america. plus -- >> i live for those pressure moments, the moments where everything is on the line and somebody needs to come up big. >> meet carli lloyd, the player team usa turns to in the tenses moments. >> oh, i say! carli lloyd! >> and -- she's done the olympic world four years ago in london. >> when you are 15, you go out there and race. >> now katie is the most dominant swimmer in theor rio, next on "the olympic zone." ? all right. and here we go. welcome to the very first edition of the olympic zone. >> and tonight, it's an exciting one for sure. we're gearing up for the games. the opening ceremonies officially kick off in 24 hours.

jennings aiming for her fourth medal alongside her new partner, 2012 silver medalist, april ross. >> before they could hit copacabana beach, they had to get to rio and they gave us behind the scenes access to their trip every step of the way. with that here's alex. >> the olympic zone brought to you by united. one journey two teams. united for over 35 years. ? >> reporter: embarking on the road to rio, the athletes' quest for gold kicks off with the journey itself. for kerri and april -- >> we leave tomorrow. so exciting. >> ready to go. >> reporter: it begins with a

california. >> off to the airport. >> reporter: before they head to brazil, there is a pit stop in houston for their official team processing. >> kerri walsh jennings! [ cheers ] >> reporter: that includes everything from trying on some new gear and goodies. to getting critical briefings on culture, safety and security. brimming with excitement, kerri and april are off to the ai >> i'm gonna sleep if i have time off. >> reporter: april faces a slight hitch but is able to get on the same flight as kerri. the athletes are eager with anticipation and so are the fans they encounter at the airport. ? >> reporter: and then they are off. ? >> reporter: for the nine-hour overnight flight heading south down to brazil. when the teams arrive at rio's airport, they are greeted by a

in from all over the world. ? finally on the ground in rio, kerri and april settle in the athletes village. their temporary home for the next two weeks. >> and now that they are in rio, they are ready to go. they open play on saturday night and you can see their match right here on there was no way we can tell you what it's like to be there. we sought our christina jones. she was part of the swim team in 2008 and is a performer for cirque du soleil. >> this is gonna be fun for the next next couple of weeks. everybody is there. what are they going through? >> you just can't sleep.

you are thinking of everything you worked for your whole life coming to one celebratory moment. not only is it your journey, it's your family's journey, your coach's journey. you get the honor of representing your country when you are at it. and you are there with your peers. we're talking about people from so many different sports. take us to the olympic village and what that is like created for you >> one of the coolest things about being in the olympic village i think is that every single person i looked at i knew was a hero in some town. everyone was from different towns, countries and everyone has different statures. i remember standing in the cafeteria next to a chinese woman gymnast and an algerian basketball player and looking at their physiques and what goes in

and just that energy of people coming back with medals. >> it's really interesting to hear you say that. there's so much focus on the medals. but there is a camaraderie among athletes. absolute. >> absolute little. it was cool to see the usa basketball team and take a picture with kobe and have that connection there but it's true. also you have a connection with people from other countries and everybody respects where you are everyone knows what it takes. >> we'll talk a pause here. we want to hear more memories. there's more to come on the olympic zone when we come back. still to come -- we'll catch up with two women who won gold in london, one a star on the soccer field. >> carli lloyd! >> and the other, a sensation in

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the world's greatest gym nat, simone and the power in the pool and kerri walsh jennings

alongside april ross, a pair of american powerhouses in women's soccer and men's basketball and the most decorated olympian of all time, michael phelps. all of the stars and all of the action this weekend, following the official start of the games tomorrow night in the opening ceremony as the games begin. >> welcome back. the opening ceremony there in of course, focused on the athletes. >> christina jones, an olympian herself. she perform at the o. still able to use those skills. you competed in rio on your way to beijing. in addition to the zika and terrorism now, there's a lot of talk about how it can be a dangerous place. but you never felt that. >> you know, honestly, i

are all legitimate, people have to remember that the athletes are there for one thing and one thing only. and that is to have the best showing that they can possibly. from my experience in rio, i loved the people. loved the energy. can't wait to see what it has to bring to the plate. >> you were saying that your job is just to be the best you can be. you worked so hard to get there. you let security handle their thick and you can worry about training which is exactly what yoo i think our crew had the luxury to check in the sites and check out the media booths but you said right when you land, you get in the water and train. >> there's not one second to take your eye off the prize. as soon as we got off the airplane, you don't want those airplane legs. you get in the pool and kick it out. >> talk about a guy with his eye

going for more gold. you like his chances. >> i do. i was just in omaha at the 2016 usa swimming olympic trials. i was performing and i was able to see him swim allegedly for the last team on u.s. soil and i just really respect him, not only as an athlete but also as a person and a father. i think he's changed his gail. i can't wait to see what he has to show the world. >> we hear he will be his son with him when he will be carrying the u.s. flag. >> what a moment for him. you said training is such a big part of it. we don't necessarily see all of that. he's never been to the ceremonies because he's always been busy. >> it's true. not every athlete gets to go to the ceremonies. it's exhausting. if you are competing the next day, it's not an option. i'm happy for him. >> it's so fun to talk to you

there. you are getting goo goose bumps. >> once an olympian always one. it's a feeling we always carry with us forever. >> so great to have you here. we'll be right back with more "olympic zone." still to come -- you are going to hear her name a lot this week. >> kate with the gold. >> get to know the most >> world champion again! (vo) we went to hollywood to ask

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while the olympic competition is about to heat up, at copacabana beach, the games have already begun. along rio's famous coastline,

another. they carve animals, castles and, of course, brazilian beach bums in the hopes of attracting an audience. >> translator: we get the water down there at the sea and here i only need a knife and a spatula. the rest is in my mind and hands. >> reporter: it's not just a day at the beach, this occupation comes with some untraditional hazards. >> the coconut tree shakes a lot in the wind and the drop. if it rains, my job is doomed. >> reporter: but it's all worth it to create a masterpiece for a picture-perfect memory. >> and from the beaches of rio to hang gliding over the host city, never a dull moment there, these photos come to us courtesy of brianna, one of our news 3 team rio members. >> she harnessed up for these amazing photos. can see her story and so much

news3lv.com. she came to the olympics in london as 15 and left as an olympian champion. >> now katie ledecky arrives as the most dominant swimmer in the zone. and here's her story. >> reporter: when katie ledecky dove into the pool in maryland made plenty of noise. >> here she is in the olympic final. katie ledecky out there first. she went out really fast. >> everybody criticizes the announcers for saying i was going out too fast but i was. >> and katie ledecky still holding on. when you are 15 years old, you go out there and race.

>> it was like waking up from a dream. i have 200 left. i'm an olympic final. i'm winning. >> katie ledecky is a gold medalist with a new american record. >> 15-year-old girl going out for her first final and kills it. and just destroys it. she knows what she's doing. it's fun to watch her. >> katie ledecky was the youngest member of team usa at the 2012 olympic games. yet, instantly found she had a huge fan base. >> it mea t have the support from bethesda. i received so many emails and video messages and text messages. >> katie! katie! [ screaming ] >> reporter: last year's world championships was a powerful surge, carrying her to the undisputed top of the women world. >> katie ledecky, surging ahead of the field.

the world. world champion again in world-record fashion. >> one of the greatest performances in history. >> reporter: her impressive mission accomplished. she won four events at the world championships. a feat no other swimmer had done before. katie ledecky took a year off afhi at stanford in the fall. but first rio. >> it's all about having fun. it's sports. it shouldn't be any different than a 6-year-old. it should be just as fun as it was then. she hits the pool on sunday in the 400-meter freestyle. you can see her race right here on news 3. >> one to watch. no doubt about it. hope you will stay with us.

push. >> coming up -- >> i wanted to prove my coach wrong. i wanted her to know that she made the wrong decision. >> carli lloyd's road to an olympic gold medal in london was anything but smooth. find out how she proved her doubters wrong. >> absolutely magnificent! carli lloyd what a goal! she's having some albertsons has everything you need, every y! d low albertsons prices. and right now you can save even more during our huge anniversary sale. happy anniversary to me. get select varieties of pepsi, 12-pack 12-ounce cans, 4 for $10 when you buy 4. and gatorade 32-ounce bottles, 58 cents each when you buy 6. plus pork loin back ribs, buy 1 get 2 free. albertsons huge anniversary sale.

i'm hillary clinton and i approve this message.

hillary clinton's plan starts here... by making big corporations and those at the top finally pay their fair share in taxes. and those companies that move overseas? she'd charge them an exit tax. then she'd use that money to make the largest investment in creating good paying jobs since world war ii. millions of jobs. you can read the plan here. welcome back to the olympic zone. a year ago, the u.s. women's soccer team was the talk of the sports world. when it took home the women's world cup title and the star of that team was carli lloyd. >> but in her debut, she felt her place on the team slipping away. the olympic zone's craig melvin has more. >> the olympic zone prout to you

? >> reporter: this is carli lloyd. you might remember her from this. >> lloyd steps up. >> reporter: or this. >> carli lloyd. >> i live for those pressure moments, the moments where everything is on the line, somebody needs to come up big. >> u.s. leads. >> this is why i train as hard as i do. >> i've had people who have burning desire to want to prove people wrong. ? >> reporter: that desire was never more powerful than at the london olympics where at the start of the tournament, lloyd found herself passed over for younger talent. >> i was devastated. but i chose to turn it into a positive and train harder. >> reporter: today's first round

>> reporter: lloyd's chance arrived 16 minutes into the opening games. >> she has been replaced here by carli lloyd. >> reporter: with her help on the field, team usa fought back from behind. >> absolutely magnificent! carli lloyd! >> reporter: ended up victorious. >> it was a statement, you know. i wanted to prove my coach wrong. i wanted her to know that she made the wrong decision from that point on, i played single minute in the game. >> reporter: carli lloyd. solid chance. >> carli lloyd. >> reporter: when it came down to the final, lloyd marched on the field with one more statement to make. >> wonderfully by the united states! >> reporter: lloyd scored her team's only two goals in the final to win the game. >> still lloyd v oh, i say!

and she's having some final. >> standing up on that podium really just exemplifies all the years of hard work looking down at that gold medal, you know, it's something that you will cherish forever. >> i'm gonna continue to fight like an underdog. i will do that for the rest of my career. >> such an an impress live story. soccer got underway and she scored the first team in a 2-0 win over new zealand. >> they return to action on saturday against france and you can see that live at 1:00 p.m. on nbc. >> don't go away. we have plenty more to go on "the olympic zone."

welcome back. there's plenty to be excited underway. here's mike with a sneak peek at what to expect tonight on news 3. >> reporter: hello from the shores of copacabana beach. welcoming you to rio and the games of the 31stgames. we have a special that includes an examination of the substantial collection of issues and concerns surrounding these olympics on the eve of the opening ceremony on friday

spectrum in rio. bob costas talks with michael phelps. ryan seacrest interviews simone and the gymnastic team. the gold medal favorites and we'll have the world premiere of the music video for katy perry's new song "rise" which you can expect to hear a lot. a preview of the rio coming up tonight in prime >> all right. christina, with all of the trouble in the world right now, that's what the olympics are all about, coming together. >> it really is an amazing moment for everyone to pause and respect human spirit and pride for one's country. i can't wait. >> all right. two and a half weeks of just celebrating the good that's in everybody, like you said the commitment, the competition, too. but unity. >> we'll be here every step of the way. it's always fun to think about what story lines and drama will develop. we'll be here to cover it all

for tonight. >> thank you four watching see you (vo) we nt llywood to ask if america's favorites - burgers, tacos and chili could taste just as great made with turkey. thousands stepped into the jennie-o tasting booth to find out. with just one bite, they knew.

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