PARIS, France (AFP) — Brittney Griner didn’t try to hold back the tears as she stood with her USA teammates and the “Star Spangled Banner” played, celebrating their Olympic women’s basketball triumph over France.

It wasn’t a moment the Women’s National Basketball Association star could have envisioned when she was imprisoned in Russia for nine months in 2022.

“It means everything to me,” Griner said after helping the United States gut out a 67-66 victory over France for an eighth consecutive Olympic women’s basketball gold.

“I didn’t think I’d be here,” she said. 

“Having a chance to play for gold, represent my country, for what my country did for me — yeah, this is the highest. On the pinnacle right here.”

Griner, a prominent advocate for the LGBT+ community, had been playing with Yekaterinburg in the Russian championship when she was arrested at the airport upon arrival in Russia in February 2022.

She was released in December of that year in a high-profile prisoner exchange.

She has become an advocate for US citizens imprisoned overseas, and said her experience makes her third Olympic gold “more dear to my heart than the other ones, for sure.”

During group stage play, the 33-year-old, who stands an imposing 2.06m tall, said she now has a fresh appreciation of the mundane aspects of her sport.

“I just cherish every second I can now,” she said.

US veteran Diana Taurasi called Griner’s return to the peak of her sport “mind boggling.”

“She has gone through a lot in the last three years,” Taurasi said. 

“Literally, when you talk about where she was three years ago, it is mind-boggling that she was able to get back to this point.” 

“It shows a lot of character and how much people love BG. I always say she has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever been around. She just cares for people and that is why so many people love her.”