Ep 183: He Qualified / She Qualified ft Dominic Lawson & Zenith Malawo

Raphael Harry [00:00:00]:
Hey, everybody. Rafael Harry here. You're listening to White Label American. On this show, we dive into unique and diverse origin stories from immigrants and allies. Join us weekly as we break barriers, connect the past with the present, and peek into the future. Welcome to White Label American. Thank you all for joining us today. I am your host, Rafael Harry, and I am honored to have 2 outstanding and beautiful guests with me in the studio today for round 2 of our Olympics episode.

Raphael Harry [00:00:57]:
However before we dive into the Olympics literally diving into the Olympics gotta remind y'all Apple podcast is now available on all web browsers on, all phones so you got no excuse. Now you can go out there, go forth, and unleash all the positive reviews, and you follow, subscribe on Apple. Hey. You you got access to it. You know? You got access to it. Go to the website and hit up Apple. You can find Apple through there and increase the reviews. Alright, people? Go out there.

Raphael Harry [00:01:33]:
Do your thing. And, yeah, that's the main thing for you guys to do. Those of you who haven't done it before. And if you've done it before, you can renew your, reviews. So with that being said, let's meet today's guest. You've met one of them before. This is his, what, 3rd time on the podcast? Mhmm. So welcome back again.

Raphael Harry [00:01:56]:
He's becoming a regular face on the show. I would love to have him here. We'd love to see him. We'd love to hear from him all the time. Please introduce yourself to the audience.

Dominic Lawson [00:02:05]:
My name is Dominic Lawson, a multi award winning podcaster, entrepreneur, and all the things, and obviously, lover of the Olympics. Damn right. So glad to be here.

Raphael Harry [00:02:15]:
Damn right. Welcome back again, brother. And we Thank you so much. Love to hear you from you and love to see you on the show. And for the first time ever, one of our super listeners and super supporters of the podcast making our first time appearance, long overdue, and, we we are we're still waiting for her to come on the show for her solo episode, which is, it's gonna be a super episode that we are we are excited to have. But making her debut, Zenith, please take it over from here.

Zenith Malawo [00:02:53]:
Oh, thank you for that introduction. Hi, everyone. My name is Zenith Hamamba Malau. I'll be the host of the upcoming assorted immigrant stories podcast launching in October, and I am a sports fan to the core. So the which is why I'm here to discuss these Olympics.

Raphael Harry [00:03:10]:
Awesome. Awesome. Welcome, my sister. Yes. She is one of the people who keeps this podcast going. And for those of you out there, you can be like Zenit, be awesome, and be outstanding, and be looking out for our podcast coming out soon. So let's dive in. Before we we go to the main Paris Olympics, the Paralympics has kicked off, and I would like to give a shout out to Zakia Kudadadi.

Raphael Harry [00:03:39]:
I believe that's how her name is said, who just won bronze for the Paralympics refugee team. First time ever. So the refugee team is turning up. They turned out at the, the, Paris Olympics and the Paralympic team now. They're they're they're they're representing, and, there there's something awesome about that because, hey, keep supporting that team, and they keep winning medals. So, are you guys watching the Paralympics?

Dominic Lawson [00:04:10]:
Absolutely. Go on. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead.

Zenith Malawo [00:04:13]:
Not yet. My plan was to watch this weekend because we do have 2 Zambians that I've gone there with. They're 2 runners, and they're taking part, I believe, in the t 11 and t 12. And I think the guy taking part in the t 12 is using a guide. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to that. I think they run sometime in September, but I was like, well, let me watch the other games as well because nobody is really talking about them like the main Olympics. But Yeah. Worth seeing, worth watching.

Raphael Harry [00:04:38]:
Yeah. You know, I I wasn't gonna start with the Paralympics, but to be honest, I don't think I've ever watched Paralympics before. I followed results, but it's the first time I have watched Paralympics, events, and I started with a wheelchair basketball, and I got to appreciate the the the effort those guys put in because I've met a Paralympian, hockey player in and I'm I'm trying to remember the other Paralympian I met through, some veteran nonprofits that I, events that I've been to, and, gold both gold medalist, by the way, couple of years ago, pre, pre pandemic. Yeah. And, damn, I I'll pull up his name because, one of them is actually on my Facebook. His name is Ralph. I just I didn't think about that before even. It just popped up in my head while, I started speaking that I've met 2, Paralympians.

Raphael Harry [00:05:46]:
And, yeah, I never watched their sports before, but watching the wheelchair basketball, I was like, my goodness. That that's a lot of strength those guys got. Mhmm. That is it's it's it's an intense sport. Yeah. In fact, all the Paralympians, events that I've watched, those guys put in and I've not seen any I've not seen any boring sport. Any sport I've I've I could say, man, this event is boring, man. I'm I'm I'm just I'm tuning out of this.

Raphael Harry [00:06:21]:
Like, no offense to, like, people, like, equestrian. But he I mean, he can do so easily watching that, like, man. If you're not really into it, it has a niche spot. Like, if you're not into it, you're not into it. But in Paralympics, everything I've watched, I'm like, man, this this is I don't I don't want anybody to lose. That's just you know, like, today, I saw, I I I can't remember the it was, like, the equivalent of a 100 meters, and, fortunately, the the brother from, Morocco got disqualified. And I was, man, I I I was like, oh, no. I I I I failed for him.

Raphael Harry [00:06:59]:
No. It's not like men men 100 meters where, you know, if somebody gets disqualified I'm not saying I I don't feel it, but come on. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's, because you you you you see you know how much effort you know, there there's, an article from, The Conversation, which I highly recommend because these are academics who put in a lot of research into any topic they write about. And they they they were writing this article is about, which I brought my other laptop. I I did open safe there. And they they they they covered they covered the investment in, in, exercising for people with disabilities and how there's limited access all over the world and not just all in western world, but all over the world.

Raphael Harry [00:07:55]:
And even here, I mean, if I go to all the parks around me, it's mostly for people with able-bodied people. You know? I have disabilities, but I'm more on the able-bodied side. You know? So, people it's easier for me to go do activities. And when you see people with limited, acts you know, limited abilities to perform and they are still making that effort and they make it to the top like this, you know, I'm like, man, oh, don't don't disqualify them. Just let let them go through. Let them go through. So, yeah, I I got to appreciate watching the the basketball, and, man, it was it was back and forth. It was back and forth, and I was like, oof.

Raphael Harry [00:08:40]:
That was a good game. It was a good game. And it felt like they played twice in the same day, Or was it just me?

Dominic Lawson [00:08:49]:
I'm not sure.

Raphael Harry [00:08:49]:
Okay. Because sure. Because I know I saw USA, Canada earlier in the day, and then later in the day, it was USA, Spain.

Dominic Lawson [00:08:57]:
No. That that might have been the rugby because they the the court is similar looking. Right? So I think that might have been rugby that was USA Canada, which apparently and and wheelchair rugby is an extremely fierce rivalry between Canada and United States. Ah. They're, like, talking trash and stuff like that. So that might have been what it was.

Raphael Harry [00:09:16]:
Okay. Okay. Because oh, man. It was, yeah. Yeah. But if then for everybody out there, I just wanna give them their flowers for the Paralympians. It's yeah. The there's it it's for for that, I give everybody you all get a medal from me.

Raphael Harry [00:09:34]:
You all get a medal from me. You all made it out there because, yeah, ain't no way I'm making it out there. That that's the one I'm like, oof, man. No. It's I just wanna applaud them, and, that's one thing I would always point out that countries should do more. You know? If you you can't just focus on all the only boys, focus on only well, girls, focus on only you know, you gotta focus. Carry everybody along. Bring everybody along, and I think pro Paralympics is a reminder that, you know, you you gotta carry everybody along in your country, invest in your people, and that's one reason why I just wanted to start there.

Raphael Harry [00:10:18]:
But, yeah, has any anything in the Paralympics stood out to you, you know, or you you you waiting for a particular event like Zenit?

Dominic Lawson [00:10:29]:
You know, no. I honestly, I'm just here to watch and learn, to be honest with you. Like, it's my first time watching the Paralympics. I think, Peacock say that this is the first time where every single event is being covered, and so that's an opportunity to yeah. So, like, it's been televised before, but I think this is the first time that every single event is covered. Right? So it it it's just it's and Peacock has set it up just like the Olympics where you can go to the track, you can go to the pool, you

Raphael Harry [00:10:59]:
can go

Dominic Lawson [00:10:59]:
to the courts to check something out all at the same time. They even got the the goals old channel where they show, like, multiple sports all at the same time. It it's really cool. So, honestly, I'm just, like, just watching like you, and Zendesk, just watching in amazement. Like, I I saw this morning, like, visually impaired long jumping.

Raphael Harry [00:11:20]:
Oh, yeah.

Dominic Lawson [00:11:20]:
And and how the crowd has to be really quiet in order for them to, like, to to listen to their spotter so they can know when to jump and stuff like that. So or goalball, which is kinda similar as well where everybody has to be quiet and stuff like that. So, honestly, I'm just I'm just here to learn and and have an open mind, when it comes to the Paralympics. And it's, it's been fascinating to watch so far.

Raphael Harry [00:11:44]:
Wow. See, I I had my TV really low at that moment, so I didn't catch that. But that that that that's wow. You see? You juxtapose that with the the main Olympics where the crowd has Yeah. They're feeding off the crowd to make their jumps. Wow. That is

Dominic Lawson [00:12:03]:
Oh, yeah. It's it's it's it's it's fascinating. It it really is fascinating. And and to your point, we're talking about Zakiya. And then you and then the thing is about Olympics, it's about the moments and the stories. Right? And so I was listening to the story about Zakiya and how she, competed in the the Tokyo games, like, days before she escaped persecution from her own country. Right? So talk about being disabled. Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [00:12:30]:
And then there's the persecution aspect and you just wanna compete. Right? You know? And and so when you hear those stories of, you know, of people overcoming adversity, man, it's it's inspiring. Like, I think anybody, whether you're abled or disabled, like, trying to be the best in the world in something, like, it could be shoe time. Yeah. That's inspiring. Right? And to do it on the world stage, that's super inspiring.

Raphael Harry [00:12:53]:
Really is. That is that is really super inspiring.

Zenith Malawo [00:12:58]:
And just to piggyback off of what, Dominique is saying. And and I think for me, sports that's why I love sports. I feel like they're metaphor for life. Right? Like, okay. It's something, and then you persevere. You have grit and tenacity and whatever, and you can achieve. And you see that with these athletes. And going back to Peacock, I love that they do that because even for the Olympics, it was the first time I was like, oh man, I could watch a country I've never heard of.

Zenith Malawo [00:13:24]:
You know? Cause you know, sometimes we think we know and we don't know, and you see these companies and you're like, oh my God, I never heard of that. Or I forgot that. And then you hear those other human stories, just stories of, oh, here to cyclists They're from Afghanistan. They were not allowed to compete. And here they are. They're not they're not meddling. This is just the stories of where they've come from and to where they are. So, same thing.

Zenith Malawo [00:13:47]:
When I saw that with people, I was like, wow, this is an opportunity for my son and I. I can show him, and we can see that there are people who have disabilities or maybe, you know, are able differently. I don't even know how to put it. And they're they're competing at the highest level, And yet and we're complaining about just walking for 2 kilometers or 2 miles. Yeah. You know, we have everything. So yeah. So but I'm looking forward to that as well.

Zenith Malawo [00:14:15]:
So like I said, we have Monica and Lasan, the 2 Zambians. They both have, the one guy has visual impairment. And I saw the thing they were competing today. They were saying, who has the best banner? They had these beautiful, like, eye cover.

Dominic Lawson [00:14:28]:
Yeah. That's true. Like, I saw the one

Raphael Harry [00:14:30]:
with the

Dominic Lawson [00:14:30]:
lady had the butterfly.

Zenith Malawo [00:14:32]:
Right. Right. Really cool. Mhmm. Yeah. I was like, wow. This is nice. And I was like, yeah.

Zenith Malawo [00:14:37]:
Who has it? I was like, yeah. This this is nice. Yeah. And I'm happy that it's it's not as mainstream as the main Olympics. I feel like but this is a start. It's it's out there. So some anyone who's looking for it.

Raphael Harry [00:14:49]:
Yeah. It's like the Brazil Olympics page, had one of the Paralympians, the I saw the caption on the on their Facebook page, and they said it's samba time. And it was one of the Paralympians dancing to samba, and I I I don't think the individual had arms. I I couldn't see arms, but it looked like the arms were invisible, but they were celebrating the individual. And, just because you're the you're disabled doesn't mean you can't have you can't flex. You can't you can't celebrate life, and I love that. You know? Because sometimes we kinda make it look like all of a sudden people should flex. All of a sudden people should have the fun all the fun, and we we should celebrate everybody.

Raphael Harry [00:15:42]:
You know? And we shouldn't limit it to just one group only, and that's how we start to exclude people and deny people. And that's why it's part of governing should be carrying everybody along, making sure you reach everybody and including everybody. And that's the beauty of, the Olympics. And that's why, you know, I I saw an interview with, which I shared on my personal Facebook, with the I think the heavyweight from, I think she was she was in the heavyweight category of, weight lifting for she presented Great Britain. And I I think she she met she medaled. Yes. She medaled. The young lady medaled in, it actually med she make she got silver.

Raphael Harry [00:16:36]:
Yeah. I think because it was a Chinese lady who won gold in a heavyweight category of, you know, it I think it was 81 KG kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms for weightlifting and the young lady I think she's the 1st black female to get, heavyweights, to get 1 KGs go, silver or bronze. It's silver. Yeah. She made got silver or bronze, but she was talking about how for their weight category in weightlifting, when people talk about them being women, it it's they're the same weight as the men, but the men accept it. And the men, consider you know, it's normalized for the men to being to have different shapes and, you know, they they are not really like, oh, you're not healthy. Yeah. There's something wrong.

Raphael Harry [00:17:31]:
There's nothing wrong with you being, you know, looking the way you look. But when it comes to the women, then people want to not act like we are concerned with the way you look. Oh, you there's something wrong with the way you look because you are doing this sport. They act concerned, and I'm saying that in quotes for those who are not watching the video. And, you know, now the in the name of concern, then you now start saying, oh, should a woman be doing this? And then you wanna now start asking, is this a woman and that kind of, you know, fake concern thing. And she's like, no. Our our woman who doesn't deny us from participating in this sport and from being able to do the sport and lift this same amount of weight that men are lifting, and nobody questions their manhood, their looks. Nobody questions that.

Raphael Harry [00:18:20]:
And we can look different ways. She has piercings on her face. The woman who got the gold from China looks a lot different from her, but, you know, nobody says it's not about can she do the job? She gets the job done. And people now start trying to change it. Oh, no. You know, I'm I'm I'm just concerned, but should a woman look yeah. They they they're not women, and then they did and no. Why why is that where you're taking it to? They are professionals at their spot, and they are doing it well.

Raphael Harry [00:18:52]:
They're doing it good. They know how to take care of themselves. They are following medical advice. Their spot has improved from 100 years ago. There's a lot of science now in it, and it keeps improving. And then people want to not change it to something that shouldn't to exclude them. They're looking for ways to still exclude them from participating, which is nonsense. You know? Instead of looking for ways to improve their livelihood, like, oh, maybe we should increase pay and, you know, look for how to inject better, access to health care and, you know, better pay for them and that kind of thing.

Raphael Harry [00:19:24]:
That's where the conversation should be going. They're still looking for ways to exclude certain people from participation, which is the wrong way to go. And when she was having that interview, I'm like, yeah. You know, you're making a lot of sense. That is where we should be going with this instead of exclusion, which is the weird thing that's the weird takeaway that some people just take from, sports. Because the more diversity you keep seeing, which is why I love, you know, because the moment diversity keeps increasing, then that con concern starts popping up. Like, oh, you know, I I just want women to be women. No.

Raphael Harry [00:20:00]:
I just want women to not I'm concerned for the women. You know, I like women to I like my women looking more women womanly. Like, mhmm. Really? That that's so you're gonna pay them? No? Oh, get out of here. So, yeah, that that that that's why I, appreciate the increase in diversity. I appreciate the stories that we keep seeing, and, I I'll I'll I'll I'll be a fan of the Olympics for as long as it comes. And, yeah, took a break for a while, but I'm glad I'm back, and I'm I really love I think this Olympics has been a success and continues to be a success because it's not over yet. And, yeah, I will continue to support watching.

Raphael Harry [00:20:42]:
I recommend people watch the Olympics. But, yeah, if you guys have anything to add to that, yeah, go ahead, please.

Dominic Lawson [00:20:50]:
Zaida, I can defer to you first if you wanna go first.

Zenith Malawo [00:20:53]:
No. I think I don't know if I blant for a second. Rafael, were you talking about Khalif, the lady from Algeria?

Raphael Harry [00:21:01]:
She's included in that conversation too.

Zenith Malawo [00:21:03]:
Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You know, the the same story where, like, she's doing well and the it's like, well, she's manly So, you know, then there are all these debates.

Zenith Malawo [00:21:14]:
Well, I mean, she was born a woman. She's a woman. She competes as a woman. Let her compete as a woman. But as soon as she wins a a fight, I think I can't remember who she was fighting against. Some lady said, well, because of how she was punching. Okay.

Raphael Harry [00:21:27]:
Oh, the Italian the Italian The Italian lady. Yeah. Lady who Yeah. I'm I'm like, if if you take 2 punches and you you a woman punches you that hard and you're like, is is she a man? I'm like, I don't she maybe you should be in a different spot if Yeah. A woman hits you that hard, and you're like, I I can't tell if she's a man or woman. I'm like, maybe you should've been in a contact spot then. Move to a different spot. Table tennis, maybe?

Raphael Harry [00:21:53]:
Yes. Badminton?

Zenith Malawo [00:21:56]:
It's very interesting because then I think I've heard of I think, Caster. So many I don't know if you

Dominic Lawson [00:22:01]:
guys would

Raphael Harry [00:22:01]:
I was gonna bring up her name too. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [00:22:03]:
Running in South Africa, then she and I think she ended up losing the case, but it was the same thing. Like, well, she's more manly. When they test her, she has more test test her on. And they're like, well, you need to take something to lower that. Okay. So you don't want them to take doping stuff. Right? That's illegal, but you want people to ingest stuff to reduce what they naturally have because it it advantages them. I don't know.

Zenith Malawo [00:22:27]:
It's it's crazy. It is crazy. But it was sad for her because I think she did lose that. But I was happy that they did let Kalief compete, and she won the gold. Obviously, one of the gold medals that we had in Africa as well. And you can see that it has happened in the past before. I remember Serena used to face some of that. Mhmm.

Zenith Malawo [00:22:45]:
She was playing tennis, and she, you know, she she'll hit hard strokes. I mean, you can see today they're hitting hard as well. There are many more, but then it'd be like, well, she looks so masculine. She looks like a man, you know, as though to say, well, because she's kind of like a guy, which is why she's, like, beating us. No. She's just great. So just give her her flowers. So, yeah, we we salute the inclusion, of the people that, you know, are segregated against because of issues like this.

Raphael Harry [00:23:13]:
And and nobody ever has that type of critique for a man who hits those has, you know oh, his serve is so powerful. What what what kind of serve is that? What what kind of what is this? Is he a cyborg? No. It's all hey. Hey. So that that's so manly. Yes. You know what I mean? He's so he's so superb. It's just normal.

Raphael Harry [00:23:36]:
Okay. But, you know, recently, we had, what's his name? Skinner or Cena, something like that, who's doping. He failed doping twice in the tennis world. Right? And it's causing some controversy because he fired his physiotherapist and somebody else. I guess they took the fall, and, they accepted his reasoning, which is quite rare to see that, you know, somebody filled doping twice, and somehow it's, it wasn't his fault that he failed. No. I don't really know the that that's between the doping agencies and the guy. But I can imagine if Serena Williams feeling doping like that, and the whole world would have ended.

Raphael Harry [00:24:24]:
You know? That's a woman who had to battle, all the racist caricatures they did of her, everything, the umpires, everybody throwing everything at her. The crowd being racist to her too. And, oh, but it's just banter. What do you mean? You know? And trying to exclude somebody just because of the color of her skin. And you see it in the Athletics, Castas, Emmanuel. But if we now we have people from Europe and other places, even America contesting long distance races. Nobody is saying, hey. This guy is a white guy running in races that black people have been dominating for so long.

Raphael Harry [00:25:04]:
Nobody is going to hey. Must be doping. Why is that not the first thing that that's not the first thing I post my oh, just like, this guy is great. That's it just seems to be acceptable, but let a a a a black guy pop up in swimming, dominates that. What's the first well, you know, we need to test this guy just so you know. We need to see. We haven't seen this before. You know? I'm I'm just saying I'm I'm not saying I'm not saying it's not me.

Raphael Harry [00:25:29]:
It's what I'm hearing. Who's the person telling you that? Why do people say this to you? That's just seems to be, like, a giving, and that's kind of the thing that Imani Khali faced because she had lost fights before. It's not like she had she she's a Floyd Mayweather who's unbeaten. Right. She had lost fights before, and then all of a sudden, she beat somebody who we've never heard of. She's not, like, the best fighter in Europe. Two punches and down goes down. She she it felt like a man beat me.

Raphael Harry [00:25:57]:
Are you saying you you're a victim of domestic violence, that you're used to men beating you all the time so you know what men punch like or what? Nobody asked that question. Just, oh my god. We we have turned to women's rights activist, Elon Musk, became women's rights activist all of a sudden. And all these people who've never cared about women's rights just jumped on me. It's like, oh, we need only women. Women must only be in women's spot. What? What are you guys even talking about? What do you even know about woman's body?

Dominic Lawson [00:26:26]:
Right. It it it it it's almost like we forget, like, wow. There's this athlete trying to be the best in the world. Maybe they trained and got stronger. Exactly. Maybe they trained and got faster. Maybe they trained and can jump higher now. It's like, there's there are simpler questions we could ask as besides no.

Dominic Lawson [00:26:46]:
They're doping. Yeah. No. You got you

Raphael Harry [00:26:48]:
got you got testosterone.

Dominic Lawson [00:26:50]:
No. You gotta be a man. It was like you could just ask the more simpler questions like maybe she trained 18 hours a day. And and this is not a new thing. This dates back to even the 88 games with Flo Jo and and when she had a record that still stands to this day

Raphael Harry [00:27:06]:
Yes.

Dominic Lawson [00:27:06]:
And being accused of of doping. Right? Like like this thing, it's like whenever marginalized people or, you know, marginal no. People of color

Raphael Harry [00:27:16]:
Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [00:27:16]:
Women, stuff like that. Anytime they they break into a sport that is traditionally not of white bodies, then there's all these questions. Oh, they must have done this in order to do that. No. Maybe they got better. Bust their ass for 18, 20 hours a day so that way they can beat you. And and and it feels like he is like a man, and maybe they just got stronger. So, you know, I I just didn't think in scenarios like this, there's simpler questions that we could ask as opposed to the more complex ones

Raphael Harry [00:27:45]:
Got it.

Dominic Lawson [00:27:46]:
Or or more accurately assumptions.

Raphael Harry [00:27:49]:
It's all assumptions. I mean, look at my man, Armando Duplantis, who just can't stop world records. I mean Nobody nobody's got it. Like, Carl, he's gotta be dope. He he he's gotta be on

Raphael Harry [00:28:03]:
the juice. He keeps

Dominic Lawson [00:28:05]:
he's a white guy to keep

Raphael Harry [00:28:08]:
He keeps he's

Raphael Harry [00:28:10]:
a white guy that keeps jumping

Raphael Harry [00:28:10]:
higher and higher.

Raphael Harry [00:28:11]:
I mean He wants me on

Raphael Harry [00:28:11]:
the juice. White guy

Dominic Lawson [00:28:12]:
from Sweden of all places.

Raphael Harry [00:28:12]:
Like, when what where the hell are you jumping to? When when do Vikings just start jumping? I mean, if I was a stand up comic, I would have had so much material based on Duplantis. Like, this guy just keeps jump when the Vikings love jumping like that? I just wanna know.

Raphael Harry [00:28:28]:
Right. Right.

Raphael Harry [00:28:29]:
And I'm a I love that guy because, man, if I was a Paul Volta,

Raphael Harry [00:28:34]:
I I I I'll just be like, hey. What competition is Duplantis is not coming to? Okay. Yeah. Put me put me in that because Yeah. Put me in that one.

Raphael Harry [00:28:39]:
Because this guy, if I if I hear you, he showed up, oh, no. Not again. Not again. Right.

Dominic Lawson [00:28:43]:
And then and then he say, hurry up and start the competition before

Raphael Harry [00:28:46]:
he runs. I hear you.

Raphael Harry [00:28:51]:
Because you're you're like, oh, man. I I got this. I got this. I'm about to jump there. Oh, dude. Last minute addition. Duplantis.

Raphael Harry [00:28:57]:
Oh, man. Yeah. Shit. Oh, shit. I'm out of here, man. You know what? I just got injured. Oh, my back. Can't feel my back.

Raphael Harry [00:29:05]:
Ugh, injured. Right. Take me out. You know what?

Dominic Lawson [00:29:09]:
You know what? I guess silver is okay.

Raphael Harry [00:29:12]:
Yeah. Yeah. Silver. Silver.

Dominic Lawson [00:29:14]:
Time.

Raphael Harry [00:29:14]:
We don't we the large gap between silver and first. Like, man, what what what what happened between man, I don't have to ask a question, man. I'm so I'm so glad.

Raphael Harry [00:29:22]:
I'm so honored to be here. You know? It's not easy to make get silver.

Raphael Harry [00:29:25]:
You know? It's man, but it it's don't you feel worried that no. But why you ask all

Raphael Harry [00:29:30]:
these tough questions? Can can't you ask ask real questions, man? Ask real questions.

Raphael Harry [00:29:34]:
Don't Right.

Raphael Harry [00:29:35]:
When you go break come close to Duplantis record, I'm I I don't care

Raphael Harry [00:29:39]:
about the record. I just wanna set a national record. Okay? I wanna set a

Raphael Harry [00:29:42]:
world record. National record is all I'm here for.

Zenith Malawo [00:29:49]:
You just set a you just set

Raphael Harry [00:29:50]:
a world record at the Olympics. Next event, you set another world record again. Like, bro, calm down. Like, any event he just shows up to, bro, can you just compete? It doesn't have to be a world record. Just compete. What?

Raphael Harry [00:30:07]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:30:08]:
Yeah. Compete. Compete competition, world record. No. We just met just participate. Okay. Participate. Not not not a competition.

Raphael Harry [00:30:17]:
Competition between myself and myself. World record. Ugh. No. Like, you know what? We we changed the name of the sports to Duplantis. That's it. There's no more poll vote.

Dominic Lawson [00:30:31]:
Right. The Duplantis job. Yeah. Basically. The Duplantis job, basically. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:30:36]:
Because, man, I've lost count

Raphael Harry [00:30:37]:
of how many world records the guy has. Like, man, come on.

Zenith Malawo [00:30:40]:
I think 10. Isn't it? Like, 10 or something?

Raphael Harry [00:30:42]:
Yeah. I guess I don't know if you're adding the most recent vlogs.

Dominic Lawson [00:30:45]:
We've we've all lost count.

Zenith Malawo [00:30:46]:
He's he's under, like, the last 10 or something like that.

Dominic Lawson [00:30:49]:
We we've lost count.

Raphael Harry [00:30:50]:
We lost count.

Dominic Lawson [00:30:51]:
It's not a white vlog. I feel like the next time somebody competes in the pole vault, it's not gonna say w r for world records. It's just gonna say m m, m d for Mario Duplantis. Like, you need to get over that part. It won't even say world record anymore.

Raphael Harry [00:31:08]:
Just Mario Duplantis right

Dominic Lawson [00:31:10]:
next to the hike. He was like, why bother? Why bother?

Raphael Harry [00:31:15]:
Man. Oh, man. That guy. Oh, man. It's like the day the day somebody go beat him and beat his world record. Oh, man. Am I am I dead?

Dominic Lawson [00:31:27]:
If it's a person of color, they'll get drugged.

Raphael Harry [00:31:29]:
Oh, man. I by the time you land as as soon as you're

Raphael Harry [00:31:33]:
landing, there's like, yeah. Wait. Wait.

Dominic Lawson [00:31:34]:
Here's a cup.

Raphael Harry [00:31:35]:
Yeah. Yeah. The cup.

Dominic Lawson [00:31:36]:
Right there.

Raphael Harry [00:31:36]:
You have paperwork. Yeah. They're calling you back. They got, like, 5 officials waiting for you with different cops and forms.

Raphael Harry [00:31:47]:
Like, congratulations, but here you go. We just wanna

Raphael Harry [00:31:49]:
make sure. Like, man, we'll

Raphael Harry [00:31:52]:
you know, you know, we'll be waiting for years to beat that record, and you did it.

Raphael Harry [00:31:55]:
Wow. Wow.

Raphael Harry [00:31:57]:
And then you did and you set your own record too?

Raphael Harry [00:31:59]:
Man, no. No. No. You know what? We got, like, 15 officials waiting for you. You gotta pay 15 times, like, 15 different cups just to make sure. No. We we we're all about fairness and equality here. You know? We we just we just wanna make sure.

Dominic Lawson [00:32:10]:
It it'll be federations that don't even govern that sport. Like, FIFA, why are you

Raphael Harry [00:32:14]:
here? Like,

Dominic Lawson [00:32:14]:
why why is FIFA here?

Raphael Harry [00:32:16]:
Like, why why is FIFA here? Like, why why is Swimming swimming guys will show up.

Raphael Harry [00:32:22]:
Yeah. Yeah. We just, you know,

Raphael Harry [00:32:24]:
everybody just want a piece of the pie. Right. Oh, man. Oh, man. So now that we've had a few, weeks since Paris ended, how how do you still see the Paris, 2024 Olympics? Yeah. I I I do you do you still see it in a in a positive light, you know, your your biggest moment? Yeah. What was your biggest moment for me? Let me rephrase that. What's your biggest moment from the Paris 20 24 Olympics?

Zenith Malawo [00:33:10]:
Okay. So well, first, yes, I still see it as a success. I know you say you scratch that question, but, you know, I'll answer it anyway. No.

Raphael Harry [00:33:17]:
It's fine. It's fine.

Zenith Malawo [00:33:19]:
I saw it as a success, obviously, from the beginning to the end. I know I wasn't quite getting the whole you know, what do you call it? The introduction ceremony, the intro ceremony.

Raphael Harry [00:33:28]:
Oh, the opening ceremony. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [00:33:30]:
Okay. The opening ceremony. But, you know, obviously, there are parts of it I loved. I loved to see other athletes from other countries. Like, I'm a big fan of Rafael Nadal, for example, from Spain with Serena Williams together. I loved seeing them, and I think it was was it Carlos?

Raphael Harry [00:33:45]:
Yeah. Carlos was there.

Zenith Malawo [00:33:46]:
Oh, it was Carlos. I love that. Obviously, Snoop taking part, you know, like, the whole uncle Snoop suddenly has become our favorite uncle, you know, the whole torch. And I just love the ending of it. I think they had a man there who's I wanna say it was maybe a 100 years old. I just remember having goosebumps watching that and just feeling like, wow. This is wonderful. And there were these touches of women that were coming out of the water, I think, to pay homage to women who were part of the French, French revolution.

Zenith Malawo [00:34:19]:
So I love that. And I think those gender parity for the first time in these Olympics

Raphael Harry [00:34:24]:
Mhmm.

Zenith Malawo [00:34:24]:
Which is why they were I know they were, like, for example, 6 athletes from Afghanistan, like, 2 of them were sisters, cyclists, those kind of stories, like, as we were saying. So, yeah, to me, the Olympics were great for Africa as well. I know we are smaller countries, individuals, but as a continent, I felt like we did better, especially when you think of the resources that we have, the corruption that we have, you know, with just a lot of issues with, governing bodies, with registering athletes and stuff like that. But, you know, we walked away with, like, 38 medals. But to think of one thing that stood out, oh my god. There were so many. There were so many. I I I don't even know where to start from, but obviously, something that sticks out in my mind right away is, a little bit more than 2 100 meters, the gold, I'm a little bit more than you have, Simone Biles, obviously my girl, like she's 27.

Zenith Malawo [00:35:22]:
She didn't need to prove anything to us, but I'm watching her greatness at 27 just and, you know, when they slow showed in slow motion and they they tell you how just how high it is. You're like, wow. You know, just wow. You have Kristen Faulkner who picked up cycling at the age of 23. She was a venture capitalist.

Raphael Harry [00:35:46]:
Oh, yeah. That's true. I forgot about that.

Zenith Malawo [00:35:48]:
She was she was like a substitute. She wasn't even like the main person and then one god. Like, are you kidding me? And she wasn't the only one. You have Tola who won the the he won the marathon for the men. Same thing. He was the last minute add on, went on to win the gold medal. Like, what? There was a you know, you had the 2 young boys, one American, I think, oh my god. What's his name? He's living here, and he's from right here in Maryland.

Zenith Malawo [00:36:16]:
He won the gold, you know, for the 4 by 104 by 400, really with the US team. And it's funny because I keep saying he has a twin brother in South Africa, Bayanda Walaaza, who was part of the 4 by 100 relay team, the South African team that won the silver medal. You're 18 years old. And they were both going back to school that Monday. I was like, oh, this I mean, there are so many. There there are so many. I don't think I'm even touching half of them. There were so many great, great moments.

Zenith Malawo [00:36:49]:
You saw Novak Djokovic, who has 24 Grand Slam titles, but the Olympics brought him to his tears because he

Raphael Harry [00:36:52]:
was missing this one

Zenith Malawo [00:36:52]:
thing, and it speaks to the Olympics and what it means for these athletes. Mhmm. Same thing for the golfer. I mean, he's a billionaire and winning the gold, and he's crying tears. And there was so many. And obviously, the main one for me is for my country. We had Musalasamukonga. We haven't had a medal in 28 years.

Zenith Malawo [00:37:19]:
We have so many issues with sports visibility, just people having opportunities, funding, even there's been no I think he got paid, but there were issues of payment. But after 28 years, we got one bronze and, you know, and but it's like it was like a time for national pride. It's like, okay. Maybe we are going somewhere, and maybe we're doing something. We need to do more. But, here's finally something. But, yeah, there are many. There are many.

Zenith Malawo [00:37:45]:
I can't even begin to list them. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:37:48]:
Hey. That's that's why you're here. One quick thing. Earlier on, you had mentioned how the, Olympics watching the Olympics, opening ceremony with your with your son, is how was one way of learning about countries and reminded me about when I was younger. That that was one way I also learned about countries because you see, you know, watching the opening ceremony, countries marching, you know, waving their flags, and you start saying, oh, this this is a country, and that's a country. And although, you know, I think that was, I did watch a bunch of opening ceremonies, like 88, 84, 88. I I watched them on replay because my elder brother had recorded the the had it recorded on VHS. So I will watch the replay, just watch the opening ceremonies, and and a bunch of those countries no longer exist that were on those replays, funny enough.

Raphael Harry [00:38:48]:
But that's how you got to learn about those countries. And, one thing I had said on my previous episode that I keep forgetting to, correct. I I I I'd criticized the where Olympics was shown previously, but there there's there was a massive improvement for this Olympics. So I just wanted to, rectify that and give a shout out to the coverage this time because it it it massively improved from back in the days, and I I like to, you know, give kudos where kudos is due. So, yeah, shout out to Peacock and the team that they had out there this time. There was massive improvement in comparison to when I first arrived in America, and I watched Olympics. I was like, oh, I ain't I ain't feeling this. You know? I prefer to go watch, our foreign TV and, yeah, find viewership on foreign TV.

Raphael Harry [00:39:43]:
So, yes, just wanted to correct, point out those two things before we move on to, Dominique. No. I mean,

Dominic Lawson [00:39:52]:
I I think I share the same sentiment. There's so many moments, so many stories, and that's what the Olympics are. I mean, honestly, if you ask me, it it's the greatest reality TV

Raphael Harry [00:40:02]:
Yes.

Dominic Lawson [00:40:02]:
That we'll ever be. It it it you know, the Olympics, but definitely sports in general, but it's definitely when it comes to the Olympics. You know, obviously, you know, being US born, rooting for team USA, from Steph Curry doing his thing, helping out team USA, in in that gold medal game, from the the women's 4 by 4, relay with

Raphael Harry [00:40:28]:
and it was

Dominic Lawson [00:40:28]:
funny because, you know, they they was they was doing the introductions, and I saw Gabby Thomas and Sydney McCaugh from Laverone. I was like, oh, this is over. Like, you you go head and head to the podium right now. Right. When I seen those 2, they're like, you can head to the podium right now. This is done. Oh, man. I was like, that doesn't even seem fair to have them on the same team.

Dominic Lawson [00:40:50]:
Right? But, you know, that was one of my favorite moments. But outside of rooting for, you know, team USA, but also rooting for everybody black as Issa Rae was saying.

Raphael Harry [00:41:01]:
Yeah.

Dominic Lawson [00:41:01]:
And so I I got a big thrill out of watching, team France and Teddy Rainier and the Taekwondo team

Raphael Harry [00:41:08]:
Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [00:41:09]:
Doing their thing on the in in front of the home country and being cheered and president Mark Holmes kinda, like, give a you know, like, bear in attendance and getting the attaboy and stuff like that. Like, that was a that was a really cool, experience. But I I just love watching, again, the stories and people from the the smaller countries, defying odds and and and saying, hey. We can compete on the on the world stage, and this is how we're gonna do it. And I and I feel like, you know, it it it it resonated with me talking about the African nations and some of the maybe some of the the the issues and corruption and and and stuff like that that kinda goes on. But I feel like even when you face all that, when you get to the world stage, for the most part, it it's even. Right? You know, for the most part, it's even. You you just go have you know, we're gonna have to see what you gotta, you know, what you got in the tank.

Dominic Lawson [00:42:01]:
Right? Like, yeah, you may train in America and this and the other, but I train under tougher conditions. Right? I I think one of the things was the basketball team from the South Sudan

Raphael Harry [00:42:10]:
Yep.

Dominic Lawson [00:42:11]:
And and how when they were playing basketball, considering, you know, the facilities that they had, they took team USA, at least in that first game before the Olympics, to the brink. Like, you know, and and they beat Spain, I believe, while they were at the Olympics. And and, like, that's inspiring. So that's, like, gonna have me now just go and and just, keep a eye on that team for future Olympics because they're gonna get better funding, better facilities, this and the other. And who knows? They may be on the podium. And and I I don't I can't remember for sure, but I I can't remember, you know, an African nation being on the podium for basketball. No. That that it'd be I I I don't think it has been.

Raphael Harry [00:42:51]:
So The closest has been Angola, but Right. No one has been because Angola has dominated the African scene the longest. Got you. But, and then, on world stage after Angola, Nigeria's come got him to quarter final, the world championship on the men's side. But, on the women's side, Nigeria has gone the farthest. Right. But yeah. But but that that's why I I was saying that South Sudan has competition on the continent.

Raphael Harry [00:43:25]:
However, they have talents that I believe can beat the competition if they take the good from this Olympics and build on it because some of the competition that they have tend to relax and say, oh, we are dominating. So we know that we have talent overseas. We have facilities, so it's easy for us to just sit back and relax and not take not build on what we have. But if South Sudan did so the the the the the doors if if the path is open with South Sudan to come in and grab it, build on what you have, make it your national spot, and you easily beat Nigeria and Angola, Senegal. Rwanda is also building something. They're they're spending right now building on both soccer, basketball, and some other sports, not just one sport. So they they but they are at the ground phase and investing. But, I think in the next 5 to 10 years, we will see what they are doing.

Raphael Harry [00:44:28]:
But, like, the basketball, the Africa the basketball league is now hosting a lot of tournaments in Rwanda. So, I know Nice. J Cole, the rapper, played in Rwanda, the first phase of the Mhmm. Basketball. So there isn't stuff like that to incentivize their kids to say, hey. This is an option, not just soccer that everybody's crazy about. And there isn't stuff like to and and they're drawing talent from all the big countries to come play in Rwanda. So even South Sudanese are playing there.

Raphael Harry [00:44:59]:
And then they they're using that to, like, train their kids. Like, alright. So we're gonna spend time and build. Nigeria is not doing that. Senegal, I don't know what they are doing, but this there's a lot of loopholes that I've been watching. Like, okay. These guys, you're seeing them. The Morocco is a sleeping giant because they're spending on everything.

Raphael Harry [00:45:19]:
And all these things, they would reap rewards in time. And when that reward when they start reaping the rewards, then you see, like, we start complaining. Like, oh my god. You know? You you know? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? And, like, you re you reap what you sow because you invest. That's what you invest in your people, and then when the rewards start paying off, the other start getting jealous. South Africa has, a healthy basketball league, but, I don't think the talent compares to the rest of the continent. So South Sudan is in a very good place if they can pause that unnecessary civil war they're just fighting, which is a ridiculous thing. It's very ridiculous.

Raphael Harry [00:45:57]:
It's just ego. 2 giants 2 men with giant egos, like the main Sudan also. It's just egos. Pause that aside. Figure out how your power sharing thing. Invest in your people. That's all. Invest in your people.

Raphael Harry [00:46:09]:
Nothing beats that. And you can still make money. You can put money in your pockets. The the money will still come. That's the thing. The money will come. And, yeah. But South Sudan, great story there, man.

Raphael Harry [00:46:21]:
Great story.

Dominic Lawson [00:46:22]:
I I I just know we were a LeBron James layup away from everybody, you know, and, you know, having a l from South Sudan and everybody in this country,

Raphael Harry [00:46:32]:
like,

Dominic Lawson [00:46:32]:
I don't know if we're gonna be a goal this time to stop Sudan, beating us and stuff like that. But, the the last moment I'll I'll point out and and and and, Jen, you pointed out earlier, was Simone Simone Biles

Raphael Harry [00:46:45]:
and and

Dominic Lawson [00:46:45]:
and doing her thing.

Raphael Harry [00:46:46]:
Yeah.

Dominic Lawson [00:46:46]:
And and people you know, it's interesting when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics about, you know, having the twisties.

Raphael Harry [00:46:53]:
Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [00:46:53]:
Everybody was like, you know no. You know, you're supposed to, you know, fight through injury and and and and be patriotic and you let your country down and this and the other. Like, you're supposed to be like Keri Strud from 96 and all this other crap. Right? But people don't forget that she won the the team gold this time, the all around goal, and she had a strained cap the whole time. Yeah. Nobody said a word. No. No.

Dominic Lawson [00:47:20]:
No. Nobody said a word. So, like, clearly clearly, the twisties I mean,

Raphael Harry [00:47:26]:
I don't know

Dominic Lawson [00:47:26]:
what the twisties are. I mean, I I've I've I've explained has been explained to me, but I I I would never experience the twisties because I'm not a gymnast. Right? But if she's saying like, hey. I need to pull out because I may kill myself doing this. Like, there may be something to it. So I think I just love the vindication Yeah. For for Simone Biles. And she'll, like, you know, y'all don't forget who I am.

Dominic Lawson [00:47:47]:
Let me show y'all real quick. And let me get these 2 gold medals real quick, and then write them going about y'all way. So I I I love that for her. I love that for her.

Raphael Harry [00:47:59]:
So I don't have a mattress of vitamins to sell you. Still, I've got something even better, behind the scenes bonus episodes with full videos available exclusively on Patreon for just $3 a month. Yeah, that's cheaper than that fancy cup of coffee. Whether you're a capitalist, socialist or however you identify, you can even be demure. Feel free to contribute what feels right. You'll be supporting a great cause, helping me improve content and maybe even enjoying that seasonal pumpkin spice latte. Don't you just love pumpkin spice season? Go straight to patreon.com/whitelabelamericanpod. You know, my my kid, you know, well, anytime Simone Biles pops up on the TV, my kid says, Simone Biles, the goat.

Raphael Harry [00:48:51]:
I said, there you go. And my that's one one one place where I know me. I I made it as a dad, and my work is done. You know? You know? It's it's Simone Biles, the greatest. Oh, yes. Yes. I did it. You know? Because, oof, yo, that when when I watched that documentary and I I saw the gymnast explaining the twist is being one of the worst

Raphael Harry [00:49:14]:
things

Raphael Harry [00:49:14]:
that can happen to somebody in their profession, I'm like, there's a version of that in every spot, and I it's just that they are gymnastics is one of the spots that's more open to talking about it, and I appreciate them for being open to talking about it. I hope other spots are at a place where they get to be open to talking about something like that. But it makes sense because, you know, I I I step away from the Olympics a little bit. There's a guy who is one of, the most talented Brazilian ballers soccer players that I've seen, Adriano. I believe Zenit will know him. Adriano, the the he was nicknamed the emperor. Left footed. Very so heavily left footed.

Raphael Harry [00:50:08]:
He's most he was very dependent on his left foot. And, he played mostly in Italy and then just kind of disappeared and moved back to, his home hometown in Brazil. I think he's still probably living in the favelas, but he's quite popular there. So like in the ghetto, but people were just surprised about how his career just seemed to phase out. He probably faced something like that because people can't explain how he just stopped playing. It just seemed like he's he lost interest in the career. There's another guy in Germany. I think it was, Sebastian Daimler.

Raphael Harry [00:50:50]:
He had lots of injuries in the nineties into the early 2000. One of the most skillful German players, very skillful, but he suffered a lot of injuries, and it just seemed like he would come back. Another injury will come back, and he had to retire very early in the game. But he claimed he was at the point where the depression was very he was high, and he just his body couldn't respond. And soccer is like you know, that's when the money was really it was beginning to increase, get higher, and, you know, people are like, well, you come on. You can play through it. That's kind of language. Kind of like when David Beckham came back from his first major injury, and he was avoiding tackles.

Raphael Harry [00:51:34]:
You know? Because people are like, throw yourself in. 3 or 7 in. You know? I don't know if if it was you. I was explaining this to one time. I've I know I was talking to somebody, and we're talking about soccer players and the the thing where, you know, the the the man throw themselves to the floor, the the what do you call it in basketball where, there's a Flapping? Flopping. Yeah. The flopping team. And I I I said, I understand how you know, at first, you know, I should be one of those who made the jokes online.

Raphael Harry [00:52:03]:
But with time, I began to understand. It's a defensive mechanism that the men are doing. It started with South Americans mostly and then Italians, and then the Spanish took it to another level. But it's part of protecting themselves. And, yes, some use it as a as a weapon against their opponents, but there are some who have been through some crazy amount of injuries or a crazy injury or you're avoiding injury, and then you see that tackle coming. You know, some players are very you know, with men, the aggressiveness is encouraged going to that guy. Like, if you watch older games, like, in the eighties, there are some brutal tackles, and you're like, oh, like, that's why Diego Maradona for me is still the greatest because the kicking they were they were, like, marching. They were doing some math things then.

Raphael Harry [00:52:54]:
That's why they had to make certain rules that are in existence today. We're not even rough today now, and they had to start avoiding you. You have to throw yourself away out of these tackles. You have to, you know, avoid it. Like, oh, this guy coming to kill me. So you start diving out of the way. And Right. Some became good at it, and you fool the referees without the cameras of today.

Raphael Harry [00:53:17]:
You know? Even with the cameras, the referees still get fooled. I get it. Now does it hurt when it's your team that's on the receiving end? Of course. You're human. Of course.

Raphael Harry [00:53:25]:
It will hurt.

Raphael Harry [00:53:26]:
But that's where some of these things started coming out, and we don't understand how you know, we we we all the language becomes, oh, these men are soft. These men are this and that, but we don't talk about how pushing the attack, pushing the aggressiveness, pushing all this led to, hey, the flopping had to come. You don't want you know, if you've been on the receiving end of somebody crushing your ankle, crushing your knee, the the rehabilitation, all that. You don't wanna go through all that because hey. You know? So, all that to say, them twist is we have it in different spots. We have it everywhere, and I don't I wouldn't wanna go through that because to go through that, conquer it is and then, like our boy in the, the British printer who has who was expected, Zan, Zan Zan Zan Zanel Hughes. Zanel Hughes. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [00:54:23]:
Who's after that disqualification in Tokyo, he still hasn't it's like the mental thing. I think I I don't know if he's the exact I won't say it's the exact same thing because of our self diagnosing, but he seems to have something mentally that he can't get over, and he can't appear in races. He's struggling with that. He has his own thing that he's He's in

Zenith Malawo [00:54:45]:
his Olympics?

Raphael Harry [00:54:46]:
Yeah. He didn't he didn't make it past semifinals. Oh. And he's he has great time. He has he has a great time, but that's how competitive this 100 meters was that he didn't make it past the semifinal. That's why I was applauding Marcel Jacobs because I was like, hey. My man redeemed his image. Yes.

Raphael Harry [00:55:01]:
He finished 5th, but he redeemed his image because everybody was because I was of the opinion that he should have quit after Tokyo.

Zenith Malawo [00:55:08]:
That's what he won.

Raphael Harry [00:55:10]:
But to stay on track, though, yeah, it it's something that, you know, we need to, people need to be more empathetic to athletes, and, you know, that that's why I'm not I I I would I will always cheer Simone Biles. I don't know if she will come back for 2028 because I think she's already at the point where she's the oldest athlete that won the amount of goals that she won this time. So if she comes back, or what's her name? Her her homegirl who she she was calling grandmother. She said, now Simone Biles is grandmother, so she decides to come back for 2028. She's gonna be great grandmother because her the her sport isn't, it's rare for the people to be as her age and get the medals that she won. So, yeah, it it's but it's part of the beauty of the of the sport. And, and Randy too is also another one who Yes. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:56:10]:
It's she she's she's there. She's she's like, if Simone Baa doesn't come back, I'm here to hold the crown. You know?

Dominic Lawson [00:56:17]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [00:56:18]:
And I'm looking forward to I know America now is in a great place where there's that's the beauty of America and finally embracing representation because you're seeing the American team. It looks like America, And it's not like, okay. This spot is only for 1 type of people. No. It's for everybody. So the next Mbaha might come from an indigenous tribe in, Alaska or from Ohio or from but could be another black girl from Compton. Could be a black girl from Tennessee. It could be but that's the beauty of it.

Raphael Harry [00:56:57]:
Now it's open. Right. And you have multiple places to choose from. Utilize it. Assimilars will be like, I'm not done yet. The the rule is not over. So hey. There you go.

Raphael Harry [00:57:14]:
But, yeah, it's the the beautiful thing that I I just love to see and, witness. So, yeah, so if our story is not over, it's not over. And, yeah, speaking about Africa, hey. One one thing I gotta say I I have to acknowledge before we move on, the the Nigerian sports minister finally spoke on, why Nigeria didn't win any medals. He said they didn't have enough time to prepare. That's why. So I just got to acknowledge. So we we just need enough time to prepare for the next Olympics.

Raphael Harry [00:57:46]:
That's why we didn't get any medals. So we'll start preparing for the next Olympics, by June of 2028. Don't worry. This I think this time, we'll prepare we'll prepare July, but, next one, we'll prepare in June. That that's his excuse. So yeah. That's all I would say about that. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [00:58:06]:
That's that's that's what the man that's what the man said. Although he was in Paris looking for the soccer national team's coach, that's what I heard he was doing. But, yeah, that's that's that's what the man said. But not to worry, Nigerians. You got it. You'll be good. Don't worry. Thank you to rest of Africa that got us medals.

Raphael Harry [00:58:26]:
But he got he got himself paid, though. He got himself paid, so it's all good. Oh, man. I think it was Egypt. Egypt got themselves a a medal in, equestrian.

Zenith Malawo [00:58:38]:
Yes. They they oh, I thought it was,

Raphael Harry [00:58:40]:
was it Was it Morocco?

Zenith Malawo [00:58:43]:
I'm getting confused. I think there's something that's called, like, the penthylate.

Raphael Harry [00:58:46]:
Oh, the

Dominic Lawson [00:58:46]:
pen the the the modern pentathlon.

Raphael Harry [00:58:49]:
More than pentathlon. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [00:58:51]:
Yeah. Yes. And then it but it's like a combination of, like, equestrians, swimming, shooting, cross country.

Dominic Lawson [00:58:58]:
Yeah. And then you go Wildest event.

Raphael Harry [00:59:00]:
I'm I'm just like, yeah. You yeah. You go, man. Because you guys got a pyramid you can climb. That's the only pyramid I recognize, a legal pyramid. Not the pyramid schemes people be doing. So yeah. Yeah, man.

Raphael Harry [00:59:11]:
You you made it, man. Give give him a medal, man. Because then when when when I had the sporting event, I was like I'm

Zenith Malawo [00:59:17]:
like, woah.

Raphael Harry [00:59:18]:
Hey, man. Hey, man. You did it, man. You did it. Congratulations. Give him a gold.

Raphael Harry [00:59:24]:
Like, my man my mom from Turkey who won the Olympics without winning a gold medal. You know, some people won the Olympics without winning a gold medal. My mom from Turkey with the shooting pose, our girl from Australia with with the break dancing. Oh, boy. That that girl took I was like, man, what how did you end up winning the Olympics without no. Not nobody know who broke dance. Yeah. People who were breakdancing, nobody knows them anymore.

Raphael Harry [00:59:51]:
Everybody's breakdancing. I'm like, oh, man. I feel bad for all the other b dancers. Like, come on, man. This And

Zenith Malawo [00:59:56]:
she got 0 points. You know?

Raphael Harry [00:59:57]:
She got 0 points. I even know understand how they scored it, but I I I I to to me, I I'm still mad at the the organizers because I had the rules that it was, you they were supposed to they were gonna pop out, and the DJ will play a song that none of the dancers knew. And you you so you're dancing to a song that you you you you're not aware that's gonna be played. So you you you're gonna try and, like, match to the song, you know, and I didn't catch that first the 1st day with women, and everybody who saw it was complaining. Like, what what kind of songs did was DJ playing? I just saw so many people complaining about it. I was like, okay. I guess DJ didn't play songs that fits the vibe. And the next thing I knew was a girl just took over the whole Internet.

Raphael Harry [01:00:51]:
She just became the Internet darling and I was like, oh, man. It's too much for me. I don't know if I wanna do this breakdancing anymore. Let me go watch the sports that I like watching volleyball and the rest. This is too much. This is this has become because now she people who I know don't even watch Olympics. We're all about, oh my god. This is a I hate this is what I hate about.

Raphael Harry [01:01:11]:
They had how dare you bring I was like, man, you don't even watch the Olympics. How are you? Are you

Dominic Lawson [01:01:15]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:01:15]:
Why why are you here now? Why are you here? You messaged me. Now you're gonna criticize the whole Olympics. This is what I hate about Olympics. They're gonna bring somebody from Australia and talk about the I love the breakdown scene. I'm like, it's a global, it's a global event, people from all the countries. If the press represent the Australia, maybe you should go you should go talk to Australian breakdown scene.

Dominic Lawson [01:01:37]:
Right. Federation or whatever.

Raphael Harry [01:01:38]:
Federation or whatever you call it.

Dominic Lawson [01:01:40]:
Because as I explained to my wife at the time, like, listen. I'm not saying she's good, but based on how this works, she won the oceanic, you know, region, whatever, or national championship. Like, that is how this works. Right? There's no difference than the Olympic trials. I mean, now, you know, obviously, stuff came out later that maybe they they excluded certain other people in the oceanic, whatever, from competing who could have been better than the ray gun to assure that she was there. Like, if if that's true, then that should be investigated, should be penalized or whatever. But as far as how the rules stayed or whatever Mhmm. They went through the whole process.

Dominic Lawson [01:02:19]:
Right? So it's like and she was the only one who was that bad.

Zenith Malawo [01:02:22]:
Like Exactly.

Dominic Lawson [01:02:23]:
Like like, she was the only one who was that bad who scored a point. Like, a lot like, the you know, a lot of the other women were really good, especially the ones from the Asian countries. Right?

Raphael Harry [01:02:33]:
And then the I expected somebody from that part of the world Right. To dominate. Right. Mhmm. Because it it's big time over there. And Right. And the main thing I was looking forward to seeing was places like China during the breakouts because all all the attempt have been like, you know, we we don't do, hip hop, and I will we're fighting against hip hop, Russia, all those play. I'm like, yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:02:58]:
That that's why I'm like, yeah. Just let let this breakdown some comp. Let let's see. Because somehow your people are going, like, we're submitting to participate, and then it's like, oh, so why why does China have a representative here? Yeah. If you y'all don't do hip hop, y'all don't. Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.

Raphael Harry [01:03:13]:
So I I didn't know about hip hop. I didn't know about breakdancing. How do you people know? I thought you control your Internet. I thought you so, well, you can try. You can keep trying.

Dominic Lawson [01:03:26]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:03:26]:
But if you'll find this way, yep. If during the days of the USSR, all them block everything coming from America. Stop this cultural influence from America, and there was stuff still in there. I know people who born and raised in that part of the world during that time. I know, like, oh, yeah. I was a big Tupac fan. I was a big BIG fan and all that. I'm like, what? Oh, yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:03:49]:
And I know one of them. He's like, oh, I we used to breakdance. How did you get it? Oh, yeah. We had we had we had sauces. Right.

Dominic Lawson [01:03:58]:
So watching B Street in Moscow. Yeah. Elite.

Raphael Harry [01:04:01]:
Oh, I was like, you you was what what how are you why were you into that? How your family react? Oh, they thought we're crazy. I'm like, okay. So yeah. They were taking it serious there too, and that speaks to the influence of the America's culture. Black culture is America's culture. Like, your podcast, Black is America. That's why I love it because it's Yeah. That's the representative.

Raphael Harry [01:04:24]:
It's gone. They try to fight it. They try to push it back. And, yes, O'Gare was bad, but people need to recognize there are people who are gonna represent it in a bad way, and the people who are gonna represent it in a positive way. I celebrate it all for me. Absolutely. I celebrate it all because it's funny seeing how I mess up there, but people need to recognize that she was willing to put herself through the ridicule. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:04:47]:
I guess, she I think her mind, she didn't see it that bad because I saw another video of her with, at the Australian, team camp, and she was still dancing for them. She was I'm like, she she loves this, I guess. Now in on this in this part of the world in United States, we're gonna be like, does she need help? What's she doing?

Dominic Lawson [01:05:07]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:05:08]:
Oh, yeah. Here you go. We'll give you money out of pity. Maybe she's, maybe she's somebody who doesn't have a home in need of a home, try to raise money to find somewhere to sleep. Okay. Here you go. Where's your cup? You don't have a cup? I'll give you a cup. Alright.

Raphael Harry [01:05:21]:
Put in a plastic cup for you. I'll go away. Meanwhile, she's just dancing for fun. Like, hey. I'll just show you. I'm breakdancing. I can do it. Kids might be like, oh, what's the who's that white woman doing? She needs help.

Dominic Lawson [01:05:34]:
Right. I don't know.

Raphael Harry [01:05:34]:
Maybe we should call 911.

Dominic Lawson [01:05:36]:
And and people just took that example, and it was just starting to criticize the whole sport as a whole, which I I didn't appreciate.

Raphael Harry [01:05:43]:
No. I did.

Dominic Lawson [01:05:45]:
And it was talking about how it wasn't a sport. Like, some of those moves was no different than what you see on the pommel horse and and or or very similar to what you see on a floor exercise of of of of a routine. Right?

Raphael Harry [01:05:57]:
Mhmm. And

Dominic Lawson [01:05:57]:
and and they train and they compete all over the world. And so it's like, you know, it got to the point where it's like people just saying it's a sport like that's just simply not true. Anytime there's people competing, there's sponsors, and and and the whole nine, it it's a sport. It's a sport.

Raphael Harry [01:06:14]:
You know what? It reminded me of the I think it was, Zenith, I think you remember this guy. I think it was 2012. Uh-huh. Either 2012 or 2008. I think he was from Somalia in swimming, and, oh, boy, they thought he was drowning. I remember that. You remember that?

Zenith Malawo [01:06:37]:
I don't remember

Raphael Harry [01:06:39]:
In the heat. But I

Zenith Malawo [01:06:40]:
remember I remember I remember the story.

Raphael Harry [01:06:42]:
In the heat where he he he tried to when it was time to swim, and he he dived in and they were like, what are you doing, man? You're drowning here and they gotta pull him out of the pool. Like, is he trying to drown? Oh, boy. I said, he never had a pool. Right.

Dominic Lawson [01:06:57]:
Yeah. I think he had just learned swimming how to swim or something like, 8 months prior to the competition or something like that.

Raphael Harry [01:07:03]:
He he he never had to pull the training in, Somalia. Right. Yeah. I think it was Somalia he was presenting. And I though I don't put him in the same category as, or or girl, but I I'd rate him a little bit higher. But I was like, oh, dude, it is the world the world is watching, and, yeah. It it's I I I would I would I I mean, the confidence to try to after the worst picture. I I wouldn't I I wouldn't be able to pull that off, but I still respect you for but he qualified to be because there are people mad.

Raphael Harry [01:07:33]:
I remember on on the platforms. I used to be on people mad. I dare you go represent Africa. They were both mad. Like, how dare you represent Africa? I said, hey. He qualified to be at Olympics. I don't know what qualifier he took part in. But, yeah, he qualified.

Raphael Harry [01:07:52]:
Right. And he tried to swim in whatever he'd see. I don't know if it was a 100 meters, so but a boy jumped into the pool for the race. People were like, he's drowning.

Dominic Lawson [01:08:07]:
Save that guy. Was, like, already out of the pool, and he's still trying to finish the heat.

Raphael Harry [01:08:12]:
Like, he's drowning, man. Save that guy quickly. Save that guy. Oh my god. Not like not like this African guy die in the pool. Please save him. Save him. Pull him.

Raphael Harry [01:08:24]:
That'll pull him back. I was like, oh, no. Oh, no. That's like, this is what my little uncle say. Oh, no. This this is this is why they don't allow people from that, that that country. So not like Somalia has a big coast. It has one of the most dangerous waters also in Africa because there's a lot of sharks and all other stuff.

Raphael Harry [01:08:42]:
It's like a mini Australia of Africa when it comes to the coastline, but, yeah, they can swim. They got lots of swimmers there, but I'll be like, how did they find a guy who hasn't been in water? Is it Somalia? That's still that's still one of the most I mean, there should be a documentary on that guy, to be honest. I'm surprised there's no Netflix documentary on the guy, but I just that's what I thought about when I saw Girl From Australia and the breakdancing. I was like, yeah. I guess and now we got the white equivalent to that because,

Dominic Lawson [01:09:16]:
That's the example I was telling my wife about. Like, that's what this reminded me of. Like, listen. Just like that, he she qualified. He qualified.

Raphael Harry [01:09:23]:
He qualified.

Dominic Lawson [01:09:24]:
That doesn't that doesn't mean they're the best in the world. Yeah. I mean, or the very least, they're the best in their country.

Raphael Harry [01:09:29]:
I mean,

Dominic Lawson [01:09:29]:
and so that's what they had to send to represent them. So it's

Raphael Harry [01:09:33]:
like Yeah. It doesn't it doesn't it doesn't mean he's the best swimmer in Austria in Somalia, but he qualified. Right. Now He qualified. Do we have questions about the qualification? Yes, we do. To

Dominic Lawson [01:09:46]:
Bishop. A 100%. And those are valid. That's why we have, you know, the qualifications in Australia, the oceanic, whatever. Right? Same thing.

Raphael Harry [01:09:55]:
Oh. Same thing. But, yeah, it's, but on on the bright side, since that incident, we've had better swimmers from Africa show up to the event.

Zenith Malawo [01:10:09]:
Even before that, there were better swimmers, but like you were saying, like, you know, they're just questions with how you know, he qualified.

Raphael Harry [01:10:17]:
He qualified. I think I think that's gonna be the title of this episode. He qualified. Mhmm. He qualified. They qualified. Oh, man. Well, you know what? That gives me hope that I can still qualify for the Olympics in 10 years' time.

Raphael Harry [01:10:38]:
I just gotta pick the right country. Mhmm. Show up there. But, like, what sport do you guys have nobody competing in? Black well, maybe maybe they have but maybe by then, camel racing will be the spot in the Olympics. Alright. Yeah. I've never been on a Camel before. Alright.

Raphael Harry [01:10:57]:
I represent you guys. Alright. Okay. Well yeah. Do do you guys have a Camel? Not really. Oh, we can find 1 at the Olympics. Yeah. I mean, in in Nigerian, how to borrow a bike from team Germany, right, at this Olympics.

Raphael Harry [01:11:11]:
So Right. I'm sure. Yeah. I'm like, hey. It's Saudi Arabia. Can you borrow me one of your camels? Alright. Alright. So there we go.

Raphael Harry [01:11:18]:
Awesome. Alright. I'm in the record books. There go black. Why is he upside down on his camel? Yeah. I I don't know how to say this. He's the he's well, this country has been represented for the first time at the Olympics, Olympics, and that that guy, I don't think he's I I don't wanna sound ignorant, but has he ever ridden a camel before? No. Just imagine Stephen a Smith running the commentary to that.

Raphael Harry [01:11:46]:
I'd rather stop dog run the commentary on me. And but at least, I hopefully make it to the end. I'm like, woof, man. I made it. Just give me participatory medal, and, now this country has been represented here. And thank you, everybody. Whew. Whew.

Raphael Harry [01:12:02]:
Sweating, like, whew. I'm 80 people. So I guess I found my way to get to the Olympics.

Dominic Lawson [01:12:08]:
Mhmm. There you go.

Raphael Harry [01:12:09]:
I know. And I qualified.

Dominic Lawson [01:12:14]:
That you did, sir. That you did.

Raphael Harry [01:12:18]:
Mhmm. So final question. Who overall will be, you know I know you guys have mentioned the 4 by 400, 200 meters, Zambia getting a bronze. But who is your final, your your your go to standout moment or standout athlete from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Zenith Malawo [01:12:48]:
So but before we we get to that I'm sorry. I'm going back a little bit. Rafael, when you were talking about representation with the gymnastics, I think there's that one moment that at least I will not forget. It was Rebecca Andreji. She'd won the gold for the floor exercises, I think, and Simone Biles had the silver.

Raphael Harry [01:13:08]:
Yes.

Zenith Malawo [01:13:08]:
And we had Jordan Childs win the the bronze, and there was that moment where they were saluting. And it was nice to see the competition, the sisterhood also to appreciate.

Raphael Harry [01:13:18]:
Yes. And

Zenith Malawo [01:13:18]:
here's somebody else who's won. Even though, unfortunately, I know with Childs, there were all these issues about them taking the metal back and because they challenged it 4 seconds late, which I thought it was ridiculous for them to say then, Okwale belongs to the Romanian girl and everything. But, anyway, we won't forget that moment.

Raphael Harry [01:13:35]:
Oh, yeah. You can't you can't you can't take that that photo away.

Zenith Malawo [01:13:39]:
Right. What it looked like. And, oh, your question was a standout athlete, from all these games.

Raphael Harry [01:13:46]:
For you. For you. Yeah. What was your standout moment or athlete? Which one do you go with?

Zenith Malawo [01:13:55]:
Like I said, because there are so many.

Raphael Harry [01:13:59]:
Yeah. That's why that's why this question exists. It's a tough one.

Zenith Malawo [01:14:03]:
Can I mention just a few? No. Just a few? No. Just woman.

Raphael Harry [01:14:08]:
I I want you to get canceled for picking I

Zenith Malawo [01:14:10]:
can't even talk about

Raphael Harry [01:14:11]:
and then I

Zenith Malawo [01:14:12]:
didn't even talk about Ahmad Nadim, I think of Pakistan and how he threw that javelin.

Raphael Harry [01:14:17]:
Oh, that was a good one.

Dominic Lawson [01:14:19]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:14:19]:
His poor villain sent him and And

Raphael Harry [01:14:22]:
and the Indian, the Indian guy, he beat he beat an Indian in that. Was it guy that's a Pakistan guy who he came for it, and the Indian came second. And the Indian

Zenith Malawo [01:14:31]:
Yes. Won the super The Indian,

Raphael Harry [01:14:34]:
guy who came second, his mother was like, they're both my sons, And it was that was a beautiful moment too.

Dominic Lawson [01:14:39]:
Yeah. Because they're, like, best friends or something. Right?

Raphael Harry [01:14:41]:
Yeah. And but, you know, the the whole incident with the Indian, Pakistan thing and Hindu nationalist in India didn't like that

Dominic Lawson [01:14:50]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:14:51]:
With the anti Muslim stuff. So yeah. And even in Pakistan too, there's also the issue. So it's on both sides, but the the mom the the mom didn't see that nonsense and was like, nah. You're you're both my sons, and both parents were showing love to both athletes. So it was that was beautiful.

Zenith Malawo [01:15:09]:
Yeah. Okay. Okay. If I'm going to pick 1, I will say Safeen Hassan's winner for the marathon.

Raphael Harry [01:15:18]:
Oh. And,

Zenith Malawo [01:15:18]:
you know, and it was the last one. You know, usually they do the men last, but this time they did men last time, you know, did did the presentation. I I thought that was beautiful. I I will yeah. That race.

Raphael Harry [01:15:29]:
Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [01:15:31]:
Yeah. She had a phenomenal

Raphael Harry [01:15:33]:
Oh, yeah.

Dominic Lawson [01:15:33]:
MPN. Didn't she, like, she competed in the 5,000 to 5,000? Like

Zenith Malawo [01:15:38]:
Right.

Raphael Harry [01:15:38]:
Listen. That's wild. And then marathon.

Dominic Lawson [01:15:42]:
Alright. Salute to her. Jesus. And she medaled she medaled in all 3, did you?

Zenith Malawo [01:15:50]:
She medaled in all 3.

Dominic Lawson [01:15:51]:
Yes. Man, listen.

Raphael Harry [01:15:55]:
Yeah. I I wanna be like I when I grew up. I put it out.

Dominic Lawson [01:15:58]:
The Olympics has, MVP. She has to be in on the shortlist. Yeah. Right. Has to because that's wild.

Raphael Harry [01:16:05]:
I agree.

Zenith Malawo [01:16:05]:
Right. Yeah. So if I have to pick there are many, but if I have to pick 1, it will be that one.

Raphael Harry [01:16:11]:
Yeah. Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [01:16:12]:
That's a good one. That's a real good one.

Raphael Harry [01:16:14]:
Yeah. Second that.

Dominic Lawson [01:16:18]:
Yeah. For for me, I I I I think you mentioned him earlier. I'm a go with, with, Quincy Wilson,

Zenith Malawo [01:16:26]:
the 16 year old. On.

Raphael Harry [01:16:27]:
I'm a

Dominic Lawson [01:16:28]:
I'm a go with Quincy Wilson because, listen, I was living vicariously through him. You couldn't have me as a 16 year old go to the Olympics on a, like, a whole summer vacation situation, win a gold medal, and then go back to school? Oh, you didn't tell me. No. You can't tell. Listen. You can't. You know, so, like, you know, like, how, know, we go get ready for the 1st day of school. You lay your clothes out the night before my gold medal will be sitting right there.

Dominic Lawson [01:16:57]:
And I swear that 1st week of school, that gold medal be be around my neck. Hell, yeah. Tell me not you couldn't tell me nothing in math class. You won't be able to tell me nothing. PE, like, you know. But, you know, it's that that's that's my number one standout. Because there's many to choose from, but Yes. That's the one where I was like, yeah.

Dominic Lawson [01:17:16]:
If I could be Quincy Wilson that first day of school, that would be dope.

Raphael Harry [01:17:21]:
That would be dope.

Zenith Malawo [01:17:23]:
And you should have seen both of them when I watched Quincy Wilson. I think he was going back to school and also, Bayanda. The kids, all their schools were going I love it.

Raphael Harry [01:17:32]:
Oh, man. I love it. Yes.

Zenith Malawo [01:17:36]:
Yes. He was like, yes.

Raphael Harry [01:17:39]:
I

Dominic Lawson [01:17:39]:
was like I was like, I'm so jealous of that guy. Yeah. Like, I'm so jealous.

Raphael Harry [01:17:45]:
Oh, man. Ah.

Dominic Lawson [01:17:47]:
And and and just imagine, like, he goes back and, like, completes a high school track. Now he had, like now you gotta compete against this gold medalist on

Zenith Malawo [01:17:55]:
the box. What? No.

Raphael Harry [01:17:57]:
Is that?

Zenith Malawo [01:17:58]:
I was actually I was actually looking out for him because right now, I think there's the Lima under 20 is ongoing

Raphael Harry [01:18:05]:
right now. That's true. That's true. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:18:07]:
Because I saw Bayanda just wonder. But I was actually looking out for Chris. I'm like, where is he? Because I saw him. I saw. Is it? I might be saying his name wrong, but there's another kid running so fast as well. But, Bayanda won the gold in the 100 meters, and I know they were doing the semis for the gold last night when I saw it. And I was looking for Quincy. I'm like, where is he? Where is he? I'm I'm thinking I'll see him in this.

Zenith Malawo [01:18:29]:
I don't know. I'm like, they went school and already went to Nepal. Wow.

Dominic Lawson [01:18:33]:
Right. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:18:34]:
So, oh, so I think I saw the I think YouTube was trying to recommend the highlights to me yesterday, and I

Zenith Malawo [01:18:39]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [01:18:40]:
Pay attention to it. Alright. So I will check that when I get home then. Right.

Dominic Lawson [01:18:45]:
They actually have some of those some of those highlights on Peacock as well. I would submit that. Yeah. I guess that on on Peacock too.

Raphael Harry [01:18:51]:
Yeah. I subscribed to Peacock on YouTube, so I I do form my athletics. I get a lot of my athletics, follow-up there. Excuse me. Yeah. So for me, oh, is it I mean, I asked the question, but I didn't have an answer on standby. But I don't think anything beats my previous answer that I had from the, the last time we recorded. Mision Lopez, I'll go with him because, yeah, the Cuban wrestler.

Raphael Harry [01:19:27]:
I was gonna go with Duplantis, but, well, that that guy gonna break a record by the time we finish this recording. So yeah. No. No. I'm a go with Right. Mian Mian Lopez because

Zenith Malawo [01:19:38]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:19:38]:
That that was beautiful. After his last And

Zenith Malawo [01:19:40]:
was his 3rd gold. Right? He was a repeat gold. He was defending. Right?

Raphael Harry [01:19:44]:
His 5th gold.

Dominic Lawson [01:19:44]:
His 5th

Zenith Malawo [01:19:46]:
in a row. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:19:47]:
Yeah. Okay. 5th in a row. And, you know, taking off your shoes there and leaving it, like, alright. On the mat. Yeah. You can you can Very polar.

Zenith Malawo [01:19:55]:
Like Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:19:55]:
That that is, that's a beautiful way to wrap up your story. And, yeah, that was, I mean, yeah, there's a lot of moments to pick from. What's her name? Who won the 100 meters gold? And,

Zenith Malawo [01:20:10]:
Jillian? Jillian Alfred?

Raphael Harry [01:20:12]:
Yeah. Jillian Alfred. Thing. The lady who won the long jump from,

Zenith Malawo [01:20:18]:
Oh, the love stories. We didn't even talk about

Raphael Harry [01:20:21]:
the the stories. Love stories. Oh, yeah. There's a lot of love stories. Oh. And and Paris is a romantic city. So, yeah, I think that that would have to be another episode on its own, but overall, it was it was beautiful. It was beautiful.

Dominic Lawson [01:20:36]:
Love stories and gender reveal.

Raphael Harry [01:20:37]:
And It

Dominic Lawson [01:20:39]:
was a gender reveal as well.

Raphael Harry [01:20:41]:
Oh, I missed that one. Who did that? It was

Zenith Malawo [01:20:43]:
a pregnancy announcement.

Raphael Harry [01:20:45]:
Oi. Didn't somebody somebody got was it in was it Taquindo? No. What spot was it that somebody lost and revealed that she had been competing?

Zenith Malawo [01:20:56]:
And she was 7 month month pregnant.

Dominic Lawson [01:20:58]:
She's from Egypt, I believe.

Zenith Malawo [01:20:59]:
Yes. Yes. I think she's from Egypt or Jerry. Forget, but yes.

Raphael Harry [01:21:02]:
What spot was that? It was it was

Dominic Lawson [01:21:05]:
I think it might have been fencing.

Zenith Malawo [01:21:07]:
One of those. Was it fencing?

Raphael Harry [01:21:08]:
I think it was fencing.

Dominic Lawson [01:21:09]:
I think it was fencing.

Raphael Harry [01:21:11]:
And I was like, wow.

Dominic Lawson [01:21:12]:
Was 7 months pregnant. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:21:13]:
But she was yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:21:14]:
I just I was like, wow. 7 months pregnant. So shout shout out to all the women because a lot of women really carried a lot of countries. You know?

Zenith Malawo [01:21:22]:
They carried the Olympic.

Raphael Harry [01:21:23]:
Yeah. Women carried

Dominic Lawson [01:21:24]:
the the US? That's

Raphael Harry [01:21:25]:
the US. I mean, instead of if they they added all the medals women won for the US, that it would have been, what, the the 4th country?

Dominic Lawson [01:21:33]:
Something like that. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:21:34]:
So yeah. So shout out to to them. You know? All the women represented. They stood out. They did their thing, and that 4 by 400.

Dominic Lawson [01:21:44]:
Man, listen.

Raphael Harry [01:21:45]:
You the women are winning, but, I I I wanna shout out to the women's the the rival of the women. She got beat in the in the final of the individuals, Femke Bow.

Dominic Lawson [01:21:56]:
Femke Bow. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:21:57]:
But she she she she's the

Raphael Harry [01:21:58]:
reason Netherlands has medals because Yeah. That girl carried she ran for Netherlands. She ran because it wasn't close when she ran against her American rival. The the I was like, oh, because I was I was expecting a close race, but she ran for Netherlands like, oh, I was like, I'm I almost brought some old joke from back in the days. Like, oh, that was like it's like, you saw the chance to make Netherlands the richest country in the world again. Like, you in Netherlands run back in the days or sailed back in the days, but, yeah, he was running. He was running. I'm like, dah.

Raphael Harry [01:22:33]:
She ran, ran. Because when America was gone Yes. You could see Netherlands was all the way back, and then they gave to Femke Bull, and she just boom. And I was like,

Dominic Lawson [01:22:41]:
oh. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:22:42]:
And I I felt bad for who who was, I think Great Britain and Ireland. I felt bad for Ireland because I was like, oh, Ireland. Go to medal. Well, I wasn't expecting Ireland to medal here, and then Femke Bowl just comes whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop. I just it's like, oh, sorry, Ireland. I don't know if you guys even had a medal before, but from you you won't go talk go talk to your fellow European. She denied. I mean, Great Britain, you expect them to compete, but the yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:23:15]:
But, oh, man. Ireland gonna be like, man, we we we we could have gotten we were this close. We could have had it today if not for this meddling femke bowl. So before I officially leave, one question I forgot to ask, but I've, you know, I asked, Dominique previously. But, Zan, this question will be the first time you're getting this question.

Zenith Malawo [01:23:38]:
Okay.

Raphael Harry [01:23:39]:
So one thing that I was impressed by was the uniforms and jerseys that some Oh. Countries had.

Zenith Malawo [01:23:47]:
Oh my god.

Raphael Harry [01:23:48]:
So was there any uniform or jersey from any sports that caught your attention, which one was your favorite? It doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be one spot. But if you were to if you if if I if I handed you a gift card for, like, a $100 or a €100 and said, we must it's only you can only spend it on 1 jersey right now. Which one will you spend it on?

Zenith Malawo [01:24:14]:
Oh my gosh. So, you know, I love I love watching the volleyball.

Raphael Harry [01:24:22]:
Yeah. That allows us I had a feeling you'll go there.

Zenith Malawo [01:24:26]:
South said the Brazilian volleyball. Yeah. Now just imagine myself, I've gotten my summer body. That's what I'll get.

Raphael Harry [01:24:40]:
Brazilian volleyball was cool. It was cool. Yeah. It was a it was a beautiful one. It's a

Zenith Malawo [01:24:46]:
Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:24:49]:
Well, you did Japan Japan's didn't tempt you?

Zenith Malawo [01:24:55]:
Well, that yeah. That's nice too, but, yeah, that comes second, 3rd.

Raphael Harry [01:24:59]:
Okay. Because the the Japan, they have yeah. Japan's volleyball everything Japan. The the

Zenith Malawo [01:25:06]:
General. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:25:07]:
Their their soccer and volleyball. I'm like, I might end up getting both. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:25:12]:
I might

Raphael Harry [01:25:13]:
end up getting both. Men's and women's. Yeah. What what I liked about them, their men's and women's. Oh, that was, yeah. It's fire. Yeah. What about you, Dominic? Has it changed from previous answer?

Dominic Lawson [01:25:27]:
I don't even remember what I said, honestly. But I but I do I do like the Brazilians and the Japanese. I like the Spain's, Spain. I always like I I like the clean-cut jersey, not like a whole lot going on. So, like, Spain's basketball jersey, I'll I've always kinda like too. So Yeah. Yeah. I've always liked Spain's basketball jersey.

Raphael Harry [01:25:49]:
I think if I was doing basketball, I might I might I might just do South Sudan for the sake of, you know, something that I don't do. For sure. For sure.

Dominic Lawson [01:25:57]:
For sure.

Raphael Harry [01:25:58]:
But France but the only thing is that I don't have the height of basketball, so I'd be feeling I'd be feeling self conscious if I wear basketball jerseys. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because my my uncle in Netherlands, he's way taller. My cousin in England, way taller. So I'm like, nah. I'll be hating on basketballers.

Raphael Harry [01:26:16]:
So but no. That was I'll just stick with USA. USA. USA. USA. No. Mhmm. Alright, guys.

Raphael Harry [01:26:28]:
Thank you very much for being with us and giving me your time.

Zenith Malawo [01:26:33]:
No. Last round.

Raphael Harry [01:26:34]:
Oh, well oh, if if you want me to do a last round, I don't really have anything to add there. But, yeah, just a lot of people, before I ask for it, when people can find you, just, yes. What what what what what would you what is your final takeaway that you like to leave the audience with about the Olympics? You know? Could be about the Paralympics. You want 2028, but we're still gonna do more stuff before, 2028 anyway. But yeah. What's your final takeaway?

Zenith Malawo [01:27:12]:
Can go first as I think. I say done. I wasn't even thinking. But

Dominic Lawson [01:27:19]:
you know what? I I I think the the the final thought from the Olympics and even the Paralympics as well as they are starting to get underway here, and it relates to what we was talking about earlier with Simone Biles and the mental health and depression that remember that these athletes are people and they do these extraordinary things, but I think we sometimes forget that they are people. They're humans, and they have, you know, desires and fears and and they go through mental health challenges and and and stuff like that. So just to remember that they're Sorry about that. I think I'm coming back in.

Raphael Harry [01:28:02]:
Oh, okay. Can

Dominic Lawson [01:28:03]:
you hear me now?

Raphael Harry [01:28:04]:
Yeah.

Dominic Lawson [01:28:04]:
Yes. Okay. Yeah. Sorry about that. But, yeah, just to remember that the athletes are humans and that they while we see them do extraordinary feats and we see them on screen doing extraordinary feats, it seems easy, but it's extremely difficult. They are trained professionals for a reason.

Raphael Harry [01:28:21]:
Mhmm.

Dominic Lawson [01:28:21]:
And sometimes even they themselves get down on themselves or they have the twisties or they have these challenges that they have to fight through. So it's it's it's not all physical. It's a mental game as well.

Raphael Harry [01:28:33]:
Oh, yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:28:36]:
Yeah. For me, obviously, I am looking forward to a late 28, and I always say, you know what? I think I'm actually tired of watching these games on TV. I want to start planning. Like, I want to be there even if it means just 1 or 2, you know, gains something. I know there's World Cup in 2026. In between that we have to think about, but, yeah, definitely want to go in LA 2028. But overall, just, like we say, the women carried these Olympics and, oh my god, the American women. I can't even begin to describe.

Zenith Malawo [01:29:08]:
You know, they had one of, like okay. The basketball game, it was a close game, one point game. Obviously, Gabby Williams of, France put up a fight, but, you know, they put through. So it was nice to see. I always say, Alisa Leslie, she's my sports best friend in my head, hoping to meet her one day, but, you know, she built this dynasty with Diana Turosi, and they were there. And I think Diana Turosi towards the end of her career. So it was just nice to see just how the women, they carried the American team from the basketball, like the cyclist, the running, the relays, they, you know, they didn't falter like the men did with the 4 by 1. I don't know if that's what's going on there.

Zenith Malawo [01:29:50]:
You know, there's love stories, Tara Davis, you know, winning the, the long jump running to her husband. It was good. And there were many other stories. Right? That we're not mentioning my clock in. I might be still running wrong.

Raphael Harry [01:30:03]:
Boss.

Zenith Malawo [01:30:04]:
No. I mean, and then there was just these small countries having their first gold. Like we say, Julian Alfred, Saint Lucia. We had somebody win the boxing from Cape Verde as well.

Raphael Harry [01:30:15]:
Oh, yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:30:16]:
The gold. First, as well, I should mention. Botswana first as well. Kenya, obviously, they're not new to this. They had the, you know, 11 medals, you know, making up the 38 for Africa. That's good runners. And we just hope that things will improve and that sports will be appreciated because that's one of the issues we have in Africa. It's a lot about perception.

Zenith Malawo [01:30:39]:
You know, people don't see like, you see when you watch the relays in The Bahamas, for example, it's like a big deal or even in Jamaica, you see people go to watch these finals and it's a big deal. And it adds to the community. People buy tickets. It's something for people to do. It's a profession people can look forward to. So I'm hoping that maybe in a country like Zambia, we can get to that space where even just a regular person can say, oh, okay. Athletics. Okay.

Zenith Malawo [01:31:05]:
Let's go watch. That way it's more appreciated, and maybe it could be, you know, better investments could be made towards that, that even the private sector can perhaps look to see, okay, how do we get involved? Because those are the challenges our athletes have. People don't get paid. People need to eat. People need to train, and people also need to have things to do, and people can actually see that as a viable option in life, right, as a career. So you we do see a few examples of that, obviously, in South Africa and a few other countries and hope it spreads out. We've seen what Lou Dine has done. He never won an NBA championship, but in our hearts, he has won.

Zenith Malawo [01:31:42]:
But because look at what he's done for South Sudan, but it also brings other conversations up front. Right? Because when they won that friendly game, you had a few NBA players talk about, oh, like an African team who are these people in Sudan? Can you even find people over 65? And then we have these conversations and people are, we are all learning, you know, because of all these stereotypes that we have against each other. And this opens these doors to these conversations and enlightenment, and everyone said, oh, okay. So there are tall people in Sudan. They do play basketball, and there's talent there. Obviously, the Nigerian team came through. And then all these other other stories, like you said, India, Pakistan, the smaller countries, Cindy Mbanga, who won the 1st medal for the refugee team refugee. Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:32:29]:
That's big. You know, because they've never met since they were allowed to compete since 2016. So we can see the inclusion, the improvement, and, obviously, sports make us happy. It's like good. Makes us stay together like as families. We're watching with our kids. We're showing them, you know, that sometimes you can fail and it's okay. You can come last, but it's okay.

Zenith Malawo [01:32:50]:
Like you pointed out with Marcel, yes. He came 5th, but look at that race. All the men went under 9 seconds. All of them. You know? Because sometimes people say, well, well, Noah didn't win by a gap. Well, he doesn't have to. The older men went under 9 seconds like that in itself is too big.

Raphael Harry [01:33:09]:
Yeah.

Zenith Malawo [01:33:10]:
You know that in itself shows you like how big this race is and how fast these men were running, including whomever came last. You know, he was running so fast. If you put him in another race, another time he'd be winning a bronze or a silver. So it's like yeah. So there's just so much to say. There's just I could go on and on and on and on about sports and Olympics. And I think one thing I thought about and it left me as we were talking when we're talking about the Paralympics, as we're seeing visibility is getting better. The marathons do that.

Zenith Malawo [01:33:43]:
When there's a marathon, they let the the disabled people in the wheelchair take part with the regular marathons.

Raphael Harry [01:33:50]:
Yeah. I think

Zenith Malawo [01:33:50]:
they let them go early and you see them a bit early. They're they're they're part of the the larger group as well. So I'd like to see that inclusion and hope to see it in other sports as well. But, yeah, We can watch, we can learn, we can learn about other cultures, other countries. It's beautiful. I'm looking forward to LA 20. I know I'm missing a lot of things. I know I'm gonna get off again.

Zenith Malawo [01:34:07]:
I'm like, oh, I didn't even mention that And that's oh, and there was that and that moment because there were so many. There were so many.

Raphael Harry [01:34:18]:
Yeah. We won't catch everything in one take, but, that's the beauty of it all. We we do it over and over again. But every time we do it, we keep mentioning the other stuff we didn't catch. And it's also it's beautiful that, you know, you pointed out the diversity. You pointed out how you see the investment in women is an investment in all because I've never seen where spending and growing sports in, lifting up women doesn't lift up the whole community. It's like that everywhere. And that's why I always point out to you know, when America has fixes, you know, improves not fixes, improves diversity in in any sports, sporting representation, you start seeing the ripple effect around the world.

Raphael Harry [01:35:22]:
And from when I started watching the Olympics from 92, you start you know, it took a while, and then look at now. You're seeing the ripple effect all over the world. Everybody is now embracing our diversity. The only you know, it's taking longer for Africa to get there, but we have to keep repeating it that it's not a bad thing to embrace diversity on the continent. Countries like South Africa, another Northern African brethren ahead of, like, the West Africans are doing that, but we can't keep waiting for a big event like the Olympics before now. Oh, yes. You know, go get the one born in England and then get the one born in Germany to come home. You start you know? You have diversity at home.

Raphael Harry [01:36:11]:
Embrace it. Invest in your community. Invest in your women. Stop treating, your die people with disability like they don't matter until you're like, oh, this one is guaranteed gold. Then, you know, come here. Invest in all of them. Give them access in schools. Spay if you you you wait.

Raphael Harry [01:36:29]:
Borrowing money is not a problem. It's not a bad thing. What you spend it on is where it can become an issue. And if you spend on the people, you spend in your school or education, and you now say, okay. We're going to make sure you have something you can do with your energy, with your time. The kids playing sports like they used to in the eighties nineties when we had governors' corps in soccer, table tennis, handball, and all that. Yeah. We we had all these things.

Raphael Harry [01:37:01]:
We had more results at the Olympics. And then with time, we now say, oh, we're not doing all that anymore. It now became pushed down to Olejo's soccer. And then the soccer, we don't even have national tournaments, state tournaments. It's all private academies now, and we are seeing the end results. We're no longer as good as we once were. So I think we have enough data to, I'm I'm using Nigeria as an example to show when we invested in people and when we don't invest in people and try to do the shortcut of just go grab people from other countries and say, oh, yeah. We we we are diverse.

Raphael Harry [01:37:41]:
It's not that's taking shortcuts, and we always remember that song, no shortcuts in life. So with that being said, please let the people know where they can find you. And once again, thank you for giving me your time and for coming on the podcast.

Zenith Malawo [01:37:56]:
Okay. Oh, so for me right now, by the way, shout out to Barbara Banda of the Zambia National soccer team because she did Oh, yeah. Get

Raphael Harry [01:38:03]:
Her heart trick.

Zenith Malawo [01:38:04]:
Yes. Heart tricks for the soccer. And I remember because you're talking about investing in women because that's one of the teams you can see that okay. Now that there was a bit of focus on the women's side, you can see they've done so much better than even the men have done. They've been to the Olympics twice now. They've been to the World Cup. Suddenly, you know, unfortunately, like we're saying, we can see that, okay, they it needs to be a bit more, you know, like, than where they've reached. Mhmm.

Zenith Malawo [01:38:27]:
We have the 2 of the the most expensive players on the team, but you can see that from the way they play and how everybody else's strengths that there's a there's a gap, and it needs to become better than that. But if I'm not gonna get to that, so shout out to her and Rachel Kundinanje as well. They did very well. But you can find me at z hamamba on Instagram. And then for my podcast, I do have an Instagram page even though I haven't launched yet. It's at assorted immigrant stories podcast, on IG. Yeah.

Raphael Harry [01:38:58]:
Awesome.

Dominic Lawson [01:39:00]:
And, thanks, again, Rafael for having me and doing this with you. It's always a pleasure to kinda be in fellowship with you and and and talk Olympics and sports and stuff like that. And Zen, it's been a pleasure to engage with you in this platform as well. My name is, again, Dominic Lawson. You can find me on LinkedIn, Dominic, d o m I n I c, Lawson, l a w s o n, or on Instagram, the real Dominic Lawson as well. You can catch my show Black is America on all of your, favorite podcast platforms with a new, episode releasing for this election season. So we have an historic election cycle that's happening. So being for black as America, we have to kinda capture that and and and and do a particular story on it.

Dominic Lawson [01:39:44]:
So look look out for that.

Raphael Harry [01:39:46]:
Awesome.

Zenith Malawo [01:39:46]:
And Dominic, you must have actually, your episode with Rafael was one of my favorite episodes. I told him that. I messaged him. Oh,

Dominic Lawson [01:39:55]:
I appreciate that.

Zenith Malawo [01:39:57]:
I was like, I episode. I said, and I knew the moment he was talking about when Michelle Obama was working in her green dress with Obama, and they're holding hands when we're just holding our breath. Right.

Raphael Harry [01:40:09]:
Alright. So Yeah. With that, we officially wrap up this episode. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your support. Keep showing love. Keep exercising, and keep supporting everybody in your lives and support our podcast. Go give Dominic's podcast support and support.

Raphael Harry [01:40:28]:
Send it when our episode drops. And, yeah, see you at the next episode. Thank you for the privilege of your company. Thanks for listening to white label American. If you enjoy the show, please give a 5 star review on your favorite podcast app. You can follow the show on all social media platforms. Visit the white label American website for links for donations, episodes, feedback, guests, merch and newsletter. Don't forget to download the free white label American app on the Google Play Store and Apple coming soon.

Raphael Harry [01:41:07]:
Thank you for the privilege of your company.