Before her latest sporting success, Britney Griner experienced a turbulent and challenging chapter in her life when she was detained in Russia in February 2022, accused of drug smuggling for carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. Perplexingly, the centre was then sentenced to nine years in prison and her arrest attracted international media attention, with many voices calling for her liberation.

Throughout her detention, the US government and various sports organisations worked tirelessly to defend her innocence and secure her release, finally reaping their reward in December 2022 when Griner was freed in a prisoner exchange involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Her return to American soil was a moment of great relief and joy among her compatriots and human rights advocates, marking the end of an ordeal that tested her resilience and strength.

So when the American flag rose to the rafters of the Beryc Arena and "The Star-Spangled Banner" anthem started playing on Sunday, Griner couldn’t help but weep. The victory over France marked the 33-year-old’s third gold medal ceremony, as she was also a part of Team USA's victories in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021. But this time hit differently after her Russian prison ordeal two years ago.

"My emotions are all over the place," Griner admitted. "It means so much to me. My family didn't think I would be here, like I've said before, and then to be here and win and gold for my country, representing, when my country fought for me so hard to even be standing here. Yeah, this gold medal is going to hold a special place."

Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022, a week before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She had been returning to play in the Russian Premier League for basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the offseason of the WNBA, where she played for the Phoenix Mercury. Bout, nicknamed ‘The Merchant of Death’, was serving a 25-year jail term, convicted on four counts of conspiracy to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles and providing material support to a terrorist organisation. Griner's wife, Cherelle, expressed then her "sincere gratitude" to US president Joe Biden for his diplomatic efforts.

“This one meant a lot to me. I mean, just having a chance to play for gold, represent my country, what my country did for me? Yeah, this is the highest on the pinnacle right here,” a teary-eyed Griner insisted on Sunday. “It was a long journey, a hard journey to get back into it. I’m just happy that my body was able to hold up and be able to be here.”

An integral component of Team USA's two previous Olympic titles in Rio and Tokyo, Griner finally enjoyed her third gold medal, though this one taste quite different after 10 months of captivity and her first trip overseas since her release. Her prominent role in past Olympics was somewhat diminished in Paris, where she totalled just four points and two rebounds in the final, but the centre enjoyed every bit of her comeback story as she recalled her hardships.

"I had little moments here and there," Griner said. "The first train ride was a little rough for me. Last time I was on a train overseas, it was a prison train, so that was a little rough. But other than that, my teammates have been all there for me and my family and my wife being here. So I had a really good support system."

After her liberation in December 2022, Griner gave an extensive one-on-one interview to American broadcaster ABC last April recalling her prison life and released her memoir, ‘Coming Home’.

“She’s a person that is grateful for all the support that she got through all this. And it wasn’t easy. And it’s still not easy for her. She still carries a big burden ... to make sure everyone gets out. She carries that burden really heavy on her back,” explained teammate Diana Taurasi.