President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will meet with members of the 2020 US Olympic Team Saturday in a livestreamed virtual reception.The first couple, who are spending the weekend at their Delaware home, "will virtually meet with members of Team USA to congratulate them on their accomplishments, thank them for representing their country so proudly, and hear about their journeys to and competition in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," according to the White House.In a pre-recorded message posted Saturday, the president applauded the Olympic athletes for their work leading up to and throughout the Olympic games, acknowledging, "I know getting to the Olympics is a long journey, and the pandemic made it especially difficult and draining, it made the impossible even harder. But in you, a country saw itself, and saw what was possible.""I also know the pride your families must feel I know how hard it was for you and for them, that they couldn't be with you in person. Defining images of the games are on Zoom and FaceTime, calls with families and communities crying and sharing with pure joy. To all the families and friends of Team USA-- thank you as well," Biden said, adding, "God bless you all, and I look forward to hosting all of you at the White House when you get home."Earlier last month, first lady Jill Biden was one of 950 VIPs invited to attend the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Tokyo, where, during her brief time attending the games, she took the role of cheerleader-in-chief, both literal and figural."Becoming an Olympian is a rare accomplishment in a normal time. But you did it during a global pandemic," she told athletes during a virtual conversation in the Olympic Village. "In these moments we are more than our cities or states or backgrounds. We are more than our jobs or our political parties."Asked Thursday if Biden had invited the Olympic team to visit the White House on their return stateside, White House press secretary Jen Psaki joked, "I hope so. They're invited -- I'm inviting them here to my house, anywhere you want to come.""I have nothing to preview -- I don't have anything on the schedule, but certainly that's a tradition and the President is probably as obsessed with the Olympics as I am, if not more, so I expect there'll be an invitation at some point,' she said.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — The Olympics have dominated sports headlines, but another sport is plotting its own rise to the top. Some people are asking when we might see a gold medalist in esports.

If you ask Josh Hafkin, he would tell you video games aren’t his whole life. But, if you look around his office, it’s a bit of a different story.

Hafkin is the CEO of Game Gym.

“Game Gym is an esports training center and broadcast center,” said Hafkin. "We started with an afternoon program and private lessons, and we quickly grew to summer camps, tournaments, events, birthdays, we kind of have done it all in the industry.”

If you haven’t heard of esports, it’s competitive video games. Game Gym is kind of an all-in-one youth training center.

“In the video game world, there’s no one guiding kids, there’s no one helping kids navigate this path and that’s really dangerous,” said Hafkin.

Hafkin has won over the minds of many to show that esports is a viable industry. That includes his partner, Evan Shubin.

“I was definitely an extremely skeptical parent. I had two boys that were teenagers and very, very avid gamers, League of Legends and Overwatch, and I thought it was a big waste of time,” said Shubin.

But Shubin enrolled his kids in Game Gym’s after-school program. When one of his sons received grants to be a part of the esports program at Ohio State, he did a 180 and decided to invest in Game Gym.

“The industry is growing, no questions about it, and so there are jobs in esports and there will be more jobs. If you think about the NBA, only a tiny fraction of basketball players get paid to play basketball. But the coaches, the trainers, the general managers, the business managers, the sponsorship sales folks, all of those people are making money in the basketball industry,” said Shubin.

Game Gym hopes to be a part of the growing industry and so does the Washington Justice, a professional Overwatch League team.

“So, the same way there’s the NBA for basketball, the NHL for hockey, there’s the Overwatch League which is a professional league that has 20 teams in it,” said Grant Paranjape, the vice president of esports business with the Justice. “We are the DMV’s professional Overwatch League team."

The Justice and the Overwatch League are just one section of a growing industry. According to Newzoo, the industry is expected to produce over $1 billion for the first time this year.

While those numbers are still dwarfed by other professional sports leagues, it has some people curious if in the future we might see esports on an even bigger stage.

“I think we absolutely will see esports in the Olympics. It’s something that they’re already kind of teasing,” said Hafkin.

“Viewership is down for the Olympics. They are really struggling,” said Paranjape.

But just because it seems like esports teams could be competing for gold doesn’t mean those in the industry think it’s the best idea to grow the sport.

“We’ve kind of come around to the idea that esports doesn’t really need the Olympics. The Olympics might need esports,” said Paranjape.

“If they can make it and validate it, then it could be huge. If they just use it as a marketing tool to sell more Coca-Cola sponsorships, I’m less cool with that,” said Hafkin.

So, the jury is still out on if and how we might see esports on the international stage, but without a doubt, esports are here to stay.

CNN —

Related video above: Allyson Felix’s Go-To Core Workout

Like many Olympians, USA track and field athlete Allyson Felix has been having an eventful journey to Tokyo 2020.

With four games under her belt, Felix is an Olympic veteran used to pristine training conditions. The last year has been very different; she's been training on empty soccer fields and beaches.

"It has been quite the experience, a lot of things I could never have predicted, a lot of challenges in the way," six-time Olympic champion Felix tells CNN Sport's Coy Wire.

"Really just having a solid place to train in, that's been the biggest challenge," she says. "I never would have imagined that that would be the case leading towards Tokyo."

There has been one upside to Felix's new training facilities. For a seasoned sprinter used to training in a group, the sound of cheering onlookers watching her run through the streets of Los Angeles was a welcome antidote to pandemic-induced isolation.

"It was really nice because I think it's been a bit lonely during the pandemic," she says. "My neighbors definitely have a better understanding of what I do now."

A team effort

Felix's 2-year-old daughter Camryn has also made a few appearances on the track as the Olympian has juggled motherhood and training. "Having a young daughter at home, that's a whole new world," she says. "It's given me a different motivation."

Her journey to motherhood has not been easy. In November 2018, she struggled with preeclampsia and had an emergency C-section at 32 weeks to deliver her daughter. Despite the initial trials she says, "It's my favorite title. I think it's the best thing that I've ever done."

Relying on the support of her family has been key to every Olympic journey, but especially this one.

Her husband, Kenneth Ferguson, took leave from his job at Chrysler and the family moved to Los Angeles from Michigan so Felix could train with her coach, Bob Kersee, ahead of Tokyo 2020.

"It's really been a team effort, we've been focused on the Olympics as a family goal, and so he's [Ferguson] been incredible."

Juggling newfound parenthood with an unpredictable schedule can be taxing.

Felix says by starting the day writing in her gratitude journal -- where she reflects on people, moments and experiences that she's thankful for -- has helped her stay centered, focused and hopeful.

"None of this stuff happens alone. There are so many people who pour into my life to be able to help me to have this opportunity."

She's also part of a global roster of athlete ambassadors supported by Olympic and Paralympic Tokyo 2020 Games partners Bridgestone Corporation.

She says their support helped her take a much-needed trip to Arizona in April, where she had the opportunity to concentrate on her training and spend time with her family. "It's just been really cool to see everyone really step up and to show that support."

Building her legacy

Becoming a parent has also helped Felix find her voice when it comes to speaking out against social injustice.

Thinking about the type of world she wants to raise her daughter in has opened her eyes. "I've always had the desire to win [...] now it's really about the way that I want to show her how to overcome adversity."

She shared the importance of defining her legacy ahead of Tokyo 2020. "I think if you had asked me that question years ago, it would have been records on the track or how fast I ran," she tells CNN Sport. "But now I think it's really about having some impact on my sport.

"I really want my legacy to be one of someone who fought for women."

Whether it be taking part in Black Lives Matter protests, battling injuries or standing up for maternal protections in contracts, she's shown that change doesn't happen in isolation.

"I hope to just continue to speak my truth and to stand up for my community and stand up for others who don't have a voice as loud."

This summer Felix will have to find alternative pathways to channel her activism, as the ban preventing athletes from protesting or demonstrating at Tokyo 2020 has been upheld by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"It would have been amazing to be able to shine a light on some of these really, really important issues. It was a bit disappointing," she says of the IOC's decision.

She cites Sydney McLaughlin, Simone Biles and Sha'Carri Richardson as fellow Black women athletes whose social presence she admires.

"Simone is someone who I think is so incredible, and she's really come into her own. She has such a strong voice as well.

"My voice and athletes' voices in general are so important and so powerful, and I think we're seeing that."

An opportunity to unify

Felix's legacy isn't the only one attached to her career, she also stands in the shadow of some of the greatest athletes in Team USA's history including Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner and Jesse Owens.

She is the only female track and field athlete ever to win six Olympic gold medals and the only USA track and field athlete, male or female, to win 13 gold medals at the world championships.

By competing in her fifth Olympics this year and adding one more medal to her set of nine, she could tie Lewis' record -- or add two more to break it.

"Being anywhere in the sentence with Carl Lewis, that's something I never would have even imagined," she says. "To me, it's all about just trying to make this fifth Olympic team, with the way that the year has been [...] that would be such a victory."

The absence of international spectators at Tokyo 2020 means Felix is unlikely to have her family in the stands. With scaled-down stadium capacities and the removal of team welcome ceremonies at the Olympic Village, the Games will feel different this year.

"Obviously as a competitor, we would love to compete in front of fans. But at the same time, we understand the situation [...] we're ready to adapt and pivot," she adds. "In all of this we've seen people experience such loss and it really makes me grateful for all that I have.

"I think it hopefully will be a time of healing and a time where we really unify."

RIVER RIDGE, La. —

Alexis Lavarine is a tremendous basketball player.

In fact, she recently signed a full scholarship to attend Louisiana College this fall.

"I'm really excited to start a new chapter," Lavarine said.

The high school student is truly turning the page because basketball wasn’t her first love.

Boxing was.

"I've always wanted to be in the Olympics," Lavarine said.

After winning six national championships and three world titles in her age division, she was invited to move to Colorado to work with Team USA boxing.

While men's boxing has been an Olympic medal sport since 1904, women's boxing is one of the newer events — it became a medal sport at the London games in 2012.

"I just feel like it's an honor to wear these three letters on my jersey," Lavarine said.

Once a strong candidate to represent her country and go for gold at the Tokyo games, Lavarine has been knocked out of Olympic consideration due to a rule change.

Professional — not just amateur — boxers can now compete in the Olympics, resulting in the minimum age of fighters being raised from 17 to 19 – so Lavarine isn't old enough for the games this summer.

"I just remember like feeling devastated…that all my hard work, it was just like, being taken away from me," she said.

That news, coupled with the pandemic, resulted in the last 12 months being hard for Lavarine.

"I kind of struggled with that, but I used basketball to kind of pick me up and I started doing basketball full time and boxing part-time," she said.

So now it's left-handed layups, instead of left-handed hooks — but Lavarine says a return to the boxing ring is possible.

"You never know what the future holds," she said. "I feel like I should keep training and maybe I'll go pro after college. I'll still be young when I graduate so that's still an option for me."