Olympians have been inspiring generations of athletes since the foundation of the Games, and this year is no exception. With athletes like Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel, and Michael Phelps breaking records and making headlines, the United States will no doubt have a new generation of gymnasts and swimmers vying for their own places in future Olympic Games.

However, there's reason to think other countries will soon have a new generation of athletes training to compete- in badminton.

Badminton at the Olympics has been largely dominated by China, who has won a total of 41 medals since badminton was added to the Summer Olympics in 1992. (In comparison, Indonesia and South Korea are tied for second place with a total of 19 medals each.) China was especially dominant last Olympics in London, winning eight of the sport's 15 medals, including all five gold medals.

This year's results were drastically different. At no other time in history has the badminton Olympic podium been graced by so many different nations. On top of that, no country won two medals in any category.

Viktor Axelsen, a 22-year-old from Denmark, won a bronze medal in men's singles when he beat two-time Olympic gold medalist Lin Dan of China. This marked his country's first men's singles Olympic medal in 20 years.

Left: silver medalist Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia. Middle: gold medalist Chen Long of China. Right: bronze medalist Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.

In men's doubles, Great Britain's Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis made history by winning a bronze medal. This was their country's first Olympic medal in this category and just the third one overall. Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem of Malaysia won silver, making it Malaysia's first Olympic silver medal in men's doubles since 1996.

Left: silver medalists Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong of Malaysia. Middle: gold medalists Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan of China. Right: bronze medalists Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge of Great Britain.

The new records don't stop there: Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying became the first Malaysians to stand on the Olympic podium in mixed doubles when they won the silver medal. Tontowi Ahmad and Lilyana Natsir won Indonesia's first Olympic gold medal in this category.

Left: silver medalists Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia. Middle: gold medalists Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia. Right: bronze medalists Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei of China.

Women's singles was a particularly noteworthy event. This was only the second time since badminton's addition into the Summer Olympics that China did not make an appearance on this category's podium, and all three of the medalists this year made history for their countries.

Nozomi Okuhara, a 21-year-old from Japan, became the first singles player from her country to win an Olympic medal in badminton. Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, commonly known as P. V. Sindhu, became the first female athlete from India to win an Olympic silver medal - in any sport - and the fifth female athlete from India to medal overall. She too is 21 years old. Carolina Marin of Spain, just 23 years old, perhaps left the biggest legacy at all by becoming the first female player in all of Europe to win an Olympic gold medal in badminton, and the second European to do so overall.

Left: silver medalist PV Sindhu of India. Middle: gold medalist Carolina Marin of Spain. Right: bronze medalist Nozomi Okuara of Japan.

China has especially dominated women's doubles in the past, having won 12 of the 22 medals in Olympic history (and five of the seven gold medals). Rio 2016 marked the first time that China did not make an appearance on the women's doubles podium.

Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan of South Korea won bronze. Denmark's Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen became the first athletes from their country to win an Olympic medal in this event when they earned the silver medal. Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo won first place and became Japan's first athletes to win a gold medal in this category.

Left: silver medalists Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen of Denmark. Middle: gold medalists Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan. Right: bronze medalists Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan of South Korea.

It seemed unthinkable that so many records could be broken in just one Olympic Games. Four of the five gold medalists came from different countries. Nine nations appeared on the badminton podium, some for the very first time. All of the athletes went home knowing they brought pride to their countries, and the ones who became "firsts" will no doubt remember Rio for the rest of their lives.