helped me feel like myself while losing myself if that makes sense. Surfing has been a source of peace, comfort, joy through so many different phases and transitions in life. Even though my wave riding looks very different at the moment, just being able to stand up, glide across a wall of water, feel the sun and salt water on my skin, is so refreshing and makes me so happy. Happy mama = happy baby!

AM: How has surfing been for you as you enjoy it without focusing on competing while you prepare for motherhood?

CM: It’s been weird to be honest. I’ve had to fall in love with surfing in a whole new way. I’ve always found joy in the challenge of working on something every time I paddled out or pursuing the next goal in competition. For the first time, kind of ever, I can’t do what I used to so I have been going surfing to just ride waves because it makes me feel good. There is no agenda. No feedback from a coach. No pressure! I’m so used to doing, creating, going, going, going. This pregnancy has forced me to slow down and look at things differently. Take a different pace and know it’s okay. This isn’t forever and to embrace this season I am in. I think it’s super important to be present for my daughter, for her to feel calm and at peace coming into this world.

AM: How has it been balancing work, life, and your passion for this next chapter?

CM: It’s been fun to pursue other passions like my charitable foundation Moore Aloha, spend quality time with family and friends, settle into a home routine and get creative on ways I can use my skills and talents to remain and involved. Grateful to have a super supportive husband and great village to help me navigate this time and redefine a new balance.

AM: What have you learned about yourself in this stage of your life?

CM: Oh man, that is loaded question. I have learned so much at every stage. It feels like every other week I have had to face a different part of me, process it and move through it. I still struggle with self-worth. I’m working on it. Time away from competition and outside validation has forced me to really value myself. I’m learning to love my body. I look back at pictures from before I was pregnant, when I thought I was ‘big’ and I’m like, “Damn, I look strong and lean! What was I thinking being so hard on myself?” It has been a challenge to love my reflection as I grow and gain weight but I’m changing that inner dialogue and doing a better job of appreciating what my body is able to do. I am making a human! How cool?! I also realize that I have a lot of fear around the unknown. Learning to let go and trust. Trust my body, trust the timing, trust that it’s all going to be okay. I like being in control and stress too much over the things I can’t. It’s been a great time for self-reflection and evaluating who I want to be for my daughter. What kind of relationship do I want to have with her? What kind of role model do I want to be? What environment do I want her to grow up in? Becoming someone’s mom has given me the extra motivation to look at my weaknesses and do the work to be the best I can be for her.

AM: Do you plan on returning to competitions in the future?

CM: Maybe… we will see. Like I said, don’t want to put any pressure on it, but it’s not out of the question!

IG @rissmoore10

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Red Bull Photo Pool - FRONT COVER Domenic Mosqueira /PG 16 +24 Ryan Miller/PG 18 Trevor Moran/PG 22 Jeremiah Klein/PG 26 + BACK COVER Zac Noyle | PG 21 Hurley |

Read the JAN ISSUE #109 of Athleisure Mag and see SURFING THE NEXT CHAPTER | Carissa Moore in mag.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU

Read the JAN ISSUE #109 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | HAILEY LANGLAND

Read the DEC ISSUE #108 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Hailey Langland in mag.

FIGHT & SMILE | NATALIA GROSSMAN

At the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, Climbing made it's Olympic debut and it returned at Paris 2024. We caught up with Natalia Grossman who competed in her first Olympic Games with Team USA in this sport! We wanted to know more about the sport, her specialty of Bouldering, how her career has been going as she went pro in 2019, where she enjoys climbing around the world, what it means to be an Olympian and to be in the Olympic Village. We also wanted to know about what self-care means to her as well as to partner with Olay.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is your first memory of climbing?

NATALIA GROSSMAN: I think that my first memory is just walking into the climbing gym and I still remember it pretty vividly. Just, being in awe of how tall the walls looked and all of the bright colors. I was just very drawn to it.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to climb professionally?

NG: Probably pretty late in life honestly. It’s pretty hard to be a professional climber. I feel like there is just a handful of us in the US who make a living off of it. So I’m very grateful to be able to do that. It probably didn’t occur until my first success in 2021 on the World Cup scene that I realized that this could be my job.

AM: How does one train to become a climber professionally?

NG: It’s just like any other sport! You have to dedicate a lot of time, commit to it, and be dedicated. I wouldn’t say that it is anything crazy! Climbing is the best way to be a climber!

AM: We have had the pleasure of talking to an array of athletes across various sports. So when we talk to those that swim, fence, or surf they have a specialty that they do like swimmers who only do backstroke. Is there a specialty in climbing that you do and can you tell us more about that?

NG: So we have 3 different disciplines in climbing. I partake in 2 of them. I’d say that I am best in Boudlering so that’s my specialty, but there are 100s of moves within Boudlering. I’d like to think that I am a pretty well rounded climber, but Bouldering is definitely my favorite discipline. (Editor’s Note: Climbing consists of Speed, Bouldering, and Lead. Speed Climbing is one of form of indoor rock climbing where athletes compete for the fastest time to the top of the climbing wall. Bouldering Climbing is a form of free climbing that is performed on small rock formations of artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harness. Lead Climbing involves attempting to climb as high as an athlete can on a wall measuring more than 15m in height within 6 mins.)

AM: Climbing is obviously a total body workout for training. But is there anything else that you do besides climbing to optimize you in the sport?

NG: Honestly, not too much. We do off the wall weight training, lots of PT stuff, rehab, maintenance like body work and massage work. We do dry needling (Editor’s Note: A treatment that uses thin needles to stimulate and break up muscle tissue knots to help with pain and movement issues), ice baths, and saunas.

AM: You have climbed all over the world! Do you have 3 favorite spots that you like to climb?

NG: I guess with climbing, there is outdoor climbing, but there is also indoor competitions. Or sometimes competitions that are outside, but they are on an artificial wall. I’d say that my favorite place to climb on real rocks is Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, and my 2 favorite spots that I like to climb that are indoors is Innsbruck, Austria is the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck which is the largest gym in the world! It’s awesome and has 60,000 square feet of climbing surface. Another place would probably be Arco, Italy. I have lots of memories there and I love the little town there.

AM: When you realized that you would be going to Paris for Team USA, what did that mean to you?

NG: Yeah, I qualified back in Nov. and it was just such a special moment to have all of the work that I have done to pay off. It has been such a goal of mine to be here.

AM: Are you staying in the Olympic Village and if so, have you met any athletes that are on your bucket list or have you tried the Chocolate Muffins that everyone is raving about?

NG: I am staying in The Village and I have met a couple of other athletes as I have tried not to fan girl too much! I was pretty siked to meet Noah Lyles (Team USA Track & Field G1, B2) and that was pretty cool. Yes, I have had the muffins every day and I guess this would be day 5!

AM: In 2021, you became the World Champion which had not been done by an American climber in 20 years, and you did this very early on in your pro career which is quite an accomplishment. Your mantra is Smile and Fight. What does that mean to you?

NG: I mean, 2021 was kind of crazy! I feel like it kind of came out of nowhere and to me, just smiling and fighting through every moment, through every competition, kind of became my trademark and it’s just something that my coach came up with and I always want to enjoy what I am doing. So if I am enjoying it, I am going to smile and I always want to give my best effort so I will keep fighting!

AM: What the next tournament or competition that we should keep an eye out for?

NG: I’ll be competing next most likely in the IFSC Climbing World Cup Prague 2024 which is in late Sept. as well as the IFSC World Cup Seoul 2024 which is in early Oct.

AM: You have partnered with Olay which is the Official Facial Cleanser of Team USA, why is this partnership important and synergistic to you?

NG: I think that skincare and coming up with a routine is very important and I am someone that thrives off of routine and I love routine! So being able to use the cleansing melts, the moisturizers as an everyday routine that I can do when I travel or when I am home, it gives me that sense of consistency.

AM: We feel that when we do our beauty routines, it’s a great way to start and end our day in terms of self-care. What does self-care mean to you and why is it so important?

NG: I think that self-care can mean lots of things and physically being able to do the things that make you feel good and takes care of your body, but also it’s about taking care of your mind. You need to feel your emotions and have people that you can talk to and not hiding what you’re really feeling.

AM: Your biggest tool is your hands we’re sure. Are there specific things that you do to keep them ready for your next climb?

NG: I mean, I use gloves whenever I apply products on my body and I will use chalk when I am climbing to make sure that they are dry.

IG @natalia_grossman

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 78 Daniel Milchev/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 80 Erich Spiess/ASP/Red Bull Content Pool G | PG 83 Olay |

Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see FIGHT & SMILE | Natalia Grossman in mag.

TEAM USA | GRANT HOLLOWAY

Over the past few weeks, we have enjoyed watching the Summer Games. We had the pleasure of sitting down the day after with Grant Holloway 2X Team USA Track & Field Olympian (G1, S1) who runs the 100M Hurdles after his Gold Medal winning race! We wanted to know more about what he loves about this particular sport, how he trains, what it meant to be on Team USA and to compete at Paris 2024, partnering with P&G during the games and his collaboration with David Perry Jewelry.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you loved Track & Field?

GRANT HOLLOWAY: I realized that I loved Track & Field probably around my Sophomore year in college around 2018. I really started developing a love/hate relationship with the sport. I could go out to practice and I could actually see what I was doing and how that was transferring onto track. I think it was 2018 when I started realizing that I was loving the sport.

AM: Everyone has their specialty and yours is the 110m Hurdles, what is that you love about doing this?

GH: The 100M Hurdles is a sexy event, you know? You have to be as fast as the fastest man in the world, but you also have to be as athletic as a Long Jumper and I think that when you add those 2 things together, that’s what makes a Hurdler so special. I’ve really enjoyed doing the hurdles obviously and everybody says that I am a Sprinter that Hurdles so I like to take that as a compliment because I could Sprint, but I choose the Hurdles.

AM: What’s an average week like training for this and what are 3 workouts that we should think about including into all of our routines?

GH: Throughout the week, it kind of depends on the phase! Obviously, we’re at the Olympic Games so it was a lot of resting and recovery throughout the week.

3 workouts that I did while I was here was something called Jog & Stride. You’re literally on a track, it’s 400m. You have 2 turns and 2 straights. So I would jog the turns and walk the straights for about a mile which is 4 laps.

Another workout I did was over 7 hurdles and just kind of getting into that race model. I don’t advise anybody to do that unless you’re an actual professional Hurdler. But that is another one that I did!

Then I also did something called a Rest Day. It’s where you step away from Track & Field and you turn the switch off. It allows you to actually get away from it. I think that when we’re always on go for Hurdling and not even just on Hurdling, but for anything in general – you don’t really get the full benefit. So when you are able to step away and to recharge, and to come back to it, I think that you have better results.

AM: I love watching races that include Hurdles and we have memories of gym class where we had such anxiety when it came to having to do them in our sessions. What are 3 tips that you have in maintaining your speed while jumping hurdles?

GH: Maintaining speed is definitely the key component when it comes to hurdling so that is something that I still struggle with to this day. If you just kind of do Rhythm Runs – you start at the 100m and you run all the way down to the finish line, you want to be able to keep the same rhythm from when you started the race to the end of the race. So I think that that is something that you can do as a Hurdler. You have to have some kind of rhythm so once you do that a couple of times, add the hurdles in and just put them on the regular marks and then honestly, just do dry runs on the event. Not going too fast and yet not going too slow at the same time. It’s about doing it so that you feel the rhythm of the race and you know what it feels like. Obviously, towards the end, you want to be able to finish. Anything that comes to endurance – if you have to run a mile or do anything to get it under your belt, you have to do it so that you have that endurance to be able to sprint 110M!

AM: What did it mean to you to be on Team USA for the Paris 2024 Summer Games?

GH: It meant the world to me to be on Team USA. It’s the hardest team to make out of all of the teams and all of the countries here. Team USA is definitely the hardest one. So, I just wanted to really take pride as the #1 Hurdler not only in the US, but in the world. I just wanted to show everybody how hard it is and it’s not every day that you can have a Hurdler come out to be a US Champ as well as you know, an Olympic Champ! So for me, I think that that is the true meaning of being a Champion. I’m looking forward to just be able to continue to do that.

AM: What’s it like being in the Olympic Village?

GH: Being in the Olympic Village, it’s nice! Obviously, there are so many amenities that you can use! P&G has a Salon where everybody can go in and look their best for Game Day. I think that that is always a huge tip to somebody’s success. They always say that when you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you run good! And when you run good, they pay good as Deion Sanders says! I just think that It’s always cool and that’s the best thing about The Village, that you can go somewhere, and you can be able to look your best before a run and the biggest moment in your life!

AM: You received the Silver medal in the Summer Games at Tokyo 2020 and we had the pleasure to see you at the Summer Games of Paris 2024. What does it mean to you to be a 2X Olympian and to win Gold?

GH: Yeah, to be a 2X Olympian and to win Gold this time, means the world to me! 3 years ago, I was a little bit immature and inexperienced in the event and I didn’t exactly understand what the event took to be a true Champion. I have done it once, but I didn’t do it multiple times. To be an Olympic Champion now and to run a sub 13 performance and to tie one of my mentors and greats, Allen Johnson (G1) in this event, I think that it is always a true humbling feeling.

AM: Do you have any routines that you do ahead of your event to get energized?

GH: Before the meets, it’s just a lot of preparation. It’s just like before you make dinner, you have to prepare the food regardless of whether you’re making tacos or spaghetti. You have to be able to prep the food, so that’s the same thing that I do as a Hurdler. I always try to prep my body, give it the good treatment, get a good night’s rest, and then do everything that I need to do in order to succeed the next day.

AM: Besides winning Gold, what did you love about being at these games?

GH: Being at these Games, it was great! To be in the Olympic Village, I think that it’s really cool to see other athletes from other countries and different backgrounds. Not just Team USA being in one corner, but you see Great Britain, you see Nigeria, you see Botswana – you see all of the different cultures mingling together. I think that that is always a really cool experience. Especially when you get to trade pins. To be able to trade USA pins and to get something in return, you’re able to show your family that you have this pin from this country and you never know who you may run into – a friend, relative and you can give them that pin and say that you were thinking about them in this moment.

AM: Will you be at Closing Ceremonies?

GH: Closing Ceremonies is definitely on the ballot just to say that I did it. I did the Opening Ceremonies and it was long, but one thing about me is that I want to be able to say that I did exactly what I wanted to do and even if I don’t do it in LA 2028 or ever again, I can tell my friends and family that I was able to do it an Opening and Closing Ceremony at least once!

AM: Do you have anything coming up that you would like to share with us that we can keep an eye out for?

GH: What’s next for me is that right now I am prepping for a charity match. I’m getting ready to raise as much money as I can for my charity, the Grant Holloway Foundation to feed less fortunate families in need during the holiday season. That’s Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s as well as sending some back-to-school supplies. I really take huge pride in my charity and how we are able to do it. Last year we were able to raise $32,000 in the first year from Aug. to Oct. So that was about 2.5 months give or take so now we’re full blown! We have done pre-sales and we were already sold out some and now we’re tagging on a poker tournament the day before and on top of that we have some big donors this year that makes me so so excited. So I’m just looking forward to raising some money for some families and hopefully soon we will be able to have a scholarship every year.

AM: You partnered with P&G for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Why did you want to partner with them and why is it important to have grooming products that can give you confidence and make you feel great?

GH: Yeah, I partnered with P&G this year for all of those reasons. P&G has the love and the drive that is the same as an Olympic athlete. So why not partner with somebody that has likeminded ideas as you do? P&G knows that on Game Day that you want to look your best. Using Gillette Labs is important as well as the Old Spice products that they supply. You know, when we got into The Village, we were blessed with at least Team USA was, with P&G bags that just had goodies in it -from air fresheners to toiletry items. All in all, P&G does a great job of just really preparing us for Game Day. They know that it takes a lot off the track essentially to get ready.

AM: You’re know as an athlete that rocks his drip with some phenomenal pieces with David Perry Jewelry and you have your Grant Holloway Collection with this brand which has been doing so well! What do you love about wearing these statement pieces?

GH: David Perry and I work hand in hand together! To have his pieces come together and to really show my storyline with the origin of how David Perry and I met, it was spur of the moment. Both of us were talking and I did a photoshoot and one of his friends was like this is a jewelry company and you should wear one of the pieces. I reached out to him and thanked him for letting me wear one of his pieces and then we created a line that was just for this Olympic experience! We took some time before the Opening Ceremony before everything got going and we actually launched it here in Paris. It’s becoming worldwide now and we as a team, we definitely enjoyed to do and it is just the beginning and I can’t wait to do a couple of more lines with him.

IG @flaamingoo_

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 66 NBC News | PG 68 P&G | PG 71 Grant Holloway | PG 71 Illgander |

Read the AUG ISSUE #105 of Athleisure Mag and see TEAM USA | Grant Holloway in mag.

9PLAYLIST | SARA HUGHES

Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST Sara Hughes in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | JORDAN CHILES

Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S Jordan Chiles in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | GRIFFIN COLAPINTO

Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S Griffin Colapinto in mag.

JUST SPIKE IT | SARA HUGHES + KELLY CHENG

We've always enjoyed watching Beach Volleyball when we're watching the Olympic Games! This year our eyes are on Team USA Beach Volleyball duo, Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng! They're a fun pair to watch when they hit the sand and we can't wait to see what they do at Paris 2024. We caught up with them to find out how they came to the sport, what they love about it, combining their super powers, how they stay in shape, Safe Sun, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with volleyball?

SARA HUGHES: I fell in love at the age of eight years old in Huntington Beach, California.

KELLY CHENG: I fell in love with volleyball back when I was 11 years old. I started out playing indoor and thought that was where I’d be for the rest of my life. When I tried out beach in high school… that all changed! I decided to play only beach in college and have been playing professionally ever since!

AM: What led to you choosing beach volleyball and what do you love about it?

SH: Beach volleyball has always had my heart from a young age. I love the environment and atmosphere of the sport. You have to be versatile and well versed in all aspects of the game. There are no subs or coaches when you are on the court so you have to figure out how to win with one other person beside you.

KC: I chose beach volleyball for so many reasons. The beach being my office is top of the list. Getting to be outside for so much of my life is such a joy. I love that there are only 2 people and no subs - you have to be adaptable and think on your feet. You’re so exposed out there on the court and have to figure out how to win just with you and your partner. Allowing my creativity to shine on the court is another passion of mine. There isn’t one way to play this game and I love pushing the envelope on how to play!

AM: You guys have been partners for awhile whether in high school, youth competitions, while competing at USC and beyond - tell me about your style of play and why this duo is so synergistic!

SH: We play with a lot of passion and love for the game. We are both athletic and dynamic and we love showing that on the court. We have great communication and inspire each other to get better every day and change the way the sport is played.

KC: We have such chemistry on and off the court. We connect well and make each other laugh. We enjoy doing life together. Those intangible things have always been easy for us. Now add on top of that our creativity, passion, determination - and we’re unstoppable!

AM: Kelly, you competed at the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 and Sara you are looking to add this to your impressive resume! With us being 100 days out, what are the weeks ahead looking like in terms of qualifying and when you find out about getting this coveted slot?

SH: I am so excited to be going to my first Olympic Games. We actually found out a few weeks ago that we have qualified for Paris! We have 3 more big tournaments to compete in before the games but we have a solid month of training at home before the Olympics. During that time we will refine some skills, game plan, and most importantly have fun and enjoy the journey.

KC: We were pumped to qualify for Paris! It is so exciting to be going to my second Olympics. This time will be SO different. Tokyo was such a unique experience due to all the Covid protocols and it being a closed Olympics. This time around, my family will come and cheer me on!! We have a couple more tournaments worth Olympic points, but after that we get a chunk of time at home allowing us to spend time with family and prepare for the Paris Olympics.

AM: What are you looking forward to should you be able to go to the Summer Games?

SH: I am looking forward to proudly represent Team USA on the worlds largest stage. I also can’t wait to play in the stadium in Paris that will be under the Eiffel Tower.

KC: I’m really looking forward to opening ceremonies! So unique this year being on boats on the Seine River; it should be iconic. And speaking of iconic, our venue will be one of the most jaw dropping locations ever - right in front of the Eiffel Tower!

AM: What's an average week like in terms of training and working out individually as well as a duo?

SH: We train on the sand 4-5 times a week together. I am in the gym 3x a week but have routine stretches, rehab, and ab exercises that I complete every day.

KC: It depends on the week and where we’re at in season, but typically as a team, we train on the sand 4 times a week and watch film and/or have team meetings 2x a week; Solo, I do blocking work with my assistant coach 2x a week, in the gym (Stark) 3x a week, physical therapy 3x a week, sports psych once a week, and Pilates 3x a week. I also try to get a massage or ice bath in every week for recovery! It’s a full time job and I love it!

AM: Do you have any routines that you do before a match to get your head in the game and do you have anything you do after a match to come down from all that energy?

SH: I have a routine warm up that I complete that gets my body warm and ready to go. Kelly and I also share headphones and listen and jam out to music while we warm up. It is a fun way to do our individual routines but stay connected at the same time. After matches we debrief as a team and talk about how the game went.

KC: My favorite pre match routine that Sara and I do together is pray. It sets the tone for the match and always brings me back to the present and gives me perspective. After a match to cool down I love to FaceTime my family. They mean the world to me.

AM: Of course, as beach volleyball players, you're constantly in the sun, and SPF is an essential! How do you engage in safe sun?

SH: Absolutely, safe sun practices are crucial for us, given the amount of time we spend training and competing outdoors. I make sure to apply sunscreen liberally before each practice or match and reapply regularly throughout the day. The Bliss Block Star Daily Mineral SPF 30 is fantastic because it's not just about protection; it's about performance. Knowing we have a reliable sunscreen that's invisible and lightweight allows us to focus entirely on our game without worrying about sun damage.

KC: Engaging in safe sun practices is non-negotiable for us as beach volleyball players. We're out in the sun for hours on end, so protecting our skin is a top priority. I always start my day with a layer of SPF 30 sunscreen, and I carry it with me to reapply as needed. I also love how its neutralizing and almost mattifying! Teaming up with Bliss with their Block Star Daily Mineral SPF 30 is a game-changer. It's formulated to be invisible and lightweight, so it doesn't interfere with our performance on the sand.

AM: It seems like we're living in an interesting time where beauty brands are focusing on women's sports to get into their routines especially when it's being used directly in their sport! It makes sense as we can truly see how it is being used which allows us to see how it will work in our day-to-day! What do you think about this synergy between women athletes and beauty brands that are partnering in this way?

SH: It's an exciting development to see beauty brands like Bliss partnering with women athletes. This synergy between sports and beauty not only highlights the importance of skincare for active lifestyles but also celebrates the strength and beauty of women in sports. It's empowering to know that brands recognize our influence and want to support us in our endeavors both on and off the court.

KC: It's a testament to the growing recognition of the intersection between sports and skincare. As athletes, we're constantly exposed to the elements, so having products like Bliss SPF products designed specifically for our needs is invaluable.

AM: When you're not training or competing, how do you take time for yourselves?

SH: I love spending time with friends and family. They are the best support and outlets for me. I also love taking the time to read, jump in the ocean, and take a nice hot bath.

KC: I love a good self care day! A face mask, epsom salt bath, a massage, some quiet time with my Nintendo switch and I’m happy and recharged.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?

SH: Fun projects coming out with Delta Airlines, Chipotle, KT Tape, Nike, Optimum Nutrition, Eli Lilly, and NBC Sports.

KC: In January we will be running our third annual mentorship camp.

Each year in January we spend 3 days mentoring and pouring into young up and coming beach volleyball players. Usually sophomores or juniors in high school. My husband Jordan and I will ask 6 local female male beach volleyball pros (ranging from AVP champions, Olympians, and Olympic Gold medalists!) to join our camp! During those 3 days, the mentees get to partner up with their pro/mentor and train with them, eat meals together, learn from the whiteboard camps that the mentors run, and participate in fun, silly, competitive group activities together! I think the most beneficial part of camp is what comes after. We ask each mentor to try to continue investing in their mentee consistently for at least the rest of the year! The goal is to create life long relationships that allows an older figure to pour into the next up and coming generation of beach volleyball athletes.

IG @sarahughesbeach

@kellycheng

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 83 Team USA | PG 84, 9LIST STORI3S PG 89 - 94 Sara Hughes + Kelly Cheng | PG 86 Bliss |

Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see JUST SPIKE IT | Sara Hughes + Kelly Cheng in mag.

FROM BEAM TO COURT | NASTIA LIUKIN

Every four years when we watch the Summer Games, we enjoy connecting and reconnecting with those competing, veterans, analysts, and personalities. It's a great time to come together to support an array of sports that we all enjoy. Of course with Team USA Gymnastics, we know that we'll be cheering this group along and we took some time to talk with 5X Team USA Gymnastic Olympic Medalist, Nastia Liukin (G1, S3, B1). We caught up with her on what she's doing, her thoughts on competing at Paris 2024, her advice for the women's team, what she will do in Paris, her collaboration with Recess Pickleball and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It has been quite a year in gymnastics and we have enjoyed watching the road to seeing who would be on this year's Team USA Women's Gymnastics Team! As a 5X Olympic Medalist, what have been some of the biggest moments that you enjoyed while competing at the Olympics?

NASTIA LIUKIN: Competing at the Olympics is a surreal experience. One of the biggest moments for me was winning the all-around gold medal in Beijing in 2008. Standing on the podium, hearing the national anthem, and realizing all the hard work had paid off was indescribable. Another unforgettable moment, and perhaps the most memorable, was standing in the tunnel with my teammates before we stepped onto the competition floor for the first time. We all looked at each other, not exchanging any words, knowing that our lives were about to change forever.

AM: Like many, we are excited about the upcoming Summer Games and of course, to see Team USA Gymnastics hit the floor! What are you looking forward to this year with this team?

NL: I'm incredibly excited to see the new talent and the routines that Team USA will bring to Paris. This year's team has shown such resilience and dedication, and I can't wait to see them shine on the world stage. I'm biased because Hezly Rivera (G1) trains with my parents, but I cannot wait to watch her realize her dreams in Paris. I’m also so excited to see Suni (G1, S1, B1) step onto the competition floor after the year she has had.

AM: Do you have any words of advice for the ladies as they head to Paris?

NL: My advice would be to trust your training, trust your muscle memory, but also, enjoy it! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that some will never have again. Leave it all out on the competition floor, but take time to soak in the small moments.

AM: Will you be in Paris and if so will you be broadcasting/being an analyst or will you be there with another brand? What are you excited about for the Olympic Games?

NL: I’m so excited to be in Paris right now. I recently announced that I’ll be ELLE Magazine’s official gymnastics correspondent, I’ll be filming my own show that dives into the psychology of the Olympic journey, and working with the USOPC on numerous events throughout the Games. I’m also excited to watch in a spectator capacity for the first time! My favorite part of any Olympics is to witness the culmination of years of hard work and dedication that these athletes have given to their sport. The Olympic spirit is truly special, and being there to experience it firsthand is always inspiring.

AM: You are no stranger to collaborations. You just launched your latest one with Recess Pickleball!

What do you love about this sport and how/why did this partnership come about?

NL: Pickleball is such a fun and engaging sport that brings people together. I love the social aspect and how it can be competitive yet enjoyable for all skill levels. The partnership with Recess Pickleball came about so organically because I was always a fan of their brand. I actually sent them a DM a year and a half ago telling them that it was on my vision board to launch a collaboration with them leading up to Paris, and here it is!

AM: We have seen a number of athletes that have embraced this sport. Will you be playing in tournaments?

NL: I hope to, yes, but definitely more social tournaments than competitive! It’s a great way to stay active and challenge myself in a new sport. Plus, the pickleball community is incredibly welcoming, and I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow players.

AM: We know that you're a big advocate of mental health. How do you take time for yourself when you're not in the midst of projects?

NL: Meditation has been a learned skill that I’ve incorporated into my mental health routine after a close mentor shared how well it worked for him, specifically TM. The Calm App or Headspace are great ways for beginners to get into meditation, too. I’m also a fan of hot and cold therapy, which is a huge mood booster. Something else that I look forward to every day, now that I live by the water, is catching the sunset along the beach. It’s incredibly grounding, sets me up for a good night’s sleep, and I do it with my dog, Harley, who makes everything better!

AM: Are there any other projects that you're working on that you would like to share with us?

NL: I’m excited to share a few big things once I’m in Paris, so you’ll have to stay tuned!

IG @nastialiukin

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Recess Pickleball

Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see FROM BEAM TO COURT | Nastia Liukin in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | JORDAN CHILES

Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S Jordan Chiles in mag.

RIDE THE WAVES | GRIFFIN COLAPINTO

This month we're excited to share a number of stories from athletes who will be competing at this year's Paris 2024 games! While the majority of athletes will assemble in Paris for this year's Summer Games, those who are competing in surfing will make their way to Tahiti in Teahupo’o. This month's cover story is with World Surf League's #2 ranked pro-surfer Griffin Colapinto who will competing with Team USA Surfing, and will make his first Olympic appearance this year.

In addition to the success that he has had throughout his career and this year, we know he has an array of fans which includes Matthew McConaughey who has shown his public support of him at a number of meets. In addition to surfing, he is also in a film that is currently in the film circuit, Trilogy: New Wave and will be released this September. He stars alongside Australian Olympic surfer Ethan Ewing and Hawaiian Seth Moniz. The film focuses on the non-competitive side of surfing.

We wanted to know more about how he got into the sport, going pro, Paris 2024, and his partnership with Procter & Gamble's Athletes For Good alongside the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and his chosen charity which focuses on mental health.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with the water?

GRIFFIN COLAPINTO: I fell in love with the water when I was about 3 years old!

AM: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to surf professionally? Where did that journey come from as we know that you love the water, you loved surfing, and then you wanted to do it as a professional.

GC: Well, the journey started down at my dad’s surf camp. He started a surf camp down at Santa Clemente the year I was born and he ran that for 20 years. So I was just growing up with the beach and him and he was in love with surfing and the ocean and he was a lifeguard and a teacher so that carried over to running a surf camp in the summer time. He just created a rad family dynamic down there with all the instructors and I was just growing up on the sand every summer! That and I just started – I don’t know it was natural, I wasn’t forced into surfing and being a competitive person and playing games. I just took to it naturally because I was on the beach and the sand. I remember a lot of the kids that were down there and the instructors that were there would always be on the beach. I just wanted to be able to impress them with the things that I was able to do in the water. I remember taking a surf board out there in front of them and wanting to surf for them.

I had this one moment where I was probably 7 or 8 and I felt like I caught some air on a pipe and I remember looking at all of the instructors on the beach and they were cheering. That feeling right there triggered competitive surfing for me right there! Being able to perform for people made me really happy!

AM: What is an average week like for you when you’re out there surfing whether you’re training for competitions or whatever?

GC: Yeah, well! I definitely think that there is a lot of discipline on my routines whether I’m waking up early and doing everything that makes me feel good like meditation, writing, and surfing of course! Working out and all of those things are important. It’s also essential to give yourself time to rest and to recover and I also have fun! I enjoy golfing a lot so that’s a nice way to take my mind off of surfing because sometimes you can just plow yourself through into the ground too much! It's a good balance.

AM: Congrats on qualifying for Paris 2024! What are you looking forward to?

GC: Yeah, it’s pretty wild! So our Olympics, we will be in Tahiti which isn’t near Paris, but it’s going to be on its own little adventure over there! It should be pretty exciting from what I have heard! They have put in a lot of work over there in Teahupo’o and although I can’t say what it will be like yet, I’m excited!

AM: And you’re ready for it!

GC: I’m ready!

AM: Tell us about Athletes For Good as we know it’s an initiative between P&G, IOC, IPC – can you give us a little background on that?

GC: So the Athletes For Good, P&G granted us money to donate to our favorite charity. I donated funds towards To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) a mental health organization that provides the tools and mental health resources for anyone that is going through challenging times in their lives due to suicide or maybe there is a close family member in their family that did commit suicide and needs someone that they can talk to about it. You can go to TWLOHA and you can get a local counselor nearby and they just provide rad things like that. It is definitely a big deal these days with social media and everything going on and it can take you away from the source of where we came from. I’m really proud to be able to represent it.

AM: Had that been an organization that you had been involved with before? What drew you to picking TWLOHA in terms of where you wanted the donated funds to go to?

GC: Well, I originally got into mental health through surfing. My dream of being on the World Championship Tour and being a World Champion, it comes with a lot of challenges, and anytime you have a big goal in mind, there is going to be a lot of ups and downs with that. So, through that, the mental side of things plays a big role and I realized that and it opened my eyes to a lot of different perspectives and other people. I just kind of realized that there are a lot more people on similar paths that go through hard times. For me, I was super fortunate to grow up with amazing parents and to grow up in a beautiful community with a lot of support and I still find myself on days struggling with some slight depression and not very happy and not knowing why. I just felt that there are people who got dealt with a bad set of cards, a lot worse than me and I can only imagine what they are going through. So that’s what drove me into this space and it's really cool that P&G gave us this grant and I’m excited!

AM: You mentioned that when you’re taking time for yourself, you play golf! Are there other things that you do to take time for yourself to be in the place that you need to be so that you can infuse that energy into other areas of where you also want to be?

GC: Just kind of being aware of how I am feeling and what is best for me in the moment. As an athlete, it’s easy to over do it, to over exert yourself and to just be addicted to the hard work and you feel like you need to work, work, work, work, but in reality, half the battle is just being good at resting too! So learning that has been a big part of it and I feel that slowly but surely, I’m getting better every day!

AM: Which is an awesome skill to have too!

You can find out more about Athletes For Good that recognizes the efforts of athletes to improve their communities off the field. Griffin shares more information about TWLOHA and why he is involved with them in his IG post.

IG @griffin_cola

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COVER, PG 16 + 20 Trevor Moran/Red Bull | BACK COVER, PG 18 + 22 Ryan Miller/Red Bull | PG 24 P&G |

Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see RIDE THE WAVES Griffin Colapinto in mag.

COOKING FOR CHAMPIONS | CHEF ALEXANDRE MAZZIA

There are so many elements that surround the Olympics, each time the world's best athletes showcase their passion, dedication, and commitment to their sport. With a range of activities that take place, we love finding out more. We had the pleasure to chat with Chef Alexandre Mazzia who is the chef/owner of AM Par Alexandre Mazzia the hottest 3 MICHELIN Star restaurant in Marseille and a former professional basketball player, and he will be one of 3 top French chefs who will be preparing 40,000 meals in the Olympic Village during Paris 2024!

We wanted to find out more about his days as an athlete, his continued love of basketball, how he got into the culinary industry, AM Par, being at the Olympic Games and even being able to take part in running with the Olympic flame as a Torchbearer!

ATHLEISURE MAG: You spent your childhood in the Republic of Congo. What was that like and what about living there shaped the way that you looked at the world?

CHEF ALEXANDRE MAZZIA: I was born in Pointe-Noire in the Congo, at the Clinique des Manguiers. My cooking is neither Congolese nor Marseillaise, but it is inevitably somehow influenced by its environment, with most of the products coming from the Marseillaise environment. It's this Marseillaise and Congolese luminosity that is imprinted.

Spices and chilli are things that are now part of French cuisine that weren't there a few years ago (6-7 years ago). Today, people are a bit more assertive. I leaned on my roots, on the person I was, because it's true that I can't go against who I am. So it was important for me, in a natural way, to transcribe my cooking. And my cooking is described through the roasting, through the chillies, through the spices that are fundamentally who I am.

So, I'd say that my cooking is sparkling, distinctive, sincere, transparent, but yes, it's influenced by my childhood, my entire career, and, above all, by a great intensity.

AM: You graduated with a science degree, but for a time, you were a professional basketball player while you were navigating working in the culinary industry! When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF AM: My journey into the culinary world isn't as straightforward as many might think. Initially, I pursued a science degree, which was a completely different path. Interestingly, during that time, I also had a stint as a professional basketball player. It was a unique period when I was balancing my passion for sports with an emerging interest in the culinary arts. The transition from being on the basketball court to standing behind a kitchen counter wasn't immediate. It evolved over time as I became more immersed in cooking, discovering it as my true calling.

My realization that I wanted to be a chef dawned on me gradually rather than as a sudden epiphany. While playing basketball, I started to explore cooking more seriously. It wasn't just a hobby; it was a passion that kept growing, compelling me to delve deeper into the culinary world. Despite the stark differences between the two fields, I found that both required a similar level of dedication, creativity, and perseverance.

AM: Where did you train and what were some of the kitchens that you worked in prior to opening AM Par Alexandre Mazzia?

CHEF AM: My career path is one that can be called atypical. Immediately after my baccalaureate, I was lucky to attend a cooking school where I learnt the basics of cooking and general knowledge of the Hospitality industry. It gave me a chance to master the practical skills of cooking. After that, I acquired several diplomas and certifications, with a specialisation in pastry, chocolate and candy manufacturing. I got those diplomas while alternating school classes and work. It allowed me to build experience very quickly while discovering a world I felt I belonged to.

From that time on, I started accepting myself more. Since I came from abroad and only arrived in France at the age of 15, in the beginning, I used to be very independent. Cooking allowed me to travel a lot and open up. And then my passion became more than a passion. It became the source of my inspiration and motivation from which I learnt all my knowledge - practical and theoretical. It helped me learn about general culture, people, and Chefs and understand better the different cultures present around the world. Not just on a country level but regionally too. I also got to understand a great deal about “savoir-faire” (know-how) varieties making the base of French cuisine. It allowed me to have a strong knowledge foundation on the matter. As I travelled, I got to discover new flavours and become more aware of the importance of textures in cooking.

AM: How do you define your style of cooking and what influences it?

CHEF AM: My cooking blends spice, smoke, and chilli, linking to my childhood in Pointe-Noir, Congo, to my life in Marseille. My signature spice mix includes galangal, ginger, and cumin, enhancing the flavour and depth of each dish. Smokey aromas from burnt woods like vine shoots and olive tree add complexity, while my knowledge of over 45 types of chillies introduces a dynamic tension and variety in heat and flavour. I wanted this culinary approach to celebrate a fusion of oceanic and smoky elements with a vibrant chilli kick.

AM: You opened AM Par Alexandre Mazzia in 2014 in Marseille. What do you love about Marseille and why did you want to open your own restaurant?

CHEF AM: AM Par Alexandre Mazzia is a glimpse of my soul. It is about discovering myself through my cuisine. There is a wordplay in the name of my restaurant, in all subtlety, is a display of transparency and authenticity. It is a place where I give the best of myself, as I am devoted to its guests.

AM: What does it mean to you to have received your first Michelin star in 2015 after your restaurant was open for a year, your second in 2019, and your third star in 2021 for AM Par Alexandre Mazzia?

CHEF AM: All awards that my restaurant has won are equally important to me. Each award represents a recognition of our hard work, dedication, and commitment to providing the best dining experience to our guests. The awards have also motivated my team to perform at their best and maintain the high standards that we have set for ourselves.

There's no real success here. It's just a continuation of work that's been going on for many years. And I think that the way of looking at things was a bit different before, or the way of operating was different before. Today it's part of a collective vision, in other words, we've opened doors. We've given the keys to a way of working, but also to a totally personal way of operating.

I'd say that success is the fact of being, of doing just what you are with complete transparency, but with passion. It's a unique cuisine, my cuisine. It's so personal that I don't think anyone else can do it. So that's why people from all over the world want to discover it, why we've won all these awards, and why these awards represent our know-how.

AM: For those that have yet to dine at your restaurant, tell us about the ambiance that we can expect when we walk through the doors?

CHEF AM: At our restaurant, we offer a unique and memorable experience with 8 tables that seat up to 22 people and a team of 26 dedicated individuals. Our cuisine is "transversal," bringing together the best of local produce from fishermen, farmers, and tableware designers. Our dishes are created using a personal "alphabet of taste" developed from my own experiences. It is an extraordinary experience that many guests have never experienced before.

AM: You believe in the Triangle of Tastes - tell us more about this and how it weaves into your dishes.

CHEF AM: My cooking blends spice, smoke, and chilli, linking to my childhood in Pointe-Noir, Congo, to my life in Marseille. My signature spice mix includes galangal, ginger, and cumin, enhancing the flavour and depth of each dish. Smoky aromas from burnt woods like vine shoots and olive tree add complexity, while my knowledge of over 45 types of chillies introduces a dynamic tension and variety in heat and flavour. I wanted this culinary approach to celebrate a fusion of oceanic and smoky elements with a vibrant chilli kick.

AM: You are 1 of 3 French Chefs that will be catering the Paris 2024 Olympic Games - this is such an honor, but as someone who has been an athlete, what does it mean to you to be able to serve your country and the world in this way?

CHEF AM: I think it's a source of pride, pride for me, for my family, pride for the people, to represent France for the duration of the Olympic Games. It's a way of showcasing expertise, a signature, and a career. I think that I'm always thinking of people transmitting everything that I've done, which showcases a whole range of skills that are, I would say, quite simply unique.

AM: How long have you been planning what you will make and can you tell us some of the items that you plan on cooking? When it comes to meeting the neuro-nutritional challenge of feeding athletes, what have you been keeping in mind?

CHEF AM: I'm first and foremost a chef, so our unique know-how is our ability to adapt. We adapt on a daily basis, we're there to serve our customers, it's our daily job to adapt to the allergies of diners who don't eat this or that product. But beyond that, when they came looking for me to take part in the Olympic Games, of course, I knew very well that I was going to be working for the athletes, so I needed all my work over the years with the nutritionist, sports doctor, physical trainer, mental trainer and a certain federation of different disciplines so that I could have as many skills as possible to satisfy the demands I was going to have. So it's true that I worked for the athletes. It wasn't necessarily more complicated. All I had to do was concentrate on the tastes and flavours and simply be myself, just as I am in my everyday life. What I think and what the OCOG and Sodexo Live! wanted to achieve was to find someone who represented their region and, above all, who had a sporting background and who was bound to be able to adapt in a simple way. It's about putting our expertise at the service of athletes, for their performance and recovery. It also means playing for a team, playing for the "Olympic Games" that are taking place in France.

IG @alexandremazzia

@jeuolympiques

@paris2024

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Chef Alexandre Mazzia

Read the JUN ISSUE #102 of Athleisure Mag and see COOKING FOR CHAMPIONS | Chef Alexandre Mazzia in mag.

CLEARLY AHEAD | DIANA TAURASI

We can’t wait for Paris 2024 and to see many of our faves showing their talent on the world stage! We also love finding new faves and rooting them on! Many athletes have the pleasure of being able to show this talent every season in their sport and we’re honored to be able to talk to 5X Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist and 3X WNBA Champion, Diana Taurasi! Although we’re a little over a month away, we all know that she is the first basketball player (whether male or female) in history to reach 6 Olympic Games as she is on Team USA heading to this year’s Summer Games! We’re so pumped to see her compete and with the WNBA in full swing, you can see her and her fellow teammates on the Phoenix Mercury as they navigate their season!

We took some time to catch up with Diana to find out about how she came to basketball; her passion for the sport; how she trains during an Olympic year that takes place during her season in the WNBA, and the importance of sharing her eczema journey!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with Basketball and realize that you wanted to do this as a career?

DIANA TAURASI: Well you know, it’s something that I always wanted to do and I stumbled upon basketball one summer when my mom said that she needed to get me and my sister out of the house! So we were at the local city rec league and that’s really where the love of the game started for me you know! It was a great time to play basketball, I mean 90’s NBA was so popular with MJ, the Bulls, being a Lakers fan and then in 96/97 the WNBA started! So, it was just all of this momentum when it came to basketball. That’s when for me that I knew that I was going to be able to do it for a long time!

AM: That’s great and growing up we know what it was like during that era!

You’re a 3X WNBA Champion and a 5X Olympic Gold Medalist, what does it mean to you about the impact that you have and continue to bring to the sport?

DT: Oh yeah, I mean, women’s basketball is in such an amazing place right now! We’re in such a great cross section between talent and social media! The eyes and the attention that it’s getting right now – it’s just really an amazing time to play basketball. At the same time, it’s also a great time to shed a light on a lot of the people that came before that did it without the notoriety and without the fame. It’s always nice to know what the past is so that we can go into the future in the right way.

AM: As you know, we’re a little over a month away from the Olympic Games in talking with each other today. What’s it like to prepare for the Summer Games as we’re so excited that you will be returning for a 6th time! How do you prepare for Paris 2024 and Summer Games in the past when you’re also currently in your season with the Phoenix Mercury?

DT: Yeah, it’s always an interesting summer when it’s the Olympics. We take a hiatus or a break for a month for the Olympics. So right now, you’re just so entrenched in your team and the WNBA to make sure that your team is in a good place and that you’re physically in a good place individually. Once that break happens, all of that goes away and all you’re worried about is bringing home Gold!

When you talk about USA Basketball, we take that load with a lot of respect and we know how challenging the Olympics are as well as how good these other countries are. So, it’s always the most ultimate respect to the whole world.

AM: Over the past few years, various athletes and celebs have shared their eczema journeys. Why have you opened up about yours and why have you partnered with Sanofi and Regeneron?

DT: Partnering with Sanofi and Regeneron, obviously moderate-to-severe eczema is something that I have had to deal with for many years. I have tried everything. I’ve tried the lotions, the topical creams, the steroids, and nothing really gave me what I needed. When I was with my dermatologist, Dupixent was brought up and I had never heard of it. I learned a lot about it and if you go to ShowUpAd.com, you can read so many stories and there is so much information about it. It’s something that just works for me! There’s nothing better than being able to go on the court with clearer skin! Playing basketball, you’re always in a jersey and it’s that one thing that if anything you want clearer skin! It’s given me that relief and it has made me so much more comfortable!

We enjoyed hearing Diana talk about her love of the game, how important it is to celebrate those who have contributed to the WNBA from its start, and Paris 2024! We also appreciate her sharing her eczema story with us and how she feels relief in knowing that she can play more comfortably with her eczema under control! We wanted to know a bit more about eczema and took a moment with Dr. Annabelle Garcia as it is estimated that 2.7 million people in the US age 6+ have uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema. Like Diana, many who suffer with this may have tried a number of solutions. The best place to start is recognizing the signs of eczema so you can see a dermatologist who can assist you in your best solution.

For those that may not be familiar with eczema, can you tell us what it is and what are the signs? How can you tell if something that may look like just a skin irritation is actually eczema?

DR. ANNABELLE GARCIA: Yes of course! So moderate-to-severe eczema is characterized by these intense itchy dry patches on the skin. They can crack or be painful. Sometimes they can cover small parts of the body and sometimes these patches can cover large or sensitive areas. Really, it’s the itching that is the hallmark of the disease. It’s one of the things that can be the most disturbing to patients. Sometimes eczema can present in a very typical fashion in a child for example in the Antecubital Fossa which is in the elbow area, behind the knees, cheeks – but sometimes it does present in a classic way. It can present differently based on patients with different skin types. In lighter patients, the plaques tends to be a bit more pink and red where in darker skin tones, they can appear darker, hyperpigmented, or ashy grey color. So sometimes it is hard to tell whether something is eczema or not so it’s important to seek medical care and see a dermatologist for that expert opinion.

IG @dianataurasi

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Sanofi + Regenerson

Read the JUN ISSUE #102 of Athleisure Mag and see CLEARLY AHEAD | Diana Taurasi in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG ISSUE #102 | WALTER MENDEZ

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with couture designer, Walter Mendez of Walter Mendez Atelier. He is known for his stunning creations that spans RTW, bespoke, and bridal collections that have been worn by Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, socialites, and more! We talked about how he got into the industry, his passion for his creations, his recent exhibit in Beverly Hills.  

We caught up with Supermodel Chanel Iman who attended Miami Swim Week to hear why she likes this season of shows, her favorite shows that she has attended recently, and where she's traveling to this summer.

We caught up with 3X WNBA Champion and 5X Team USA Women's Basketball Gold Medalist Diana Taurasi as we talked about how she fell in love with the sport, what it's like to prepare for her 6th Olympic appearance when she is currently in season with the Phoenix Mercury, and more.

We enjoyed seeing Reza Diako in The Diplomat and Tehran. We wanted to talk about playing Apostle Philip in S4 of The Chosen as well as upcoming projects. We also wanted to know how he came to acting, his approach to playing his characters, and upcoming projects.

We know that the Summer Games is only a few weeks away and as the athletes prepare, we caught up with 3 MICHELIN Star Chef Alexandre Mazzia who will be be at Paris 2024 bringing his culinary talents to the Olympic Village for the athletes. We talked about his background, how he defines his cuisine, being an Olympic Torch bearer and more.

Like many of you, we're so excited for S3 of FX's The Bear! We talked with castmembers from the show to talk about what we can expect as all episodes are streaming now!

If you have yet to watch MGM+'s Hotel Cocaine which takes viewers back to the late 70s/early 80s to The Mutiny Hotel which was considered the Studio 54 of Miami. We had the pleasure of talking with the Creator Chris Brancato and Director Guillermo Navarro as well as 2 of the leads from this show, Yul Vazquez and Danny Pino that focuses on the sex, drugs, disco, and drama of the era!

Fans of 9-1-1: Lone Star will enjoy our conversations with Julian Works who is also starring in the film, The Long Game. We got to hear this movie buffs favorite films, his approach to playing his characters, and more.

We always enjoy talking with our favorite actors and hearing about projects that they're working on. In addition to Maria Camila Giraldo's appearance in Netflix's Griselda and other upcoming movies including one with Al Pacino, we also wanted to know more about her nutritional brand, Fungiments which she created out of a personal need for her health.

This month was a busy month and in addition to other things on our schedule, we have recaps from NYC Pride which we are proud to be media sponsors for our 8th year, we also attended Governors Ball to enjoy 3 days of music, food, and good vibes, as well as Bar Convent Brooklyn where we connected with our friends in the spirit and hospitality industry at this tradeshow as well as epic after parties.

This month's The Art of the Snack comes from Blu on the Hudson a short ferry ride from NYC with epic views of the city and phenomenal seafood that we can't wait to enjoy!

This month's Athleisure List comes from JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa and Juice Generation which just launched their Juiced Gelato that we are fans of. 

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer, Kygo. This month we have our 9PLAYLIST MULTI from Reza Diako who shares songs, books and podcasts/TV/films that he is enjoying. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from our cover star, Walter Mendez as well as Supermodel, Chanel Iman for their must-haves in beauty, style, and fitness. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from WNBA's Diana Taurasi and Costume Designer Allyson Fanger who shares their routines that they do, enjoy, and have Morning, Afternoon, and Night. This month's THE 9LIST 9CH3FS and THE 9LIST 9B-L-D comes from Chef Timothy Silva of Pineapple Club, Chef Victor Chen of Kintsugi, and Pioneering Woman's Ree Drummond. 

Read the JUN ISSUE #102 of Athleisure Mag.

PICKLEBALL POWER

We were invited to Life Time at PENN 1 for an exclusive event for their VIP Pickleball event that allows us to see the unveiling of their 7 courts at this location in Midtown, NYC! The event kicked off with a conversation with the company's founder, Bahram Akradi, Founder and CEO as well as tennis icon, Andre Agassi, with 60 ATP Tour Wins, 8 Grand Slam Titles (Singles – Australian Open 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003; French Open 1999; Wimbledon 1992; US Open 1994, 1999), and Team USA Tennis Olympic Gold Medalist for the Summer Games in 1996. This tennis champ has been passionate about pickleball and won $1M and the Pickleball Slam 1 2023 with his partner Andy Roddick against John McEnroe and Michael Chang. This year, he won the $1M purse and Pickleball Slam 2 with his wife, Steffi Graf as they beat John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova.

Andre was recently announced as inaugural chair of the Life Time Pickleball and Tennis Board with the goal of expanding access, enhancing programming and building community.

In addition to the Q+A we saw both men play exhibition tournaments with JOOLA Pros Anna Bright, Collin Johns, Ben Johns, and Tyson McGuffin.

LIFE TIME: Ladies and Gentleman welcome to our VIP Pickleball Event that is launching the 7 gorgeous new pickleball courts that we have here at Lifetime Pickleball in the heart of NYC! Today, we’re also partnering with JOOLA Pickleball as they recently launched their Generation 3 line of paddles with JOOLA Pros’ Anna Bright, Collin Johns, Ben Johns, and newcomer to JOOLA, Tyson McGuffin. All of them will be joining us in just a few moments.

Before that, I’d like to introduce 2 dynamic men! An ambassador in the world of health and fitness, along with being champions of the JOOLA and Life Time brands. One of these men is the Founder and CEO of Life Time, the other, career highlights include the winner of the first ever Pickle Slam partnering with Andy Roddick, side note is that he also won 8 Grand Slams and has an Olympic Gold medal! Let’s have a round of applause for Andre Agassi and Bahram Akradi.

So Andre, pickleball, what’s the first thing that you thought when you heard that word for the first time?

ANDRE AGASSI: I thought, why that name? Then I took 15mins to just sit with it and it took about a 20min learning curve and I fell in love with it.

LT: How about you Bahram, the first time that you heard of pickleball, what went through your mind?

BAHRAM AKRADI: At first I thought that it was just a sport for very, very, very, old people.

LT: So what is this sport, who are the people that play, and now we’re here in NYC specifically, talking about pickleball. So Bahram, when you first played, you said that we had to get more of this here at Life Time. And now, Life Time is the biggest provider of pickleball courts in the country. What was your vision for pickleball at first and has it come to fruition?

BA: Yes, so, I remember playing tennis in some of our other clubs and I saw these taped lines on the courts and I found it was because people were trying to play pickleball on them. Then people just started asking for us to have courts that were specific to this game. So I thought, well if I give them courts designed for pickleball, they will stop putting tape on my pickleball courts!

So we took one club and we took 1 tennis court and make it into 4 Pickleball courts and we did that to another tennis court. So then I thought that that would be the end of that! Then once I started playing it, I did it for 2 hours and I got hooked. I started with doubles, and then I began playing singles and that’s when I saw the opportunity for this sport! I saw how all kinds of people at all kinds of levels could play. We had the opportunity to have people come here with our large facilities, we have quickly grown to become the largest owner and operator of permanent pickleball courts, topping more than 680 permanent courts nationwide (including the most in New York City with nine), and serving as a host site for multiple MLP and PPA tournaments nationwide in addition to its own Pickleball Classic. So we wanted to take a run at it and I think that we have done that!

LT: To you Andre, what about your process of being a pickleball player as well as looking at your phenomenal tennis career?

AA: First of all, I just want to know with everyone that’s here, how many of you have played pickleball? Look at all these hands – why are you asking me this question haha?

For me, what I really appreciated so quickly about it separately from inside the lines is when you’re playing tennis, you have to spend a 1-2.5 years before the game opens up to you. It’s that feeling that you’re not so concerned with what you are doing with the ball – you’re thinking of what you are trying to accomplish. With pickle, you’re able to get out there and connect quickly and there is a low point of injury involved.

Then there is the dynamics of family as my extended family as well as my wife’s who are from Germany when they come, we can all play together and we’re all different levels. I would say that we would all be out there – aunts, uncles, cousins, etc and no one had their phones out for 2 hours. The phones are on the side.

For me, what the hell can I do at this age that I can actually get better at? I mean I have gotten better at so many things in my life already – except for pickleball and I am getting better! You know, I’m a tortured perfectionist and when I think about playing pickleball versus tennis, the thrill of having to unlearn some of the sensibilities that I had as a tennis player right? But I also had to maintain some skills right? I am able to put my mind to the task and I get the reward of seeing all of that come together and I can only see this sport continuing to grow as it has. I feel that if we have X amount of people playing right now, we’ll be able to 10X that in no time at all!

LT: Andre is long on pickleball, I love that!

Now, you had mentioned that you have been playing with your family – your wife – I mean she’s major! Do you prefer playing with her or against her?

AA: I mean, she has crossed some finish lines in her life!

LT: A lot of us have significant others, spouses, that we play with so it’s always interesting to know!

AA: I like playing on her side because we are connected and that’s how you start to really understand what your partner is like and what you can and can’t do and to start morphing into their game. It’s cool to be on the same side of the net and that way you won’t feel guilty body bagging her! I mean, she has a few shots that are unique and then there are other things that don’t translate so well. She wants to play everything pretty traditionally. She’s always expressed her energy and her blood pressure through physical output so she was like a racehorse on the tennis court, but for me, my energy was always shot making when I was on the tennis court. It was about taking the ball and doing something with it.

So some things translate a lot easier when playing pickleball, but it’s fun watching her get past that first part and then seeing her get into her stride in this game. She just started playing singles after starting with doubles and you know, there’s one thing I don’t know how this sport works with someone who struggles with their knees. So she’s being careful and she has a cyst in her knee so once that thing gets drained and her knee feels good, she wants to play singles.

LT: Andre, just so you know, that was also a singles challenge right there for Bahram to play Steffani in singles. Are your kids approaching you to play pickleball or are you approaching them?

AA: Well, my kids – my son is a senior at USC and our daughter, thank God still lives with us at home as education and school wasn’t her thing. She’s artistic and does her own thing, she’ll get out there and play. My son plays baseball so when he hits something, he’s not thinking about it staying within a certain perimeter.

LT: He likes to be out there with the foul balls!

Bahram, how did you and Andre meet and what makes you excited to bringing Andre on board as the Chair for Raquet and Paddle Sports here at Life Time?

BA: We started working together 15 years ago and we continued to grow as really close friends. I have all the love and admiration for his intelligence and athleticism. I have always loved Andre and I have always hoped that when the right time came, that we would be able to partner together and to do something good that would be for the greater good. Life Time is the largest provider of pickleball and we wanted to be able to continue to deliver and offer tennis and pickleball and there was no better person that I could imagine to be the chair of our tennis and pickleball board. With his vision, his insight and I called him and asked what he thought about this. When he told me about his vision and how it would utilize our platform, it was a no-brainer for me.

LT: Andre, we are approaching the 30th Anniversary of you winning your very first US Open. What kind of memories does that bring back for you?

AA: Well, I had hair.

LT: Where were we then? Was it touching your shirt?

AA: The hair was going past the shirt!

You know, it’s such a profound place in my professional journey as well as in my personal journey. You guys not only watched me grow up, you helped me grow up. You really did. I was 18 years old playing Jimmy Connors at night giving him the beating that he deserved! Someone yelled out, “Jimmy, he’s a bum, you’re a legend!” and I remember thinking that I got the legend part, but what? Then fast forward and I got into something that I had done my whole life in front of those people and then down the road after my journey, saying goodbye when I finally retired.

LT: Well I mean, we have an exhibition coming up shortly today!

AA: Yeah, I was told about that! I’m ready!

LT: On that note, let’s bring in our 4 JOOLA Pros, Anna Bright, Collin Johns, Ben Johns, and JOOLA newcomer, Tyson McGuffin! Come on down here! So we’re going to ask our pros a few questions right now so that we can get to know them a little better and then we will head down to the Life Time Pickleball courts as we have a a whole stadium court set up. I wonder if you thought about that this morning Andre?

AA: Ok, I’ m nervous enough!

LT: I mean, it’s almost like a US Open crowd!

So starting off with Anna since you have a microphone in your hand, what excites you the most about pickleball?

ANNA BRIGHT: I think you know, it’s so cool that everybody is here to experience the joy of pickleball and to see us and to watch it! What I love most is the growth of it and not knowing where the sport is going to take us! When I first started playing 2 and a half years ago, I never thought that I would be here in NYC to play a tournament here to meet people and to talk about this game! There’s on way to really know how this game will look in a year or 2 years especially since you have the Pro level and I feel like we’re always kind of being pulled around on a chain by the powers that be, but it’s crazy to see the growth of the amateur game and I hope that we will be back here next year and will need more seating! I’m kind of excited and I don’t even know for what specifically, but I can’t wait to see where it goes in the next few years.

LT: Bright future, Anna Bright! Hopefully we will need more seating and have more people in here next year.

Tyson, I’ve watched you drill on the courts and a 2 hour session turns into a 3 hour session and I think that your T-shirts were more wet than is humanly possible. What are you working on to improve your pickleball game? More specifically, to beat these 3 people around you actually and to beat up on Mr. Agassi today?

TYSON MCGUFFIN: Yeah I think that for me, I have lost some top matches this year. So I think that walking in and raising the level mentally and being a little tougher in those moments. I think that at the highest level, we are all really talented and it’s just about that when the going gets tough and your back is against the wall, you just have to mentally lock in and dial in. I want to say thank you New York and let’s go New York Knicks!

LT: Collin, you’re a professional pickleball player. There was a time when you were not a professional pickleball player.

What advice would you give to somebody that is trying to be a professional pickleball player or what's one thing that was really integral in your path as you went Pro?

COLLIN JOHNS: Um, being Ben’s brother probably is a good start. The tennis journey, I did that for many years and then coming over to pickleball, I think that that just let me witness that I was playing a different sport. There are certain things that are going to help you as background significantly, but there are other things that you have to learn how to change. If you look at the players that have had the most success, especially relatively rapidly – they are very open to learning the game and that was really good for me. It was certainly a credit to the guy on my left that helped me along the way. But, the event today and one I did yesterday, it’s just amazing to see where the sport has grown since I started playing. I’m very excited about being here today.

LT: Speaking of the guy to your left, Ben, you’re the middle of 7 children! What was it like growing up? Was it constant sports and competition of those 7 kids? Who was the most competitive?

BEN JOHNS: Yeah, I grew up as 1 of 7 kids, but also 1 of the 2 boys as we have 5 sisters so it was primarily just sports with this guy. Pickleball is the only thing that I ever won. So, I’m really just taking my sweet time with it! He is 6 years older and it was very competitive. So when you have someone that much older than you, you just get used to losing at everything! But it was a great upbringing and I wouldn’t do it over in any other way. I was very grateful and it all led me here!

IG @bahram.akradi

@lifetime.life

@agassi

@annabright.pb

@benjohns_pb

@collinjohns_pb

@tysonmcguffin

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Life Time

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see PICKLEBALL POWER in mag.

THE POWER OF SMOOTH | LYDIA JACOBY

The road to the Olympics is one that is filled with an array of timelines and schedules that become hectic as well as important as athletes from around the world qualify to head to the Summer Games! Paris 2024 is only a few weeks away and we had the pleasure to sit down right before the 100 Days of the Games. We were excited to sit down and chat with 2 X Team USA Olympic Swimmer Lydia Jacoby (1G, 1B)! This Alaskan native was the first swimmer from her state to qualify for the Olympics for Tokyo 2020 and she came back from those Games with a Gold medal in the 100-Meter-Breaststroke with a time of 1:04:95 which was the fastest time ever achieved by a female American swimmer in the 17-18 age group. She also received a Silver medal for the 4X100 Medley as well! We wanted to find out how she came to the sport, swimming for the University of Texas at Austin, how she prepares for her meets, her partnership with Gillette Venus, what the weeks ahead look like for getting to the Olympics, and living that mermaid dream!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you fell in love with swimming?

LYDIA JACOBY: I think at a really young age, I grew up in a maritime community. So I was always around the water growing up and it was very natural for me.

AM: What drew you to the breaststroke? What do you love about swimming this?

LJ: It’s funny! I always say that you don’t choose the sport, the sport chooses you!

AM: Right!

LJ: Yeah, and that’s the same for strokes as well. I was always a breaststroker it just came to me! Even when I was little and on the floor playing with my dolls, I would be in that position. So it just came to me naturally.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to swim competitively?

LJ: I’d say that I started seeing some success when I was 12 when I broke my first state record and that’s when I kind of realized that I was pretty good at this and it was time to make this happen.

AM: Oh wow!

Being an Olympian, that is a major feat! You were the first Alaskan to qualify for the Olympic Games as a Swimmer. What did it mean to you to be able to go to the Summer Games in Tokyo?

LJ: I mean, it meant the world to me to be able to be there and to represent for my state as well as the community – all of the people that supported me. I mean, literally since I was 4, my whole life they have been there, so it really meant so much for me to be able to be there for them!

AM: What did you enjoy the most about competing in the Summer Games in 2020 – obviously, winning your medals was a great experience! But what did you enjoy most?

LJ: Just the experience and the people! I feel like I truly made some lifelong friends when I was there especially because we couldn’t have our families there then. The people I met there, were like my family during the games when I was there. It was really special connections!

AM: You also swim for the University of Texas at Austin which is phenomenal as in 2023, you were the NCAA Championships for the 100 yd Breaststroke where you won Gold and in the 4X100 yd Medley you took Bronze. What have you been enjoying about swimming with your collegiate team?

LJ: It’s very different than home growing up in Alaska. I mean, I have so many people on the team right now that have similar goals to what I am chasing. It’s just a really positive environment for me to train in.

AM: What is an average day like hanging out with you in terms of working out or training to optimize yourself in the sport?

LJ: In Austin? Ooo, it changes every day! My schedule is crazy! I’d say that in an average week, I would wake up around 5:50am, go to morning practice, come back, eat some breakfast, try to fit a nap in, get good food, go to class, get in some homework, answer emails, lots of trips to coffee shops as they have some great ones in Austin, practice in the afternoon, - and then it just takes me a long time to unwind before I go to bed. So I take a long shower, get a shave in and then get to bed early so I can do it all again the next day!

AM: That is quite the schedule!

Right now we’re just about at the 100th day mark in terms of Paris 2024. It’s hard to believe that and yet, here we are! What do the next few weeks look like in terms of qualifying and all of the different things that are going on before you get to the Summer Games?

LJ:  So we’re about 100 days out! Our Olympic Trials are mid to end of June. So we will find out literally a month before the Olympics. I’m just trying to do everything that I can to prepare and I have done everything that I can so that I can really lock in for the next couple of weeks.  

AM: Of course there are a lot things that we’re sure that you do to get prepped when it comes to swimming in the Olympics. Why did you want to partner with Gillette Venus and why is The Power of Smooth so important to you?

LJ: I feel like swimming is such an exposing sport! It’s so important to feel absolutely confident in your skin and to feel just really smooth and powerful. Ever since I was little, I always talked about how I wanted to be a mermaid! I probably thought that I was literally going to be a mermaid until I was a little too old to think that I was literally going to be a mermaid – but channeling that smooth skin and powerful feeling in the water, I feel like that is just about as close as I will get to being a mermaid with Gillette!

AM: Well we do have The Mermaid Parade that happens in Brooklyn!

LJ: Oh! Ok! Send me the dates!

AM: Yeah the 42nd Annual Mermaid Parade is on June 22nd in Coney Island. You’ll see plenty of mermaids then and it’s definitely an event that people get excited for!

LJ: I love it!

AM: What can we expect from you and Gillette Venus in this campaign?

LJ: I mean, we won’t know until we get there, but we have some big goals! At the end of the day, I feel like I have put a lot of pressure on myself over the last couple of years and I have just been trying to go into the Summer with a healthy mentality. I have already done this, I have nothing to prove. I want to allow myself to swim freely and put it out there!

AM: That’s amazing and a great perspective to have!

When you’re about to do a meet or competition, are there things that you have to do to prep yourself for that? Is there a certain kind of music that you’d like to have and what do you do to come down from all of that energy?

LJ: For sure! I mentioned before that it takes me awhile to unwind before bed and sleep before a meet is so important! So I really do like to take a long shower, do the girl everything shower – exfoliate, shave, wash my hair, deep condition, and just to feel really good! I’m definitely a proponent for look good, feel good!

AM: Absolutely!

LJ: I’ll do makeup before I go out to the pool. I just want to feel completely confident in my skin. I feel that that is a huge part of my routine. I love good food as well. But music, I mean it’s so much different stuff and it changes all of the time.

AM: Outside of the sport, you do so many different things. You are so talented in music, you model, what are some upcoming projects – obviously in addition to cheering you on at the Games that we can expect to see from you?

LJ: It’s been so busy and I have had so much going on – I mean there’s Olympics and I’m hoping that there will be fun stuff that is taking place after the Games! I have so many amazing sponsors like Procter & Gamble and Venus and some others so just keep an eye out for those from me!

Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see THE POWER OF SMOOTH | Lydia Jacoby in mag.

PLAYING IN MY SKIN | DIANA TAURASI

We can’t wait for Paris 2024 and to see many of our faves and soon to be faves showing their talent on the world stage! Many athletes have the pleasure of being able to show this talent every season in their sport and we’re honored to be able to talk to 5X Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist and 3X WNBA Champion, Diana Taurasi! Although we’re a little over a month away, we all know that she is the first basketball player (whether male or female) in history to reach 6 Olympic Games as she is on Team USA heading to this year’s Summer Games! We’re so pumped to see her compete and with the WNBA in full swing, you can see her and her fellow teammates on the Phoenix Mercury as they navigate their season!

We took some time to catch up with Diana to find out about how she came to basketball, her passion for the sport. how she trains during an Olympic year that takes place during her season in the WNBA, and the importance of sharing her eczema journey!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with Basketball and realize that you wanted to do this as a career?

DIANA TAURASI: Well you know, it’s something that I always wanted to do and I stumbled upon basketball one summer when my mom said that she needed to get me and my sister out of the house! So we were at the local city rec league and that’s really where the love of the game started for me you know! It was a great time to play basketball, I mean 90’s NBA was so popular with MJ, the Bulls, being a Lakers fan and then in 96/97 the WNBA started! So, it was just all of this momentum when it came to basketball. That’s when for me that I knew that I was going to be able to do it for a long time!

AM: That’s great and growing up we know what it was like during that era! You’re a 3X WNBA Champion and a 5X Olympic Gold Medalist what does it mean to you about the impact that you have and continue to bring to the sport?

DT: Oh yeah, I mean, women’s basketball is in such an amazing place right now! We’re in such a great cross section between talent and social media! The eyes and the attention that it’s getting right now – it’s just really an amazing time to play basketball. At the same time, it’s also a great time also to shed a light on a lot of the people that came before that did it without the notoriety and without the fame. It’s always nice to know what the past is so that we can go into the future in the right way.

AM: As you know, we’re a little over a month away from the Olympic Games in talking with each other today. What’s it like to prepare for the Summer Games as we’re so excited that you will be returning for a 6th time! How do you prepare for Paris 2024 and Summer Games in the past when you’re also currently in your season with the Phoenix Mercury?

DT: Yeah, it’s always an interesting summer when it’s the Olympics. We take a hiatus or a break for a month for the Olympics. So right now, you’re just so entrenched in your team and the WNBA to make sure that your team is in a good place and that you’re physically in a good place individually. Once that break happens, all of that goes away and all you’re worried about is bringing home Gold!

When you talk about USA Basketball, we take that load with a lot of respect and we know how challenging the Olympics are as well as how good these other countries are. So, it’s always the most ultimate respect to the whole world.

AM: Over the past few years, various athletes and celebs have shared their eczema journeys. Why have you opened up about yours and why have you partnered with Sanofi and Regeneron?

DT: Partnering with Sanofi and Regeneron, obviously moderate-to-severe eczema is something that I have had to deal with for many years. I have tried everything. I’ve tried the lotions, the topical creams, the steroids, and nothing really gave me what I needed. When I was with my dermatologist, Dupixent was brought up and I had never heard of it. I learned a lot about it and if you go to ShowUpAd.com, you can read so many stories and there is so much information about it. It’s something that just works for me! There’s nothing better than being able to go on the court with clearer skin! Playing basketball, you’re always in a jersey and it’s that one thing that if anything you want clearer skin! It’s given me that relief and it has made me so much more comfortable!

We enjoyed hearing Diana talk about her love of the game, how important it is to celebrate those who have contributed to the WNBA from its start, and Paris 2024! We also appreciate her sharing her eczema story with us and how she feels relief in knowing that she can play more comfortably with her eczema under control! We wanted to know a bit more about eczema and took a moment with Dr. Annabelle Garcia as it is estimated that 2.7 million people in the US age 6+ have uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema. Like Diana, many who suffer with this may have tried a number of solutions. The best place to start is recognizing the signs of eczema so you can see a dermatologist who can assist you in your best solution.

AM: For those that may not be familiar with eczema, can you tell us what it is and what are the signs? How can you tell if something that may look like just a skin irritation is actually eczema?

DR. ANNABELLE GARCIA: Yes of course! So moderate-to-sever eczema is characterized by these intense itchy dry patches on the skin. They can crack or be painful. Sometimes they can cover small parts of the body and sometimes these patches can cover large or sensitive areas. Really, it’s the itching that is the hallmark of the disease. It’s one of the things that can be the most disturbing to patients. Sometimes eczema can present in a very typical fashion in a child for example in the Antecubital Fossa which is in the elbow area, behind the knees, cheeks – but sometimes it does present in a classic way. It can present differently based on patients with different skin types. In lighter patients, the plaques tends to be a bit more pink and red where in darker skin tones, they can appear darker, hyperpigmented, or ashy grey color. So sometimes it is hard to tell whether something is eczema or not so it’s important to seek medical care and see a dermatologist for that expert opinion.

 Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | SUNI LEE

Read the MAR ISSUE #99 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Suni Lee in mag.

DEDICATED & BOLD | SUNI LEE

Avid readers of Athleisure Mag know that we enjoy sharing interviews with amazing Olympians with you! As we countdown to Paris 2024, we took a few moments to catch up with 3X Olympic Medalist for Team USA Gymnastics (G1, S1, B1), Suni Lee! We enjoyed seeing her fulfill her Olympic dreams at Tokyo 2020.

As she prepares to take on joining the Olympic team for Paris 2024, we wanted to find out about her passion for the sport, how she got into it, what the next few weeks look like in terms of qualifications, how she goes about training, what she is looking forward to should she make the team, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When was the moment when you fell in love with gymnastics and what do you enjoy about this sport?

SUNI LEE: Well, I started gymnastics when I was 6 years old. It just started by watching a lot of YouTube videos. My dad and I were always constantly trying new flips and then my mom just decided that it would be a great idea to put me in gymnastics because at the rate that I was going, it was getting a little dangerous in the house. I just started competing and I moved up levels pretty quickly and that’s just when I knew that I loved gymnastics and I stuck by it ever since.

AM: Oh wow!

How has that journey been with you competing at Auburn University and then obviously being on the Olympic team during Tokyo 2020 and being a 3X Olympic Medalist?

SL: The journey has been absolutely amazing. You know, a lot of people talk about winning the Olympics, but I honestly think that the journey has been the most important part and the most memorable part, just because it took all of those years and all of the work that I put in to make it to the Olympics. Going straight to college right after that was such an amazing blessing – I absolutely loved college and getting to have a team and just having a team environment. The Auburn community was just truly amazing! You will never find something like that ever again and I’m just so blessed to have been a part of that.

AM: What’s that feeling like when you realized that you’re going to represent our country in Tokyo at the Olympics?

SL: I just remember being in shock! It felt so surreal, I was just over the moon. I was so happy and it just felt like everything was finally going into its place. I just worked so hard for it and for it to just be able to happen and to just be like in the palm of my hands, was the best feeling ever.

AM: A lot of people don’t understand that there are a lot of things that happen podium to podium. So what does your schedule look like in terms of what you are doing for qualifications or meets to make your way to hopefully being at Paris 2024?

SL: So we have a bunch of qualification competitions coming up. So we start off with US Classic and then from US Classic, we qualify to Championships and then Championships there are a number of people pulled from the top of competition which allows you to qualify for Olympic Trials. For that, I believe that the top 2 are automatically put into the Olympic team. Then the remainder of the people are selected so it’s very competitive.

AM: I can’t even imagine!

How is it for you to be able to train, to be able to be part of this and to juggle your personal life? Because obviously you do more than just being a gymnast. So how do you do all of this and to keep it together.

SL: Yeah, it’s been a little difficult because obviously it’s like everybody’s first time doing this so we’re all just trying to do it together. It’s been super exciting just to be able to have the opportunity to work with other brands, but then also to be able to get to go home and to be able to do the sport that I love and train every single day for one of my biggest accomplishments. That’s just something that helps motivate me I guess for the future.

AM: What does an average day of training look like for you? How many hours are you spending?

SL: 3 days a week, I train 8 hours plus an extra hour of strength and conditioning and of course, I have to do like physical therapy to make sure that my body is feeling great and then another 3 days out of the week. So it’s Mon., Tues., and Thurs. I go 8 hours and then Wed., Fri., and Sat, I do 4 hours.

AM: Although you haven’t made the team yet, but if you do, what are you looking forward to in terms of this next Olympic cycle?

SL: If I were to make this next Olympics, I think that I would look forward to having a crowd!

AM: Oh yeah!

SL: Yeah, unfortunately at the last Olympics, it was during COVID and we didn’t have anybody come to our meets and it just didn’t really feel like a competition.

AM: Yeah.

SL: I think that that’s the one thing – like our families and friends giving us that support! I’m just hoping that I make it so bad.

AM: With such a busy and focused schedule, how do you take time for yourself and making sure that you’re checking in with Suni and what’s going on with you?

SL: I spend a lot of my off time shopping or hanging out with my friends. I love journaling, I love working out. So, I do try to balance it out as much as possible. If I have an off weekend, I do try and spend it with my family and friends. Just trying to catch up, I love spending time with my siblings. I really just try to stay in touch with my body and my mind at all times.

AM: Are there any projects coming up that you would like to share that we should keep an eye out for?

SL: I don’t know if I can exactly share what I am working on, but I will say that I have been super blessed and it’s amazing that I get these opportunities to work with some of my favorite brands because I never thought that I would be able to. So that is just something that I will always look back on! It’s like Batiste, it has been super amazing to work with them and exciting because I use their products on a daily basis! So to work with them is just so amazing.

IG @sunisalee

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Suni Lee

Read the MAR ISSUE #99 of Athleisure Mag and see DEDICATED & BOLD | Suni Lee in mag.