PARIS, France — East St. Louis native and two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson documented her journey on social media after landing the role of broadcaster at the Paris Olympics for NBC.
Her latest update about the Olympic Games came Sunday when Harper-Nelson posted a reel on Instagram of her leaving a hospital and eating Jell-O at 12 a.m. on Sunday morning, the day of the Closing Ceremony. She had food poisoning.
"I mean I knew I loved the Olympics but I didn't know I needed it like that." Harper-Nelson's caption said under her post. "I went down!!!!"
She shared that other NBC employees also were sick.
Before the food poisoning, Harper-Nelson's social media content in Paris featured track and field athletes who represented Team USA. Harper-Nelson embraced her title as sprint analyst and shared play-by-plays with her loyal fans on social media daily.
As a commentator, Harper-Nelson proved to be an enthusiastic and passionate presence in the 100m race bringing her voice into a sport that she knows well. She gave practical insight into what athletes go through on the track.
"This experience has been nothing short of amazing," Harper-Nelson said in one caption as she stood in front of the NBC Sports building in New York. "Being able to share my love for track and field with the world is mind blowing."
She also shared other details about her new career as an Olympic broadcaster on social media about her wardrobe, hair, and even the difficulty of leaving her children for an extended time.
Harper-Nelson recently posted her return home with a picture of her embracing her family.
