Crossing the Finish Line in Rio: WRAL-TV Team Closes Olympic Journey

It’s not how you begin, it’s how you finish. WRAL-TV Anchor/Reporter Debra Morgan, Renee Chou & Jeff Gravley, along with WRAL-TV Photojournalists Ed Wilson, Keith Baker and Brad Simmons dealt with delayed flights, missed connections and lost luggage on their way to Rio. Once they finally made it to the 2016 Summer Olympics, the Super Six wasted no time scouring the Brazilian city for stories to beam back to the Triangle.WRAL

The group found North Carolina connections, such as former N.C. State gymnast turned coach of Team USA’s Laurie Hernandez, to report on for the folks back home. They saw Usain Bolt run, Michael Phelps win, and Kerri Walsh-Jennings and April Ross play volleyball. So many adventures for one packed two-week period.

Here are the photos from their final days in Rio. The news crew got a boost of support during those last days as WRAL-TV Vice President & General Manager Steve Hammel and his wife, Renee, arrived at the Olympics with CBC President & CEO Jim Goodmon and his wife, Barbara. The couples were kind enough to share their personal photos from their Rio journey with Capcom as well.

From WRAL-TV’s Renee Chou: Samba time! Thinking about wearing this on the anchor desk so I can be taller than WRAL Bill Leslie!

From WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel: (From Fri, 8/19): – Look who we ran into TODAY!

Equestrian — From WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel: Another excellent experience: equestrian jumping. Horses weren’t as fast as Usain Bolt, but they are SUPER agile!

From WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan: You’re looking at history here! Helen Maroulis wins gold in wrestling! She tells me about how she’s trying to get more girls involved in the sport and see what she ate first to celebrate at 5pm on WRAL TV!!

Ed Wilson & Renee Chou — From WRAL-TV’s Ed Wilson: Eating good in Rio.

Rio — From Barbara Goodmon: Guests of NBC at Olympics. Staying in Copacabana on the beach. We saw Duke beat Argentina and today went to women’s semifinals high dive. Going to see Bolt tonight Having wonderful time. Remember to go to WRAL-TV, home of NBC, to keep you up to date

From Barbara Goodmon: Guests of NBC at Olympics.

From Barbara Goodmon: Jim Goodmon at the Rio Olypmics

From Barbara Goodmon: Barbara & Jim Goodmon at the Rio Olympics

Rio — From Barbara Goodmon: Guests of NBC at Olympics. Staying in Copacabana on the beach. We saw Duke beat Argentina and today went to women’s semifinals high dive. Going to see Bolt tonight Having wonderful time. Remember to go to WRAL-TV, home of NBC, to keep you up to date

Rio Olympics — From Barbara Goodmon: Went to men’s final beach volleyball Brazil won gold Did not start until after midnight but sat through the whole thing in pouring rain Another great experience at the Olympics

Rio food — From WRAL-TV’s Renee Chou: Pastels– fried pastries filled with beef, cheese, or shrimp

Ryan Crouser & Renee Chou — From WRAL-TV’s Renee Chou: Great talking with Olympic gold medalist and shot put thrower Ryan Crouser! His winning throw also set an Olympic record. He is a giant teddy bear! 6′ 7″, 290 pounds, and truly the nicest guy. This height differential makes me laugh!

Renee Chou, Steve Hammel, Jim Goodmon & Ed Wilson — From WRAL-TV’s Renee Chou: Look who came to visit! In the green, WRAL Vice President and General Manager Steve Hammel, and Capitol Broadcasting Company Preisdent and CEO Jim Goodmon stopped by to say hello to the WRAL Rio crew. They wanted to personally tell us how much they’re enjoying our coverage… And to let us know we’ll be staying another 2 weeks to cover the Paralympic Games! Ha! Just kidding on that last part! They did joke about that. Our bosses have such a sense of humor. It was great to see them! Their encouraging words came at just the right time. We’re closing in on the finish line!

NBC set — From WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel: Amazing operation and tour of the International Broadcast Center. Beautiful prime time set and NBCSN set

WRAL Rio Team — From WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel: Super hardworking WRAL Team Rio crew. In the home stretch!

Rio soccer — From WRAL-TV’s Steve Hammel: Brazil-Germany was my first soccer game ever. I cannot imagine attending a more exciting soccer match ever again! Terrific outcome for the home team.

WRAL Team in Rio — From Barbara Goodmon: Jim and WRAL station manager had tour of NBC”s production team for Olympics. They were happy to see WRAL’s news team

Jim Goodmon & Steve Hammel — From Barbara Goodmon: Jim and WRAL station manager had tour of NBC”s production team for Olympics. They were happy to see WRAL’s news team

Track & Field — From Barbara Goodmon: Went to Track and Field last night in a beautiful stadium. Bolt and his relay team were presented gold medals. US Centrowitz won also won gold medal. Another great experience.

From WRAL-TV’s Jeff Gravley: When am I the short one in the photo? When I stand with the bronze medalists from USA women’s volleyball. Foluke Akinradewo, Christa Dietzen & Jordan Larson. Congrats ladies.

From WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan: They swept the 100m hurdles! Meet Team USA’s Triple Threat at 11pm on #wral! #WRALinRio2016

Allyson Felx & Debra Morgan — From WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan: So excited to meet Allyson Felix, the most decorated woman in US track and field history!! She won gold in the 4×400 relay, the same event I ran in high school (at a MUCH slower pace of course!!)

Debra Morgan & Jeff Gravley — From WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan: Just finished our last live shot at the 2016 Rio Olympics! 24 years covering so many amazing events together and still having a blast working with WRAL Jeff Gravley & our entire ‪#‎wral‬ team!

From WRAL-TV’s Renee Chou: Last night in Rio! It’s been an amazing, 20-day stay.

Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Debra Morgan, Renee Chou, Ed Wilson, Keith Baker, Steve Hammel & Jeff Gravley and Barbara Goodmon for these capcom photos.

In case you missed any, here are all the stories we’ve posted about the adventures of WRAL-TV’s Super Six in Rio, plus the addition of two executives and their wives during the final days of the games: