The sports world’s biggest stage is finally set and the next chapter of Olympic history is ready to be written in the record books at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad.
From August 5th to the 21st, all eyes will be on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with more than 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries competing for their country. Despite being shrouded by a dark cloud of controversy following concerns about the Zika virus, Russia’s doping scandal, security levels and polluted waters, this year’s Games will feature new and old faces that are ready to make their marks on the sports world.
From the track to the swimming pool, new champions will be crowned, stories will be told, legends will be made and fans all over the world will be watching and cheering.
Outside of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and United States swimmer Michael Phelps, who will both command the media spotlight with their pursuit for historic performances, here are eight other Olympians to watch at Rio 2016.
1. Justin Gatlin, Track and Field, United States
With one of the most roller coaster journeys of any athlete competing in Rio, Gatlin’s story proves there are always second chances in life.
After serving a four-year ban following a positive test for using performance-enhancing drugs back in 2006, Gatlin is ready for another opportunity to challenge longtime rival Usain Bolt of Jamaica for the title of the world’s fastest man.
Of course, Gatlin has been seen as a polarizing figure over his career, with some viewing him as a blemish to the sport due to his previous doping offenses while others view him as a diligent and dedicated worker who has learned and moved past his mistakes. Despite all of the different perspectives of the four-time Olympic medal winner’s past, Gatlin has done his time and is ready to prove his true greatness on the sports world’s biggest stage.
Despite losing the 100m sprint by just one-hundredth of a second to Bolt at last year’s world championships in Beijing, Gatlin set the record for the world’s two fastest times for the 100m this year. The 34-year-old also won both the 100m and 200m at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials to become the oldest sprinter to make an American Olympic team.
Although the biggest obstacle between Gatlin and a gold medal in the 100m is Usain Bolt, expect it to be a heavyweight showdown come August 13th.
Schedule:
Men’s 4x100m relay – Thursday, August 18th
Men’s 200m – Tuesday, August 16th
Men’s 100m – Saturday, August 13th
2. Katie Ledecky, Women’s Swimming, United States
The United States will be looking to dominate the competition in the water with aquatics stars Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian, Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin leading the charge for the red, white and blue.
However, the spotlight will also be on 19-year-old Katie Ledecky, who captured Olympic gold in the 800m in the 2012 London games as a 15-year-old. Since the London Olympics, she has only gotten better. Ledecky has dominated in all four freestyle distances – 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m – in the World Championships, setting 11 world records while capturing gold medals in every major international race she has competed in.
Looking to defend her medal in the 800m freestyle at the 2016 Games, Ledecky will also be looking to capture gold medals in the 200m and 400m events as well as setting new records in Rio de Janiero.
Schedule:
Women’s 400m freestyle – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s 200m freestyle – Monday, August 8th
Women’s 800m freestyle – Thursday, August 11th
3. Kohei Uchimera, Men’s Gymnastics, Japan
Nicknamed “Super-mura” in his native country of Japan due to his super agility and strength, Uchimura has won a record six straight world all-around titles, which is double that of any other gymnast.
After claiming silver in Beijing in 2008, the Nagasaki native has not lost in an all-around event since 2009, as he captured a gold medal in the 2012 London games to go along with his six consecutive world all-around titles. Uchimura, now 27, looks to become the first man to repeat as all-around individual champion much like his fellow countryman Sawao Kato back in 1972.
Despite all his Olympic successes in the individual events, the team gold is the only medal missing from Uchimura’s collection, as China has reigned victorious as the two-time defending champions in Olympic event. However, the Japanese were able to triumph over their rivals in the previous World games and repeating that in Rio would be the icing on the cake en route to an upset over the heavy favorites for the gold medal.
By the time the Olympics heads to his home country of Japan in 2020, Uchimura will be 31, but don’t bet against him to enter the next Games as he hopes to enter as a three-time reigning champion in the all-around individual event.
Schedule:
Men’s individual all-around – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s pommel horse – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s vault – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s horizontal bar – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s parallel bars – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s team all-around – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s floor exercise – Saturday, August 6th
Men’s rings – Saturday, August 6th
4. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Track and Field, Jamaica
Usain Bolt may be the one to hold Jamaica’s sprinting limelight, but Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has the chance to make history as the first athlete to win three consecutive 100m gold medals in the Summer Games. With back to back victories in Beijing in 2008 and in London in 2012, it will be a wonder for her to produce something special to capture a third consecutive gold.
However, what stands between her, a gold medal and a place in Olympic history is tough competition and nagging injuries. Throughout the past year, the 29-year-old has dealt with lingering toe injuries that has disrupted her performance, even forcing her to drop out of contention in the 200m. As for her competition in the 100m, Fraser-Pryce will be going against fellow Jamaican Elaine Thompson who posted the fastest time at the 2016 Jamaica trials and young up-and-coming Dutch star Dafne Schippers.
Despite the injury concerns and level of competition surrounding Fraser-Pryce’s quest for another gold medal, she continues to perform near her best times even at age 29, which gives her a great chance to go down in the record books.
Schedule:
Women’s 100m – Friday, August 12th
Women’s 4 x 100m relay – Thursday, August 18th
5. Neymar, Men’s Soccer, Brazil
Two years ago, tears were seen all around Brazil as the nation’s bid to capture its first World Cup since 2002 came crashing down during the semifinal stage. What was supposed to be a dream come true instantly became a nightmare as a fractured vertebra forced the young Brazilian superstar to miss the remainder of the 2014 World Cup. A 7-1 thrashing by the eventual champion Germany certainly did not help ease the pain, as the nation hit rock bottom over its biggest football failure in more than 60 years.
This time around, Neymar is back with help from Paris Saint-German defender Marquinhos and Bayern Munich midfielder Douglas Costa with hopes to help lead his country to its first gold medal. Of course, an Olympic soccer gold will not completely erase the painful memory of the 7-1 meltdown in the 2014 World Cup, but in a soccer-crazed nation like Brazil, a victory on its home field goes a long way to help the country cheer about its favorite game again.
Should the 24-year-old FC Barcelona star, who has been considered to be a potential heir to Pele, lead Brazil past defending champion Mexico and deliver a gold medal to Brazil in Rio, not only will it be a bit of redemption, but Neymar will add to his personal legacy as an all-time Brazilian soccer great.
Schedule (Preliminaries):
Brazil vs. Iraq – Sunday, August 7th
Denmark vs. Brazil – Wednesday, August 10th
6. Yusra Mardini, Women’s Swimming, Refugee Olympic Athletes
For the first time in Olympic history, ten athletes from various nations will join together under the Olympic flag and compete as the Refugee Olympic team. Chosen by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, the team is comprised of two swimmers from Syria, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of Congo, five runners from South Sudan and a marathoner from Ethopia.
For swimmer Yusra Mardini, she gained international recognition by sharing her escape story from Syria. After her house was destroyed in the Syrian Civil War, Mardini and her sister fled Syria to Lebanon and then Turkey, where they were to travel by boat to Greece. While travelling through the Aegean Sea with 18 other refugees, the engine lost power and the boat began to take on water.
To get out of the crisis, Mardini, her sister and two other swimmers jumped into the water and spent three hours pushing the boat to the small Greek island of Lesbos. Upon landing, Mardini and her sister then traveled through Europe to Berlin, Germany where Mardini continued to train for the Olympics.
Almost all athletes participating at the 2016 Rio games have an interesting backstory, but Yusra Mardini’s is certainly more remarkable than most. As an 18-year-old who has dealt with so much, Mardini gets a chance to inspire people and share her story with all eyes on her and her nine other representatives.
Schedule:
Women’s 100m butterfly – Saturday, August 6th
Women’s 100m freestyle – Wednesday, August 10th
7. Lydia Ko, Women’s Golf, New Zealand
After more than 100 years, golf is finally making its grand return as an Olympic sport this summer in Rio de Janiero.
For 19-year-old Lydia Ko, who is the youngest golfer to dominate the world rankings, an Olympic gold medal would be another impressive achievement for the already-accomplished current world No. 1 golfer. While most of her counterparts in the men’s game have showed little interest in competing at the Summer Games (Rory McIlroy, Jordan Speith and Adam Scott withdrew from competing in the event), Ko has stated her excitement to compete, especially when it comes down to adding the title of “Olympian” next to her name.
Although the New Zealander hopes to win a medal in the first Olympic golf event in more than a century, her presence in the competition will draw more attention to the green.
#Repost @olympicgolf2016 ・・・ “Ever since they announced that golf would be in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, I said I want to get myself to Brazil. That was going to be my ultimate goal and I can't believe it's already around the corner. It's just been a dream. I feel so fortunate that we're getting this opportunity to be in the Olympics.” Lydia Ko, World and Olympic Ranked Number 1
A photo posted by Lydia Ko (@lydsko) on
May 9, 2016 at 8:45pm PDT
Schedule:
Women’s individual – Wednesday, August 17th
8. Simone Biles, Women’s Gymnastics, United States
Since 2013, Simone Biles has dominated women’s gymnastics and has already placed herself among the most decorated gymnasts of all-time. Winning the most world championship gold medals of any female gymnast in history (10 gold medals) has certainly helped her case.
With a rare combination of power, skill and athleticism, it’s no surprise the 4-foot-9 Biles has already been crowned as a four-time United States national all-around champion and the first woman to win three consecutive world all-around titles when she won gold in Glasgow last year.
In Rio, not only will she be making her Olympic debut, but with high expectations to win gold in the all-around event. However, the challenge won’t be easy as she will compete against fellow American gymnast and defending champion Gabby Douglas, who won the all-around event in London four years ago.
With the 19-year-old scheduled to compete in six events, expect Biles to add more than a few Olympic medals to her already-impressive record.
Schedule:
Women’s uneven bars – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s beam – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s vault – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s team all-around – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s floor exercise – Sunday, August 7th
Women’s individual all-around – Sunday, August 7th
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Arthur Puu
Spark Sports Editor
Follow Arthur Puu on Twitter @arthur_puu
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