USWNT Prepares for Paris Olympics Amidst Sweltering Heat
The United States women’s national soccer team has spent their last three pre-Olympic days battling the scorching heat in Washington D.C. The team drew their send-off match 0-0 against Costa Rica on Tuesday night, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
"It was really hot," midfielder Sam Coffey said, exhausted. "It was tough."
The team’s head coach, Emma Hayes, saw the heat as a valuable preparation for the upcoming Olympics in Paris. "This is a great opportunity for us to experience what we’re going to face," she said.
The USWNT will fly to France on Wednesday, where they will face temperatures ranging from the 60s to 109 degrees Fahrenheit. In Nice, where they will play their group stage matches, temperatures are expected to rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend.
The team’s final friendly before the Olympics was a slow and physically demanding match, with players drenched in sweat and struggling to cope with the heat. Despite dominating the game with 80% possession, the USWNT lacked precision in the final third and scored just one goal in two tune-ups against inferior opposition.
"It won’t face teams like Costa Rica in France, though," Coffey said. "These are great preparation moments for us going to the south of France."
The USWNT will kick off their Olympic campaign on July 25, with temperatures in Paris expected to be milder than usual. However, the team will still need to adapt to the heat and humidity of the French summer.
