The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gymnast’s vaccine card celebration gains fame
It was a move that put other vaccine selfies to shame.
In a March meet against Minnesota, University of Illinois gymnast Evan Manivong sprinted toward the vault, launched into the air, spun and stuck the landing, nailing his routine and tying his career high. As his teammates cheered, Manivong clapped and celebrated and then whipped out a coronavirus vaccination card that was tucked in his leotard and flashed it for the cameras.
For Manivong, a 20-yearold sophomore, it had started as a joke with his teammates. But the video of the athletic feat and vaccine enthusiasm struck a chord with others.
A clip has been viewed more than 1 million times since the Athletic’s Olivia Witherite resurfaced it Monday, calling Manivong’s stunt “the ultimate flex.” Some people joked that they planned to leap into bars, restaurants and airports with the same agility. Others said they would feel just as proud as Manivong to possess the small, white card given to those who have been vaccinated.
“This is what I will look like in my head after getting vaccinated,” researcher Paul Fairie tweeted.
Manivong said he practiced the routine he was sure he would clinch with the card in advance so he would be ready to revel once he landed.
“I felt pretty confident,” he said. “I did my warm-up with my vaccination card in there so I knew it was all good and ready.”
Manivong and his teammates, who were vaccinated about a month and a half ago, had joked that he would show off his card at the meet. When he landed, receiving a 14.750, Manivong pulled out the card, seemingly to the delight of his teammates and confusion for the commentators. The card’s black type was not immediately visible on screen.
“Not sure what that is,” one announcer aid. “Vaccine card?” he speculated. “Whatever it is, if that’s what it takes, sign me up for one of those cards. That was amazing.”
The team’s account later shared the video on Twitter: “We’re not sure what was on that card either.”
“It’s my vaccination card … go get vaccinated everyone!” Manivong wrote back.
The card, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and designed to help people keep track of which shot they have had and when, has become a recognizable symbol as many people have posted selfies with it to signify they have been vaccinated.
Since the clip gained fame, his teammates quipped that he’s become a role model for getting the vaccine, an assignment the gymnast said he is happy to take on.
Being vaccinated, for Manivong, means achieving “peace of mind,” he said.
The Masters is one of golf ’s legendary tournaments, but it doesn’t lend itself well to betting favorites. Over the past decade there have been 13 favorites and co-favorites. None of them have won the green jacket that year. The closest any of them got to the top of the leader board was Tiger Woods in 2013 (tied for fourth), Rory Mcilroy in 2015 (fourth) plus co-favorites Jordan Spieth (third) and Mcilroy (tied for fifth) in 2018.
That has made golf ’s first major tournament of the year a lucrative betting opportunity. Past winners include Patrick Reed (40-1 in 2018), Sergio Garcia (30-1 in 2017), Danny Willett (50-1 in 2016) and Charl Schwartzel (100-1 in 2011). Even Dustin Johnson, one of the best golfers in the world, managed to win last year’s Masters tournament and still pay 8-1.
Who could be this year’s surprise success? Here are five names to keep an eye on at Augusta National this weekend. All odds taken Monday from Golfodds.com.
Collin Morikawa (30-1, or +3000)
When your name is alongside Woods in the record books you know you did something right. Morikawa and Woods are the only players with a major win and a World Golf Championship title before turning 25 years old. Morikawa is also the seventh player since World War II to win four PGA Tour titles, including a major championship, before turning 25.
The key to his Masters success lies in his ability to hit his irons. He has gained an average of 1.2 strokes per round, the highest of 2021, on approach shots when compared with the average number of shots taken by a tour player to finish a hole from a given distance. Historically, players leading the tour in this category have faired well at Augusta. According to data from the PGA Tour, golfers who led the field in strokes gained: approach heading into the Masters have won four times, finished second once and third once.
Morikawa is also adept at avoiding trouble on par 4s, an enviable skill at Augusta. He is tied for 10th with a scoring average of 3.96 in 2021, and he gets
a birdie or better on these holes 21% of the time. The tour average is 17%.
Sungjae Im (40-1, or +4000)
Im has made the cut in his past seven starts thanks in part to his putting, gaining almost a half a stroke per round this year (27th on tour). He is also accurate off the tee, hitting 643 of 920 possible fairways (70%, rankings eighth). That’s led to him gaining 0.7 strokes
per round on the field (sixth best this season) off the tee. Both help fuel his gaudy 75% rate (fourth best) when going for the green with the first shot on a par 4 or the second shot on a par 5.
Im also co-led last year’s Masters field in birdies (24) on his way to a tie for second place.
Joaquin Niemann (80-1, or +8000)
Niemann can drive the ball with force off the tee
(averages 312.7 yards, ninth) and hits almost 72% of greens in regulation. More importantly, his putting game is on the rise, and he is averaging 0.5 strokes gained per round over the past 50 rounds played after adjusting for the strength of the field, per data from Data Golf, good enough to be on par with the top 25 players in this category.
His overall strokes gained mark over the past 50 rounds (plus-1.9) heading into this major is also
high enough to be among the top 10 golfers in the world. (It also should be noted some sportsbooks have Niemann at around 55-1 instead of 80-1.)
Sergio Garcia (80-1, or +8000)
Garcia checks off the boxes for past Masters performances (he won in 2017 and has three other top 10 finishes at Augusta) and current form (he won the Sanderson Farm Championship in October, tied for ninth at the Players Championship and tied for fifth at the WGC Match Play). Sure, he’s missed the cut in nine of his past 11 major-championship starts, including his past two at the Masters, but he’s still second in strokes gained off the tee and 10th in strokes gained from tee to green this season. And who knows? Maybe if he opens his eyes while on the greens, he can improve from his 190th ranking in strokes gained from putting.
Brian Harman (150-1 or +15000 to win, +250 to be top left-hander)
In the 12 Masters between 2003 and 2014, left-handers won the tournament six times, with technology improvements and the need for rightto-left tee shots (easier for lefties) giving southpaws an edge at Augusta National. And while no lefty has won since Bubba Watson donned his second green jacket in 2014, Harman could be worth a long-shot look. A southpaw and a Georgia native, Harman has only two previous Masters appearances and hasn’t finished better than a tie for 44th. But he’s also missed just one cut this season and has top 10 finishes in three of his past six tournaments, including a tie for third at the Players Championship.
Still, his putting will be an asset at Augusta (0.56 strokes gained per round, 21st) as will his par-4 and par-5 scoring (he ranks 36th and 12th, respectively).