David Claybourn: Sports Views: I plan to watch Tara Davis on TV at Olympics

Jul. 31—I'll be watching TV closely tonight for the preliminary rounds of the women's long jump competition at the Tokyo Olympics.

Tara Davis, who has family in Greenville, will be competing for the U.S. team after finishing second in the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.

The women's long jump schedule includes qualifying A and B flights at 7:50 p.m. (central time) on Saturday. It's actually scheduled for Sunday in Tokyo but with the time difference converts to 7:50 p.m. Greenville time.

NBC, its sports networks and Peacock plan coverage of the track and field events.

The long jump finals are set for 8:50 p.m. on Monday.

We've included stories this season on Davis' NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships while competing for the University of Texas. She's set national collegiate indoor and outdoor records.

We've also featured stories that focused on Davis' father Ty, a former Greenville Lion football player and track and field athlete, and her grandmother Roz Lane, a retired Greenville realtor who estimates she's attended more than 25 of Tara's track and field meet dating back to her days as a 4-year-old competing with the Wylie Flyers. Tara's mom Rayshon and dad Ty helped coach the Flyers and Ty will serve as Tara's personal coach in Tokyo.

Tara and her boyfriend Hunter Woodhall, who has qualified for the Paralympics set in a couple of weeks in Tokyo, have been receiving plenty of national recognition including a recent appearance on the Today Show on NBC. — I support gymnast Simone Biles in her decision to withdraw from some of the Olympic competition due to "mental health issues.' Biles and the other gymnasts put their health at risk when they tumble through the air and land on balance beams and gym floors. If their mind's not right they can land wrong and suffer a serious injury.

Biles talks about suffering from the "twisties," a term used to describe disorientation while tumbling in the air.

"I had no idea where I was in the air," she said. "I could have hurt myself."

I'm proud of American Suni Lee for stepping up and winning the all-around goal in Biles' absence. It's been a rough year for Lee's family with illness and an accident that has left her father John in a wheelchair. John Lee couldn't afford a balance beam so he built one for his daughter in the backyard. — Sunday is the entry deadline for the third annual Lee Leonard Memorial Golf Tournament that is scheduled for Aug. 7 at Webb Hill Country Club near Wolfe City.

The entry fee is $300 per two-player team and proceeds benefit the Lions and Lady Lions' golf teams.

To enter text Lions coach Don Johnson at 903-456-1594 with the players' names, handicaps, the player's address and phone number.

Leonard taught and coached for nearly 40 years at Greenville, Commerce, Caddo Mills and Eunice, New Mexico. He died in 2013 — I will miss talking sports with Louis Amestoy, the Herald-Banner editor who is headed back to Kerrville. His last day at the Herald-Banner was on Friday. Louis ran track back in the day, has been a track meet promoter and his father was a track coach.

You can guess what sport was our No. 1 topic of conversation. But Louis is very knowledgeable on many other sports and has a sharp memory. He brought a different perspective with him since he's originally from California.

You can pick any Californian who became a standout athlete and Louis knows about them in detail. Louis also saw Tara Davis compete in California, before she went to the University of Texas.

Um, Louis. I plan to stay in touch.

David Claybourn is sports editor of the Herald-Banner.