RIO DE JANEIRO – Gerina Piller signed her scorecard, did a couple brief television interviews and ducked outside the ropes to receive comfort from her parents.
The day didn’t go anything like Piller envisioned, and she just wanted a few moments to get over her disappointment in private.
That task wasn’t so simple.
Fans wanted autographs. Some wanted photos with the woman who had America’s best chance to track down Inbee Park for a gold medal at the start of the day. So Piller, nicely, sweetly, wiped away tears and did her damnedest to give them all what they wanted.