BIDENS HONOR, PRAISE OLYMPIANS

President Joe Biden on Wednesday hailed Team USA for bringing a bit of unity to a pandemic-weary nation as he hosted a White House celebration with about 600 athletes from this year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing and the coronavirus-delayed Summer Games held in 2021 in Tokyo.

Among the athletes at the South Lawn ceremony were swimmer and seven-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky, celebrated bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, who was born in Oceanside, and ice dancer Zachary Donohue, as well as competitors from the past two Paralympic Games.

Biden noted the Team USA athletes won some 260 medals in Beijing and Tokyo. Equally impressive as their performances, Biden suggested, was the athletes’ ability to unite Americans during a period marked by the unrelenting coronavirus pandemic and deepening partisanship after the 2020 election.

“You represent the very soul of America,” Biden told the athletes. “It’s been a very divided nation but you brought us together. No matter the divisions, when we see you compete, we feel a common pride in those three letters: USA.”

The Tokyo Games were delayed one year due to COVID-19 and took place last summer, largely without spectators. First lady Jill Biden led the U.S. delegation to Japan. At the Beijing Olympics this past winter, also held largely without spectators, the United States staged a diplomatic boycott due to China’s human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Jill Biden, in her remarks Wednesday, hailed the athletes for persevering under challenging circumstances, saying Americans were “grateful for the gifts” they gave the country at a difficult time.

“Now I know that these Games may not have been exactly as you once imagined with stadiums packed with people and all of your loved ones screaming from the sidelines,” she said.

“Olympian or a Paralympian is a rare accomplishment in a normal time, but you did it during a global pandemic. You are forever one of the most elite, most celebrated athletes in this world.”

The president also recognized that the unusual and largely fan-free Games were a hardship for the athletes.

“I’m sorry you had to wait that year . ... I mean, you’ve been through so damn — darn much,” Biden said.

Motorsports

Drivers Matt Kenseth and

Hershel McGriff and crew chief

Kirk Shelmerdine have been selected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Mike Helton was named the Landmark Award winner for outstanding contributions to the sport Wednesday during a ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. They will officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 20.

Kenseth was a first-ballot selection, Shelmerdine was voted in on his third try and McGriff his seventh. Kenseth and Shelmerdine were voted in on the modern-day ballot, while McGriff made it in on the pioneer ballot.

Kenseth, 50, drove 18 full seasons on the NASCAR circuit before retiring in 2020 with 39 Cup victories and 20 poles.

NFL

The first regular-season NFL game in Germany will be between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks at the home of soccer club Bayern Munich. The NFL says the game will take place at the Allianz Arena on Nov. 13. Frankfurt will also be staging a regularseason game in Germany during the next four years.

The schedule for the three NFL games in London next season also has been announced. Green Bay will become the final team to play in Europe when they take on the New York Giants on Oct. 9 at the home of Premier League soccer team Tottenham.

Also

The Gulls scored the first two goals in their playoff opener at Ontario, but it was downhill after that in a 7-4 loss. The Reign outshot the Gulls 39 to 26 and scored on two of their four power plays while San Diego was 0 for 4. Game 2 is tonight at 7 in Ontario.

Rafael Nadal got off to a good start in his return from injury, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic, 6-1, 7-6 (4), to reach the third round at the Madrid Open.

The No. 9 Cal State San Marcos women’s golf team carded the second-lowest score of the third round at 5-under 283 at the West Regional at Brookside Country Club in Stockton, but it wasn’t enough to make the top five to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships. The Cougars finished in seventh with a 24-over 888.