It’s possible that no one is more well-loved by the U.S. gymnastics team than 4-year-old golden retriever Beacon.
The MVP — or “Most Valuable Pup” — has been an instrumental part of the team leading up to the Olympics, quietly sitting by trainings and Olympic trials while watching his gymnasts flip through the air.
Beacon is a therapy dog trained to give cuddles and calm nerves. He was seen comforting Suni Lee in an Instagram post the four-time Olympic medalist captioned, “thank god for beacon.” His badge — complete with a dapper headshot — read “goodest boy.”
“It’s such a joy for me to see him happy and to see the joy that he gives other people,” handler Tracey Callahan Molnar said.
Beacon is part of the U.S. gymnastics team’s efforts to prioritize emotional wellness in athletes, a topic which was pushed into the spotlight after Simone Biles dropped out of the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Though the pup isn’t able to join the team in Paris, his handler sent the gymnasts a video of support.
“Beacon, what do you want to say to the team?” Callahan Molnar asked the pup, who gave an enthusiastic bark.
After watching the video, Asher Hong said he heard a “Go Team USA!” in Beacon’s woof.
“We love you Beacon!” the women’s team cheered to the camera.
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