Get to know the Long Islanders who will be competing on the global stage at the Paris Olympics.

Sports

Olympics

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Barbara Barker

Over the course of her remarkable career, Crystal Dunn has pretty much done it all. 
She won a national championship at North Carolina, she won three National Women’s Soccer League championships and she was a member of the U.S. National team that won the 2011 World Cup. She won the Hermann Trophy, collegiate soccer’s version of the Heisman, and in 2015 was the youngest player in the history of the NWSL to win the MVP. 
Only one thing is missing. The Rockville Centre native has never won an Olympic gold medal. 
There’s nothing Dunn would like more than to patch that hole in her resume when she plays in her third Olympics with the U.S. women’s national team this summer in Paris. 
Although the USWNT is always expected to be a force to be reckoned with at the Olympics, the team has a lot of proving to do this year. The United States is the winningest women’s soccer team in the Olympics, with four gold medals, but its most recent came in 2012. 
Things didn’t go as planned for the team in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as its bid for a third straight title ended when it was knocked out by Sweden on penalty kicks. The Americans recently fell to No. 5 in FIFA’s global rankings, their lowest ranking ever. 
The Americans will open play against Zambia on Thursday in Group B, which also includes 2016 Olympic gold medalist Germany and Australia. 
The recent struggles led to the hiring of coach Emma Hayes in November. Hayes, who led Chelsea to five straight Women’s Soccer League titles, set about remaking Team USA’s roster. 
“We stepped out of the World Cup not feeling too amazing about our performance,” Dunn said at a recent news conference, “but I think at the end of the day, we knew we had an incredible opportunity to regroup and get back to it.” 
While that regrouping has included an infusion of youth — with an average age of 26.8, this U.S. team is the youngest since 2008 — Dunn was able to secure her place on the 18-woman roster. At age 32, she is the third-oldest player on the team.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/846fdda0-ac75-4ea3-91e4-2635621ba844" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/846fdda0-ac75-4ea3-91e4-2635621ba844', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/846fdda0-ac75-4ea3-91e4-2635621ba844"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/846fdda0-ac75-4ea3-91e4-2635621ba844/7ed43239-3ab2-46ba-b828-d7cbbe51d965.jpeg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a>
Dunn, known for her versatility, played a year under Hayes in 2017-18 at Chelsea. One of the first things Hayes did when she took over the team was move Dunn to forward for the first time since the summer of 2017. It’s a move soccer fans have been pushing for years, and it paid off in the team’s 3-0 friendly win over South Korea as Dunn scored her first international goal in more than five years. 
“I know what Crystal Dunn’s all about,” Hayes said in that post-match news conference. “She’s played for me before and she’ll do whatever the team needs . . . I’m happy to be back coaching her.” 
Dunn is one of six players from NWSL’s Gotham team selected to represent the United States in the Olympics. The others include Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, Rose Lavelle, Lynn Williams and Tierna Davidson. 
Dunn also is thrilled to be back in the Olympics for a third time, but she concedes it has not been an easy year. 
On July 3, her birthday, Dunn posted on Instagram that the past year had been one of the “most challenging” of her life. Shortly afterward, she elaborated on that in a Zoom news conference. Dunn said there had been “a lot going on” with the national team, and at the same time, she was playing with a new team in the NWSL.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="" data-attr-q="" data-attr-w="" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/a24503e4-bf99-440b-9ed7-184e2bfda7d9" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a24503e4-bf99-440b-9ed7-184e2bfda7d9', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a24503e4-bf99-440b-9ed7-184e2bfda7d9"></a>
She said the biggest thing that has helped her is the support of her family and friends. Dunn’s parents still live in Rockville Centre and she maintains close ties to the community. 
“The one thing I’ve been able to lean into is that I have friends and family who know me as more than a soccer player,’’ she said. “They know me as the goofy kid who was running around Rockville Centre. I think it’s really nice to be surrounded by people who keep you grounded and remind you that soccer is what you do and not what you are.” 
This Olympics is particularly special, given that it is in Paris. Dunn’s husband, Pierre Soubrier, is French. That means he and their son, Marcel, will get a chance to visit with family when they come to cheer her on. 
“I’m just excited,” Dunn said. “Every Olympics is different. With this one, it’s my first as a mom. It’s in France, so I get to see all my friends and family. I’m also excited to help this team and make an impact the best way I can.” 
Especially if that impact can help the team win a gold medal.

Columnists

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Mexico US Soccer

LI native Crystal Dunn has won almost every women's soccer honor — except Olympic gold

Barker: LI's Dunn has won almost everything — except Olympic gold

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Rockville Centre&rsquo;s Crystal Dunn will play for Team USA&#39;s women&#39;s soccer team in&nbsp;the Olympic Games for the third time in her career.

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Rockville Centre's Crystal Dunn represents USA in Olympics for 3rd time

Rockville Centre

Newsday

Crystal Dunn is Olympic bound for 3rd time

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Brian Heyman

Kristen Romano had come to an intersection at the edge of the pool — keep trying to make a splash in her sport or move on. 
She was 15 and living in her native Lancaster, New York, near Buffalo, and she wasn’t thrilled with her swimming progress. 
“I was considering quitting,” Romano said. “I was getting to that point where I was like, ‘Is this even worth it?’ … I just kind of like needed a change.” 
She got a big one thanks to her parents. 
Her mother, Brenda, spent much of her childhood in Brooklyn. So when Kristen had visited relatives there and on Long Island, she needed a place to train. She ended up at Long Island Aquatic Club at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow and practiced there with coach Dave Ferris, and she loved the experience. 
Her brother, Gabe, attended college in Erie, Pennsylvania, and often came home to Lancaster. Brenda was a Spanish teacher and still a few years from retirement. So Kristen’s dad, Michael, a retired UPS manager, volunteered to move with her to Long Island so she could train and compete under Ferris. 
They arrived in Long Beach in 2015 and stayed for her junior and senior years of high school while Brenda remained behind. Kristen’s swimming indeed progressed with Long Island Aquatic Club and Long Beach High School. Then she became an All-American at Ohio State. 
Her dad, though, isn’t around to watch her now; he died from pancreatic cancer last year. He surely would have been so proud to see his 24-year-old daughter on Aug. 2,&nbsp;swimming for Puerto Rico at the Paris Olympics in the 200-meter individual medley. Her mother and brother will be there to see her dream come to life. 
“My parents throughout my entire career, I owe everything to them,” Kristen said. “More than anything, the achievement of this goal is theirs more than it’s even mine because of all the sacrifices they have made throughout my career, and especially my dad, moving with me to Long Beach. 
“He used to tell me all the time those two years that we spent, just the two of us on Long Island, were some of the most special memories that he had. It was really a chance for us to kind of make some really good memories. I will cherish those forever.” 
Now this determined first-time Olympian will be creating some really good new memories for herself and her family. 
“It’s hard to put into words, really, when you’ve just been working your whole life for that one goal, that one dream,” she said. “I think every athlete starts out with: ‘My goal is to go to the Olympics. My goal is to win a gold medal.’ 
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a career where that goal has kind of always stayed within my sights and within my reach, kind of like the saying goes, ‘The harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.’ ” 
Her steady time with Long Island Aquatic Club lasted from 2015 to 2017. 
Her triumphs included the 2017 NCSA junior national championship in the 400 IM. Romano is the first Olympian with ties to the club, which has sent several swimmers to the U.S. trials over the years, including Romano. 
“We’re excited for her,” Ferris said. “She was always going to be good, but what took her to the next level was the ability to do the work, and the technique, and staying at it for a long period of time.” 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Kristen Romano of Long Beach wins the 100-yard girls butterfly at the Nassau championships in 2016." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/58f3128e-b984-451f-b9d5-461f0c3dccaa" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/58f3128e-b984-451f-b9d5-461f0c3dccaa', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/58f3128e-b984-451f-b9d5-461f0c3dccaa"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/58f3128e-b984-451f-b9d5-461f0c3dccaa/832ed546-c769-4642-9a51-a48709305dcb?w=400&amp;q=0.3" />Kristen Romano of Long Beach wins the 100-yard girls butterfly at the Nassau championships in 2016.</a> 
Romano also enjoyed her time competing under head coach John Skudin and assistant Lynn Volosevich for two seasons with Long Beach,&nbsp;where she was a five-time All-American. 
Her senior year came with repeats as the state champ in the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 backstroke, and she was on two winning relays at the state meet. Newsday named her Long Island Swimmer of the Year in 2016. “She’s still, to this day, one of the nicest, nicest kids, genuinely nice,” said Volosevich, who’s now the head coach for the Long Beach girls and boys teams. 
Romano’s first attempt to make the Olympics came at the 2016 U.S. trials. Then, during her freshman year at Ohio State, she received a call from Fernando Olivero of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee. Her mom had often visited family in Puerto Rico when she was growing up. 
“He knew some of my family that lived on the island and kind of made the connection,” Kristen said. 
She will always remember his words. 
“Would you like to come compete for Puerto Rico?” Olivero asked. “We’d love to have you.” 
She grew up with a deep respect for her Puerto Rican heritage, but she said she sought the advice of Ferris, someone who “has always been a great mentor and coach for me.” 
“He said, ‘Listen, that’s your choice, but it sounds like a great opportunity. And if it’s something that really helps you kind of connect to your family and connect with that part of your identity, then do it,’ ” Romano said. 
“I am so unbelievably grateful that I got that phone call. Truly, it changed kind of the trajectory of my life and really helped connect me so much more to my family and my identity.” 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Puerto Rico's Kristen Romano swims in the women's 200-meters individual medley at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 25, 2023.
" data-attr-credit="AP" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/a94d5ba1-8290-457d-87e1-18ea7477d23a" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a94d5ba1-8290-457d-87e1-18ea7477d23a', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a94d5ba1-8290-457d-87e1-18ea7477d23a"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/a94d5ba1-8290-457d-87e1-18ea7477d23a/AP23298748595787.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" />Puerto Rico's Kristen Romano swims in the women's 200-meters individual medley at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 25, 2023. </a> 
Romano&nbsp;has been competing for Puerto Rico since 2018 and owns records in five events. Romano also struck gold five times and took two bronze medals across two trips to the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships. 
She just missed making Puerto Rico’s contingent for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Brenda said her daughter was “really, really bummed about that.” 
Then Michael, who did come back to Lancaster over the summer during those Long Island days while Kristen stayed with relatives in Oyster Bay, had his cancer return in 2022 after being in remission. 
“It would be easy to say, ‘Look, my dad’s sick; I have to be home,’ ” Brenda said. “He said, ‘Absolutely not. You are not coming home. We’ll make a deal. I’ll keep fighting. You keep fighting.’ And they did.” 
Kristen graduated from Ohio State that year, trained with Long Island Aquatic Club in the summer and then moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in the fall. She turned professional and joined a group of pros that trained at the University of Tennessee and swam with Tennessee Aquatics. She came home a few times before her dad died the following February. 
She persevered and ultimately earned her way to Paris, getting selected off her time of 2 minutes, 13.09 seconds in winning at the Atlanta Classic on May 18. 
“It’s funny because she’s a very relaxed girl,” Volosevich said. “If you speak to her, she’s not uptight or anything like that. But she’s highly motivated in her work ethic. 
“She set out for what she wanted and she got there, and most people don’t. She got there and stayed humble.” 
Romano began swimming at age 3 and competing at around 5. Brenda said Kristen watched the Olympics when she was young and said, “I’m going to do that.” 
She’s about to do that. 
“Beyond proud,” Brenda said. “It’s surreal, actually.” 
Romano is on track to graduate in December from a University of Florida master’s program in sport management and sport law and is looking to eventually become a sports agent. 
But her immediate goal is to enjoy this Olympic experience. 
“I’ve been training really, really well,” Romano said. “More than anything, I’m just excited to kind of go and compete with the best athletes in the world and just represent Puerto Rico in the best way that I can. I think I’m going to perform really well — knock on wood.”

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Pan American Games Swimming

Olympics 2024: Long Island's Kristen Romano floating on air with Puerto Rico swim team

LI's Kristen Romano ready to enjoy Olympic experience with Puerto Rico

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Andrew Capobianco stood side by side with Michael Hixon on the medal stand. They were wearing white masks at the pandemic-era, fan-free Tokyo Olympics and their dangling silver medals after the 3-meter synchronized diving competition with the top of the world’s talent pool. 
This was 2021 for a then-21-year-old Wantagh native. <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/team-usa-andrew-capobianco-synchro-diving-silver-medal-j67473">Capobianco was an Olympic medalist</a> — a forever accomplishment. 
“I think at that point, I was just feeling so much gratitude and so much relief, honestly, that I was able to pull it out with my synchro partner and make all the people who helped me get there so proud,” Capobianco told Newsday&nbsp; on Monday. “So that was awesome.” 
Now he’s back for another Olympic-sized try at 24. 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Team USA Olympic diver Andrew Capobianco." data-attr-credit="AP" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/2e6a6b1f-b27b-4f42-9cb6-f9cb7a4921b4" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/2e6a6b1f-b27b-4f42-9cb6-f9cb7a4921b4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/2e6a6b1f-b27b-4f42-9cb6-f9cb7a4921b4"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/2e6a6b1f-b27b-4f42-9cb6-f9cb7a4921b4/AP24109593462629.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" />Team USA Olympic diver Andrew Capobianco.</a> 
Capobianco participated in both synchronized and individual 3-meter springboard diving in Tokyo, finishing 10th in the latter competition. 
This time, he just missed qualifying in the synchro at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, placing second with Quinn Henninger. But Capobianco came back <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/andrew-capobianco-olympic-diving-trials-hnzjgwcr">to claim the individual event</a>. 
So that will be his 20/20 focus at the Paris Olympics, which begin with events on July 24 and the opening ceremonies on the 26th. Capobianco starts with&nbsp;qualifying rounds for his event on Aug. 6. 
“I definitely am a more experienced and I would say a lot better diver on all aspects now than I was three years ago,” Capobianco said. “… I was fourth last year at the world championships, so I would definitely like to move up from there and hopefully get into the medal contention. 
“There are a lot of great athletes in my event and so it will be a pretty good battle for even top three. But I think with what I’ve shown the last couple of months and especially the scores I put up at Olympic trials, I definitely have a good shot at being in those medals and potentially vying for the gold.&quot; 
Capobianco and Henninger, who replaced the retired Hixon after Tokyo, came in a mere 2.37 points behind Greg Duncan and Tyler Downs at the trials in the synchronized event. The failure to advance stung Capobianco, who felt bad for Henninger, too. 
Mike Capobianco, Andrew’s dad, was there. They spoke on the phone in the wake of that disappointment. 
“The next day, I said, ‘Do you want to go out for breakfast or lunch?’ ” Mike said. “He said, ‘I really just need to digest this and get it out of my body.’ He reset very well.” 
So well that he claimed his individual ticket to France. 
“That really showed me what I’m made of and also makes me feel really confident leading into Paris,” he said. “But it was quite an upsetting couple of days afterwards.” 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-align="center" data-onecms-id="contentid/86d556ef-bd4a-4aec-a0f0-20db8ddd4a70" data-onecms-type="video" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/86d556ef-bd4a-4aec-a0f0-20db8ddd4a70', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/86d556ef-bd4a-4aec-a0f0-20db8ddd4a70"><img src="/onecms/polopoly_fs/atex.onecms.Widget-pCustomResourceArea!/img/video-x-generic.png" /></a> 
The last time he made the Olympics, he was bothered by a back issue. And then last December, he underwent knee surgery. 
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I mean, I still have some lingering things with my knee. It’s not perfect. And similar with my back. I’m kind of just in a management phase where I’m not feeling pain-free at all. But I think I’ve really learned how to manage my injuries well.” 
Capobianco was born in Mineola and lived in Wantagh until his family moved to Holly Springs, North Carolina, when he was 13 and about to enter high school. 
He began in gymnastics, winning a Junior Olympic floor exercise title before going all-in on diving. 
And he was ahead of his time, taking the Nassau County boys diving championship as a seventh- and eighth-grader while competing for Wantagh High School. 
Ultimately, Capobianco went to the University of Indiana, becoming a four-time Big Ten Diver of the Year, three-time national champ and 12-time All-American before graduating last year. 
But his <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/andrew-capobianco-olympics-p07624">Island roots run deep</a> inside. 
“I always think of Long Island really as my home,” Capobianco said. “It was where I grew up and obviously where I started doing gymnastics and diving. I had such a great base there with both of those sports and great coaches there as well. 
&quot;I’ve already gotten so much support from all my friends in Long Island with just some texts and phone calls, congratulating me and kind of wishing me good luck in Paris.” 
His dad is from Brooklyn and his mom, Darlene, is from Freeport, and they are both retired Nassau County police officers. 
With no pandemic-related fan restrictions, they will attend the Olympics this time along with Andrew’s brothers, Matthew and Christian. There will be a group of <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/olympics/paris-olympics-2024-covid-support-family-k57242">16 to 18 family members, friends and others</a>, including some Long Island connections, on hand to cheer on Capobianco. 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Andrew Capobianco during the&nbsp;men's 3m Springboard preliminary round at the Tokyo Games." data-attr-credit="Getty Images" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/e55977e0-db0f-49e9-9f53-ce9109016676" data-onecms-type="image" data-widget="smartembed" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/e55977e0-db0f-49e9-9f53-ce9109016676', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/e55977e0-db0f-49e9-9f53-ce9109016676"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/e55977e0-db0f-49e9-9f53-ce9109016676/GettyImages-1331890340.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3" />Andrew Capobianco during the&nbsp;men's 3m Springboard preliminary round at the Tokyo Games.</a> 
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“It should be a really good time,” Mike said. “We’re super excited.” 
There’s another person with ties to Andrew and Long Island who will be there — his coach. 
Drew Johansen is also Indiana’s longtime diving coach and now the four-time U.S. Olympic diving coach. His father is from Patchogue and his mother is from Sayville.&nbsp;Johansen spent summers at his grandparents’ house in Sayville when he was growing up. 
“We could walk down to the bay, go sail on the boats, go to the beach,” Johansen said. “We loved it.” 
Johansen also loved what Capobianco did in 2021, mentioning how he overcame his back problem at the trials and then the Olympics, excelling despite bad spasms that impacted his training. 
“Long Island strong,” Johansen said. 
Johansen said Capobianco’s “ability to perform under pressure is special.” 
All things considered, he’s in a better place to try to earn America’s first Olympic medal in the men’s individual 3-meter springboard since 1996. 
Or as Johansen put it: “He’s in a good position to challenge anybody in the world.” 
Laura Wilkinson, an NBC analyst and 2000 Olympic gold medalist in diving, likes Capobianco’s medal chances. 
“With Andrew’s degree of difficulty, I think he could be in there,” Wilkinson said on-air at the trials. 
Capobianco coaches a junior diving program in Bloomington and wants to make coaching his profession. Paris isn’t it for him as a competitor, though. 
Yes, he’s looking forward to some time off in order to heal and have a mental break from the grind. But he plans to continue with Henninger and he wants in for the next ultimate meet — the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 
“I think in my mind right now, I definitely do see L.A. as a possibility,” Capobianco said. “Whether I come back as just a synchro diver or I continue to do individual and synchro, that would be up to me and how my body is feeling. 
“But I do definitely want to stick around. I think that would be a real cool thing to have a home Olympics.”

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Wantagh native&nbsp;Andrew Capobianco qualified for the Paris Olympics with a win in theindividual 3-meter springboard at the U.S.&nbsp;diving trials on June 23 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Watch Andrew Capobianco's winning dive at the U.S. Olympic trials

Watch Andrew Capobianco's winning dive at the U.S. Olympic trials

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2024 Olympics: USA's Andrew Capobianco on a quest for individual diving medal

LI's Capobianco on Olympic quest for individual medal in Paris

Tess Ferguson

For Arella Guirantes, basketball has played every role in the book. Passion. Occupation. Lifestyle. 
She has taken her game from Bellport High School to Texas Tech University and Rutgers, and then to the WNBA. Now her court is even larger. Guirantes is competing in her first Olympic Games. 
“Right now, everything feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “I know that when I get there, everything will be so captivating. I put blood, sweat and tears into this. Being around hundreds, thousands of athletes who do the same thing will be really captivating.” 
Guirantes has played for the Puerto Rican women’s national team since 2017. She is eligible for the national team under FIBA guidelines because her grandfather was born in Puerto Rico. 
During the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February, Guirantes led her team in nearly every statistic. She averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists over three games. 
“I’m a leader. I bring the energy that they need,” the 26-year-old Guirantes said. “They know that when I come here, I’m gonna handle my business every time I step on the floor. Luckily, my team trusts me, and over the years, I’ve continued to build that trust with them.”<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/a3aeb9f2-f8b6-4216-a638-63a01e105177" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a3aeb9f2-f8b6-4216-a638-63a01e105177', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a3aeb9f2-f8b6-4216-a638-63a01e105177"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/a3aeb9f2-f8b6-4216-a638-63a01e105177/AP22266032221761.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a>
Basketball runs in the Guirantes family. Her mother, Demetria, played in high school with former Liberty star Sue Wicks at Center Moriches, then played in college at Stony Brook. Her father, Robert, used to help coach the varsity and junior varsity boys teams at Bellport before taking over his daughter’s training. 
Guirantes’ sister, Talaya, just completed her first year at Five Towns College, averaging 19.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Talaya also is a member of the Puerto Rican national team, though she is not on the Olympic roster. 
Puerto Rico offered the sisters the opportunity to compete together for the first time since high school. They played for Bellport’s varsity squad when Arella was a senior and Talaya was in seventh grade. 
“She works so hard,” Talaya said. “She just doesn’t stop. This is really her job. I see firsthand how much effort she puts in, how much work she puts in, and I’m also there with her doing it. It’s awesome to see how much it’s all paying off for her. I mean, she’s going to be an Olympian. I’ll be there to cheer her on along the way.” 
  
WNBA on resume 
Before she punched her ticket to the Paris Olympics, Arella played two seasons in the WNBA. After completing her collegiate career at Rutgers, she was drafted 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2021. She played in 25 games, including two starts, in her rookie season for the Sparks but was waived before the 2022 season. Guirantes then moved to the Seattle Storm for the 2023 season, appearing in nine games. She now is dedicating her time to Puerto Rico. 
When Guirantes traveled to China for the qualifying tournament, her family was forced to play the waiting game. When the news finally rolled in, so did the emotions. 
“We didn’t have the app to watch the qualifiers,” Demetria said. “She called me crying, and when I asked if she’s all right, she just said, ‘Mom, we’re going to the Olympics.’ I just sat there and cried. I was so overjoyed just to know that I have an Olympian. I don’t even care if they win. She’ll always be an Olympian.” 
Demetria said she could tell there was something special about Arella’s determination. 
“Everything was work; it never came easy,” Demetria said. “She refused to go to the junior prom because she had a tournament to go to. She wasn’t doing what the other teenagers were doing. She sacrificed a lot to get where she is.”<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/77660402-81c5-474a-a994-1ee6c8b25049" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/77660402-81c5-474a-a994-1ee6c8b25049', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/77660402-81c5-474a-a994-1ee6c8b25049"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/77660402-81c5-474a-a994-1ee6c8b25049/image.jpg?f=&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a>
  
Another chapter 
Despite her hard work, Guirantes never anticipated making the Olympics. Rather than something she was destined for, she said the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico is just another chapter of her story. 
“As a kid, you watch the Olympics and you grow up wanting to be there, but I didn’t know how to get there,” she said. “As I got older, I learned to not focus so much on the end goal and rather enjoy every moment of the journey. The results speak for themselves. I’m about to be playing against the best of the best in the world.” 
It’s a chapter with a lot of questions, many of which Guirantes said will not be answered until she gets to Paris. 
“We’ll have those conversations when we get there,” she said. “What being at training camp feels like, what being on the Olympic stage feels like, if we’re nervous. I don’t know yet. I’ve never been in that position before, so I just plan on soaking it all in and being in the moment.” 
The question Guirantes gets the most, however, is in regard to the iconic tattoo of the Olympic rings. She still hasn’t decided whether she’ll join the club. 
“Every Olympian gets it, apparently,” she said. “It’s like a thing.” 
Long Island connections 
Guirantes is one of six Long Islanders to play in the WNBA. That list includes <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/liberty/sue-wicks-pride-month-jts0up5v">Wicks</a>, whose single-season free throw record Guirantes broke during her junior season at Rutgers. 
Guirantes said she is looking forward to connecting with Kahleah Copper, who graduated from Rutgers six years before she did. Copper is a guard for the Phoenix Mercury and will represent the United States at the Olympics. 
“I’m eager to see her, watch some of her games and really pick her brain because she’s doing really well,” Guirantes said. “I look up to her a lot, and to see her growth and her journey has been inspiring.” 
Regardless of how far she takes her game, Guirantes said she can never forget the place it all began. She was a three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection and the Suffolk player of the year in 2015. Her total of 2,201 career points at Bellport <a href="https://projects.newsday.com/databases/long-island/long-island-high-school-basketballs-2000-point-club/?where=sport=Girls%20basketball&amp;offset=0">ranks 13th in Long Island girls basketball history</a>. 
“It’s easy to get caught in the moment,” she said. “Being in different spaces and seeing the world — I’ve been places I never thought I’d be — remembering that I came from this little town on Long Island that many people don’t know about is very humbling. It makes me that much more grateful.” 
Guirantes’ family supports her every step of the way — from Bellport to Paris and back again. 
“She said she was going to do it and she did,” her mother said. “To play for Puerto Rico and now to be an Olympian . . . she did it. She’s doing it. She’s not done yet.”

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Australia Basketball World Cup

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Bellport's Arella Guirantes heading to Olympics with Puerto Rico basketball team

LI's Guirantes headed to Paris Olympics to play for Puerto Rico

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Arella Guirantes, of Bellport, will play for the Puerto Rican women&#39;s basketball team&nbsp;at the Summer Olympics in Paris. NewsdayTV&#39;s Carissa Kellman reports.&nbsp;

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LI's Arella Guirantes headed to Olympics with Puerto Rico women's basketball team

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From Bellport to Puerto Rico to Paris

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For the third time in her career, Rockville Centre’s Crystal Dunn will represent the United States at the Olympic Games. 
Dunn has been a key playmaker on the women’s national soccer team since 2012, beginning her career as a defender and quickly transitioning to an offensive force in the midfield. This Olympic cycle, her skills will be on display as a true forward. 
“I’m always trying to evolve my game; I’m always trying to adapt to whatever the game needs of me,” Dunn said on Monday at a joint press conference for both the women's and men's U.S. Olympic soccer teams in Manhattan. “I’m ready for the opportunity to step into this environment as a forward. I haven’t been a forward on this team since 2016, so I’m still finding my footing in some ways. But being trusted to do that is a really great feeling.” 
During her last Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2021, Dunn was the only player on the roster to start all six games. She has made a total of 147 appearances with the national team, tallying 25 goals and 19 assists. 
In 2017, Dunn spent a season at Chelsea FC under the helm of Emma Hayes, now the head coach of this year's U.S. Olympic team. Even prior to their trip to Paris, the chemistry between the two has been palpable. 
“She’s someone I’ve worked with before so I know about her important qualities both on and off the pitch,” Hayes said. “Like every player, Crystal is someone who wants to feel valued, and no matter what she contributes to the team, I know it will be her absolute everything.” 
“Emma is awesome,” Dunn said. “When I first heard the whispers that she was in the running to get this job I remember reaching out and just saying, you would be so perfect. She really cares about the players. It’s not all about winning — even though that’s the definition of Emma — she really gets the best out of players and that’s exactly what this team needs.” 
Dunn also is a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup participant. She helped win the title in 2019 and made&nbsp;appearances in every match in 2023. Although the World Cup is a great tournament, Dunn&nbsp;said there is something particularly special about the Olympics. 
“The Olympics are so different than the World Cup,” Dunn said. “There's a different sense of pride about the Olympics; it’s about knowing that I’ll be helping Team USA bring home a gold medal. It’s crazy, it’s wild, and you need everybody on board.” 
With 12 years of professional experience under her belt, Dunn refuses to let her foot off the gas. Her only break was in 2022 after giving birth to her son, Marcel. Even then, Dunn returned to the pitch less than four months later. 
For her, the Olympics are just another opportunity to excel. 
“I’m constantly pushing myself to be better,” Dunn said. “I don’t like to rest on my laurels; I don’t like to say, last week I did this really great thing, so now I’m going to coast.&nbsp;For me it’s about showing up every single day and proving that I am still this impactful player.”

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Olympics 2024: Crystal Dunn relishing her third Games with the U.S. women's soccer team

LI's Dunn relishing her third Olympics with U.S. women's soccer team

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Olympic medal winners from Long Island

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Paris Olympics 2024: See the Long Islanders competing

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Get the latest Olympic news, results and medal counts for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and beyond at Newsday.