Beacon, Team USA’s therapy dog. (X)
A four-year-old golden retriever named Beacon joined the US women’s team ahead of the Paris Olympics and has been with the athletes since May last year helping the squad manage stress ahead of the mega event.
The life of an athlete is often difficult as the players need to follow a strict routine and go through rigorous training on a regular basis. It can sometimes take a toll on their mental health. To battle this issue, the USA women’s gymnastics team had a therapy dog in the squad ahead of the Paris Olympics. The support from the canine seems to have worked well as the American side finished atop the standings in two gymnastic events. Before the Olympic trials, a four-year-old golden retriever named Beacon joined the US women’s team. It has been with the athletes since May last year and has helped the squad manage stress ahead of the mega event.
Beacon’s job was to provide emotional support to the gymnasts and stay around them during challenging times. The furry friend used to work as a therapy dog in a hospital before joining the US gymnastics team. Despite being at the trials and training sessions, Beacon could not accompany the athletes on their Paris trip owing to logistical reasons.
The idea of using dogs in therapy sessions was first introduced by Indianapolis in February 2023. Caroline Hunt, the vice-president of USA Gymnastics, later gave a thumbs-up to the concept. Beacon first became popular when Suni Lee shared its photo on Instagram after the first day of the Olympic trials. The caption of the post read, “Thank god for Beacon.”
According to Marca, Beacon is also credited for assisting Simone Biles to overcome her loss of air awareness. Her confidence was shattered when Biles failed to secure a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The company of Beacon helped her regain motivation ahead of the Paris Games. Biles has won three gold medals in this year’s campaign– one in the women’s vault and two in the team events.
Earlier in July, USA Gymnastics shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) where former Olympians Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez were seen smilingly posing alongside Beacon. In the caption of the post, the golden retriever was labelled as a “fan favourite.”
Born in 2020 in Michigan, Beacon was adopted by 65-year-old Tracey Callahan Molnar, who was a rhythmic gymnastics coach. She previously had another therapy dog named Tulsa, who passed away in 2019. Beacon, however, is the first dog who has had the privilege to work with the US gymnastics team.
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