Olympic women's wrestling gold medalist Amit Elor is set to be honored in a parade in Walnut Creek on Saturday for her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The parade was made possible after an online community push urging the city to recognize her accomplishments. The city initially rejected the idea but changed its tune after massive pushback.
"That didn't sit well with me," said Adam Low, who initially reached out to the city. "[I] posted in some groups [and it] gained a little movement."
The 20-year-old Walnut Creek native became the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal.
Elor took down Kyrgyzstan's Meerim Zhumanazarova 3-0 in the women's freestyle 68kg final at the Paris Olympics.
Elor's dominance was very real to her opponents. She had a 31-2 advantage over four matches and was not scored upon in her final three contests.
She became the third American woman to win gold, following Helen Maroulis in 2016 and Tamyra Mensah-Stock in 2021. Women started wrestling at the Olympics in 2004.
After the win, she draped the U.S. flag over her back and skipped around the mat.
"It was one of the best moments in my life," she said at the time. "I think I'm going to remember it for my entire life. It's one of the best feelings in the world. And when I experience something like that, it just reminds me that everything is worth it. All the hard days, the grind, it's all worth it for moments like these."
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Amit will now be in the city limelight as an official celebration occurs at Civic Park.
Elor will hold a question-and-answer session and take photos with residents.
Mayor Pro Tempore Cindy Darling said the celebration will amplify the message Elor made in Paris.
'Amit has a strong message about women in what are often considered non-traditional sports for women,' Darling said in a statement. "She has been wrestling since the age of 4 and now, at only 20, has brought home the gold. In Walnut Creek, we want everyone to have that same drive.'
Elor's brother Orry said he is excited about Saturday's celebration because it will give his sister the much-deserved recognition she's earned.
Orry said he and Elor would play at Civic Park as kids, making the event more memorable.
"I was"more proud of not just the accomplishment but more for Amit," Orry said.
