YOU’RE WATCHING WLWT NEWS 5 LEADING THE WAY. FRESH OFF THE ITALIAN MOUNTAINSIDE, GOLD MEDALIST CONOR CURRAN IS TRADING IN HIS RED, WHITE AND BLUE FOR ALL THINGS RED. WLWT NEWS 5 MORNING ANCHOR KELLY RIPPIN CAUGHT UP WITH THE SHARONVILLE NATIVE AS HE GETS READY TO BE A BIG PART OF OPENING DAY, INCLUDING DELIVERING THE GAME BALL. FROM FLYING HIGH. TO LANDING, IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND YEAR FOR 21 YEAR OLD CONOR CURRAN. IT’S BEEN CRAZY THE LAST FEW MONTHS, EVER SINCE I MADE THE OLYMPIC TEAM. IT STILL DOESN’T FEEL REAL AND IT’S ONLY MARCH. THE SHARONVILLE NATIVE STARTED THE YEAR IN ITALY, BRINGING HOME A GOLD MEDAL IN MIXED TEAM AERIALS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES ON THE WORLD’S BIGGEST STAGE. IT WAS INCREDIBLE AND A HUGE HONOR. THIS WEEK IT ALL COMES FULL CIRCLE. WHEN CURRAN DELIVERS THE GAME BALL ON REDS OPENING DAY. THAT’S BREATHTAKING. MAGNIFICENT. IN THE CITY WHERE HIS DREAM STARTED ON A TRAMPOLINE IN HIS BACKYARD. WHEN THEY MADE EVERYTHING OFFICIAL, IT WAS CRAZY. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD ALL MY PARENTS AND MY BROTHER ACTUALLY PLAYS BASEBALL AND HE’S HE’S OVER THE MOON. EXCITED, I ASKED WHAT HE THOUGHT THAT LITTLE KID IN REDS HAT WOULD THINK ABOUT WHERE HE IS TODAY. HE WOULD BE HAPPY FOR ME, I THINK. I THINK IT WOULD BE STOKED THAT THAT’S WHERE HE ENDED UP IN LIFE. THEN YOU’LL GET TO HANG OUT FOR A WHILE, AND THEN CURRAN IS ENJOYING A LITTLE REST AND RELAXATION BEFORE HE GETS RIGHT BACK INTO AERIALS TRAINING. ON OPENING DAY, YOU CAN SEE HIM IN THE PARADE WITH THE VERY HEAVY GOLD MEDAL AROUND HIS NECK. HE’LL BE UP FRONT WITH THE GRAND MARSHALS AND REDS PLAYERS, SO HE’LL MAKE IT TO GREAT AMERICAN BALL PARK WITH PLENTY O
Cincinnati native, Olympic gold medalist Curran to deliver game ball on Opening Day
Updated: 6:29 AM EDT Mar 26, 2026
Cincinnati’s official holiday is here, as the city will gather to celebrate the Reds and welcome the new baseball season.The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade will step off for the 107th time at noon, and pregame festivities will be held at Great American Ball Park, all leading up to the excitement of first pitch between Cincinnati and the Boston Red Sox at 4:10 p.m.Some of the pregame celebration will bring with it the Olympic spirit.Cincinnati native Connor Curran, who won a gold medal in Italy last month, will present the game ball before the ceremonial first pitch (to be delivered by Bronson Arroyo).”When they made everything official, it was crazy. I immediately told my parents, and my brother actually plays baseball, and he’s over the moon excited,” Curran said about having such a moment. “Honestly, I think it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. And I’m going to meet a lot of new, cool people.”Curran says he’s already back to training to push for even more successes, but Thursday is all about celebrating baseball.
CINCINNATI —
Cincinnati’s official holiday is here, as the city will gather to celebrate the Reds and welcome the new baseball season.
The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade will step off for the 107th time at noon, and pregame festivities will be held at Great American Ball Park, all leading up to the excitement of first pitch between Cincinnati and the Boston Red Sox at 4:10 p.m.
Some of the pregame celebration will bring with it the Olympic spirit.
Cincinnati native Connor Curran, who won a gold medal in Italy last month, will present the game ball before the ceremonial first pitch (to be delivered by Bronson Arroyo).
“When they made everything official, it was crazy. I immediately told my parents, and my brother actually plays baseball, and he’s over the moon excited,” Curran said about having such a moment. “Honestly, I think it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. And I’m going to meet a lot of new, cool people.”
Curran says he’s already back to training to push for even more successes, but Thursday is all about celebrating baseball.