Every two years, the world gets to watch the top athletes from each country come together and compete to be the best of the best. It's exciting and entertaining and their wins can be inspiring but so can their stories and what they represent.

1. Ibtihaj Muhamnmad

Ibtihaj Muhamnmad is an Olympic athlete who competed in the fencing competition in Rio. Not only was the world impressed with her fencing capabilities, the world was also impressed with her being the first athlete from the United States of America to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab or headscarf, representing her Muslim fate.

2. The First EVER Olympic Refugee Team

Refugees are already giving up so much to survive so why should they have to give up their dreams? For the first time ever, there is a refugee team at the Rio games. This monumental moment is not only inspring for letting their dreams come true but because it raises awareness to the worldwide refugee crisis. There are 10 athletes making up the team from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

3. Yusra Mardini

As a member of the first Olympic Refugee Team, the world was inspired of the competitive swimmers story of being a Syrian refugee who swam for three and a half hour to save her and other refugees lives. It doesn't matter how she did at the Olympics because she is already a hero in everyones eyes.

4. Majlinda Kelmendi

As an athlete from Kosovo, Kelmendi wasn't sure if she would ever see her Olympic dreams come true. Even though she had previously completed in the games representing other countries, these games ment more to represent Kosovo and she was able to honor her country by winning the gold medal in Judo.

5. The Egyptian Beach Volleyball Team

Nothing represented countries that represent different cultures coming together than images from the Egypt verse Germany beach volleyball match. While Germany wore the usual bikini uniform, the Egyptian duo did not stray from their beliefs nor culture and wore a burka. The Egyptian duo is also the first Egyptian duo to ever represent Egypt in the beach volleyball Olympic competition.

6. Simone Manuel

Representing the United States of American, Simone Manuel not only won a gold medal in the 100m freestyle but also became the first African American women to win gold in an individual swimming event.

7. The 41 Year Old Gymnast

It is usually impressive to see a gymnast come back for a second Olympic games but Oksana Chusovitina has competed in 7, including Rio. Truly amazing.

8. The Never Give Up Attitude

Jillion Potter knows danger as a rugby player. She has never let danger keep her from playing the game though. Not when she broke her neck playing in 2010 that could have led to her being a paraplegic. Not when she was diagnosed with Stage III synovial sarcoma and defeated it. Overcoming those dangers has led her to representing the United States in Rugby at the Rio games.

Medals or not, Olympic athletes have the ability to inspire the world just by their stories.