Central Catholic grad Michael Grady felt 'joy and happiness and relief' in winning Olympic gold

Michael Grady did not get to participate in the opulent opening ceremonies of the Olympics on July 26.

As a rower, his presence would have been fitting for the “parade” of nations that took place on mechanized watercraft surging through the rain and the Seine river of Paris.

But the logistics of the schedule for his event approximately an hour to the east of the City of Light did not permit such a luxury.

He does plan on being part of the closing ceremonies Aug. 11, however.

After all, he is a gold medalist.

Grady, a native of Bradford Woods and a Central Catholic graduate, helped the United States claim gold in the men’s four event at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

“It’s kind of hard to really describe the entire range of emotions that I’ve been going through,” Grad said by phone Saturday. “It’s difficult, for sure. Nothing but joy and happiness and relief, really, has flown through my mind these past two days.”

Including teammates Liam Corrigan, Justin Best and Nick Mead, the United States won the final 2,000-meter event on Thursday with a time of 5 minutes, 49.03 seconds, fending off New Zealand by 0.85 of a second.

Team USA surges past New Zealand for GOLD in men's four rowing! ???????????? #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/tCQm7Rk52z

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 1, 2024

“Halfway through, we crossed and we had a margin (that was) very comfortable,” said Grady, 27. “We were comfortable there. We knew our closing position and closing speed is quite good. I was pretty confident, even when they kind of started to move back into it with a minute, a minute-thirty to go into the race. They took a big move, and we decided to just shut them down with our closing speed and the rest is history. The last minute of the race was more or less a formality. We just had to make sure we got to the end and didn’t mess up.”

When Grady accepted his medal, he took a deep breath and experienced a series of emotions.

Emotional moments as The Star-Spangled Banner rings out for the U.S. men's four rowing team. ???????????? #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/No0KBfqKjy

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 1, 2024

And one distinct observation.

“I’ve been telling people, that thing is pretty darn heavy,” Grady quipped. “Heavy in the sense of the emotional toll and the actual physical weight of the medal. It’s been a long road to get here. Lots of hours, lots of time away from my family, my fiancé (Phoebe Marks-Nicholes), time away from my dogs (Macy and Kyro). It’s not an easy lifestyle being what I’d consider a semi-professional athlete. It’s difficult.

“I’m nothing but proud and grateful and relieved that what I went through turned out successful.”

Success in rowing has been rare for the United States.

Like “Dwight D. Eisenhower was president the last time the United States won gold in men’s four rowing” rare.

The 1960 Rome Olympics were the last Games to see a gold medal go to the United States in Grady’s event. The last medal of any type for the United States in this discipline was a bronze in the 2012 Games in London.

But in the Paris Olympics, United States men’s rowing has experienced something of a renaissance.

On Saturday, the men’s eight team won bronze, allowing the United States to claim medals in two of five overall events.

“It’s incredible to be able to end the dry streak and put (United States) rowing back on the map,” Grady said. “We’re able to field competitive boats and competitive athletes. Today, I had the fortune of watching our men’s eight walk away with a bronze medal as well. That’s the U.S. men’s eight’s first medal since (2004). It’s been 12 years since U.S. has had a medal in men’s rowing and this Olympics, we walk away with two. Two of the five events that we were in, we walk away with medals, which is the right direction. We’re proud to be the people that started that fire.”

Considering the chasm of six-plus decades between gold medals for the United States in the men’s four event, did Grady and company harbor any realistic optimism of the ultimate prize for these Games?

“Earlier this season, we participated in a circuit event called World Cup II,” said Grady, who lives in Seattle. “A majority of the most competitive boats that were going to be at the Olympics were there, and we actually won that. We knew well before the Olympics that we can go to the Olympics and win. We have the opportunity to do that. We just have to make sure we’re checking all the boxes and make sure we’re actually executing everything that we need to. I was pretty confident. Obviously, there was a lot of anxious energy, anxious excitement that comes to you on race day. You’re at your sport’s biggest world-wide event.

“But we were confident. We were super happy and excited going into it.”

There will be plenty of excitement and jubilation in store for Grady over the next week-plus. After winning gold, he’ll primarily be a spectator for the rest of the Games.

Come on, everybody! Let's hear it for Team USA's Men's Four Rowing team for winning Gold! Elmo is so proud of you! ???????????????? #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/8jZs1ShWpa

— Elmo (@elmo) August 2, 2024

“I spent a lot of my time doing media obligations (after winning), “Grady said. Tonight (Saturday) is my first night (free). So, I’m going to go out and celebrate with friends and family, celebrate with my coach (Casey Galvanek). After that, I think I’m just looking forward to going to nice restaurants, checking out Paris, checking out other sporting venues. I’m excited to be a superfan for a little bit of Team USA.”

There is one more event for Grady to participate in, however.

He’ll take part in the closing ceremonies with a gold medal that took so much more than 5:49.03 to earn.

“I wanted to give my full energy and focus to it leading up to this Olympics,” Grady said. “I knew there was something special about my teammates and my crew that I was a part of. I had to see it through to fruition.”