The Olympics in Rio had many people very concerned; from Zika to the possibility of the arena not even being completed in time, it was a very stressful time for organizers. Thankfully they pulled it off, and thousands of athletes from around the world have come together to compete in the summer games. America is already off to a fantastic start, and here are four people you should know in this year's Olympic Games!
1. Ibtihaj Muhammad
You may have seen her in the Opening Ceremonies next to Michael Phelps, who had the honor of holding the American flag. The special thing about Ibtihaj? She is the first American to compete in the Olympics while wearing a hijab! As if "Olympian" wasn't enough to put on her resume, she is also the founder of fashion brand 'Louella' and was named one of TIME Magazine's '100 Most Influential People' in 2016. She represents the greatness and inclusivity of America, and I know I can't wait to see how she competes in her fencing competitions!
2. The women's gymnastics team
At the end of Sunday evening, these powerhouses not only ended in first place overall, but won by over nine points. For those who aren't as well-versed in gymnastics lingo, I'll just let you know- that is unheard of. One announcer compared it to winning a football game 120-0. Aly Raisman (2nd from the left) and Gabby Douglas (4th from the left) are the two Olympic veterans, hoping to bring home the gold one more time. The show-stopper Simone Biles (the rock star in the middle) is favorited to win several gold medals during her stay in Rio. Stay tuned this week to see what these five can do!
3. Kerri Walsh Jennings
Not only did she win gold in beach volleyball in the 2012 Olympics, she was also five-weeks pregnant. She competed for years with partner Misty May-Treanor, and as the two defeated fellow American competitors April Ross and Jen Kessy, Walsh Jennings, knowing this was May-Treanor's last year, hustled over to Ross and said, "Let's go win gold in Rio!" This mother of three hopes to do nothing less than win gold once again this week.
4. Michael Phelps (obviously)
This might be my favorite picture of Phelps, taken at the moment he and three other American swimmers beat the French in the 2008 Olympics in the 4x100m freestyle relay. The Americans and the French have been competing in this exact competition over the last handful of Olympics, and it appeared as though the Americans were going to lose. They won by a fraction of a second. France came to London prepared, defeating the U.S., but this past Sunday night, the gold was returned to its rightful owner. Michael has stated he has come to Rio to right some wrongs of London, and this was definitely one of those wrongs. I certainly look forward to watching the most decorated Olympian of all time take home even more gold.
The Olympics are such a special time for the world; despite the many scandals, disagreements, or bad blood between nations, all the negativity seems to be forgotten, if only for a little while. I know I will enjoy the next week and a half, cheering on these athletes as well as the over 500 in Rio wearing the red, white, and blue. If you listen closely enough, you might just hear me chanting, "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!"
