Olympic Athletes to Watch at 2016 Rio Games

It's that time of the year again, for yet another beautiful international tournament. This time it's the glorious summer Olympics being hosted by the colorful Rio de Janiero, Brazil. I have closely followed the Olympics since Atlanta 1996, and try to watch as much of it as I can. I enjoy all the events  especially the Track and Field, Swimming, Gymnastics, Diving, and Volleyball. Then there's the soccer of course, which all though is not top quality it's still my favorite sport in general.

I think the Olympics as a whole are one of the most beautiful cultural awe-inspiring human events we have, (besides maybe the World Cup). It's an incredible exchange of culture and celebrates the human physical capabilities. So without much further ado, here's the athlete's I'm looking forward to see. After the event is finished I'll have a summary of the highlights.

Track and Field

As a former track athlete myself, the track and field events are without question my favorite sport at the Olympics. I hope to watch every night of the finals. I especially hope Usain Bolt can once again win all 3 gold medals in the sprinting events for the third consecutive Olympic games. I think he is without question one of the greatest sprinters of all time, and is a true joy to watch. Aside from him area a slew of big name competitors looking to defend their titles such as Shelly Ann Fraiser, Allyson Felix, Mo Farah, Ashton Eaton, Jessica Ennis-Hill, David Roudisha, as well as some new rising stars to watch such as Andrea de Grasse and Trayvon Brommell.

Usain Bolt
Jamica
Age: 29
Events at Rio: 100m, 200m, 4x100 meter relay
Previous Honors:

• 3 golds at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 3 golds at London Olympics 2012
• 11 golds, 2 silvers at IAAF World Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)
• 100 meter World Record (9.58 seconds set at Berlin 2009)
• 200 meter World Record (19.19 seconds set at Berlin 2009)

Justin Gaitlin
USA
Age: 34
Events: 100m, 200m, 4x1 meter relay
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze at Athens Olympics 2004
• 1 bronze at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds, 4 silvers at IAAF World Championships (2005, 2013, 2015)

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Jamaica
Age: 29
Events at Rio: 100m, 4x100m relay
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 1 gold, 2 silvers at London Olympics 2012
• 7 golds, 2 silver at IAAF World Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)

Ashton Eaton
USA
Age: 28
Events at Rio: Decathlon
Previous Honors:

• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds, 1 silver at IAAF World Championships (2011, 2013, 2015)

LaShawn Merritt
USA
Age 30
Events at Rio: 200m, 400m, 4x400m relay
Previous Honors:

• 2 golds at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 8 golds, 3 bronze at IAAF World Championships (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013)

Jessica Ennis- Hill
GBR
Age: 30
Events at Rio: Heptathlon
Previous Honors:

• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds, 1 silver at IAAF World Championships (2009, 2011, 2015)

Genzebe Dibaba
Ethiopia
Age: 25
Events at Rio: 1500m
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold, 1 bronze at IAAF World Championships (2015)
• 3 World records (1500, 3000, 5000)

Yohan Blake
Jamaica
Age: 26
Events at Rio: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold, 2 silvers at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds at IAAG World Championships (2011)

Caster Semanya
South Africa
Age: 25
Event: 800 meter
Previous Honors:

• 1 Silver at London Olympics 2012
• 1 gold, 1 silver at IAAF World Championships (2009, 2011)

Dafne Schippers
Netherlands
Age: 24
Events at Rio: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze at IAAF World Championships (2013, 2015)

David Rudisha
Keyna
Age: 27
Events at Rio: 800m
Previous Honors:

• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds at IAAF World Championships (2011, 2015)
• World Record in 800m (1.40.91 set at London Olympics 2012)

Allyson Felix
USA
Age: 30
Events at Rio: 200m, 400m, 4x400 meter relay
Previous Honors:

• 1 silver at Athens Olympics 2004
• 1 gold, 1 silver at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 3 golds at London Olympics 2012
• 9 golds, 2 silver, 1 bronze at IAAF World Championships (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015)

Mo Farah
GBR
Age: 33
Event: 5000m, 10000m
Previous Honors:

• 2 golds at London Olympics 2012
• 5 golds, 1 silver at IAAF World Championships (2011, 2013, 2015)

Andre De Grasse
Canada
Age: 21
Events at Rio: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Previous Honors:

• 2 bronzes at IAAF World Championships (2015) 

Trayvon Bromell
USA
Age: 21
Events at Rio: 100m, 4x100m relay
Previous Honors:

• Bronze at IAAF World Championships (2015)

Swimming

It's good to see that Michael Phelps has come out of retirement after the London games. The swimming games wouldn't be the same without his stardom. Although he's only competing in 3 events it would be great to see him win gold in each.

Michael Phelps
USA

Age: 31
Events at Rio: 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medly
Previous Honors:

• 6 golds, 2 bronze at Athens Olympics 2004
• 8 golds at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 4 gold, 2 silver at London Olympics 2012
• 26 golds, 6 silver, 1 bronze at FINA World Championships (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
• 39 World Records

Katie Ledecky
USA
Age 21
Events: 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold at London Olympics 2012
• 9 gold at World Championships (2013, 2015)

Missy Franklin
USA
Age: 21
Events at Rio: 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke
Previous Honors:

• 4 gold, 1 bronze at London Olympics 2012
• 11 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze at FINA World Championships (2011, 2013, 2015)
• 2 world records

Chad le Clos
South Africa
Age: 24
Events at Rio: 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, 4x100m medley
Previous Honors:

• 1 gold, 1 silver at London Olympics 2012
• 3 golds, 1 silver at FINA World Championships (2013, 2015)

Sarah Sjostrom

Sweden

Age: 22

Events at Rio: 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly

Previous Honors:

• 4 gold, 3 silvers, 1 bronze at FINA World Championships (2009, 2013, 2015)

Sun Yang

China

Age: 24

Events at Rio: 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle

Previous Honors:

• 2 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze at London Olympcis 2012
• 7 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze at FINA World Championships (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)

Diving

I've always enjoyed diving as a kid, inspired by the great Greg Louganis I would do dives onto my parents waterbed. Now it's even more exciting as we have a local Hoosier superstar in David Boudia. He's from Noblesville and won gold at the last Olympics and will hope to defend his title.

David Boudia

USA
Age: 27
Event at Rio: 10m platform, 10m synchronized platform
Previous Honors:

• 1 Gold, 1 bronze at London Olympics 2012
• 4 silvers, 1 bronze at FINA World Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)

Tom Dailey
GBR
Age: 22
Events at Rio: 10m platform, 10m synchronized platform
Previous Honors:

• Bronze at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds, 1 bronze at FINA World Championships (2009, 2015)

Gymnastics

There's something quite exciting about the women's gymnastics that always grabs my attention. I remember as a kid I had a huge crush on the gymnasts from the Atlanta 96 games, such as Dominique Moceanu. Lately the USA team has returned to glory led by Gabby Douglas and the new rising superstar Simone Biles. In the past 3 years she has already gone on to become the most decorated American female gymanst in history. And yet this will be her first Olympics games, and surely she will be after all the golds she can come by.

Kohei Uchimura
Japan
Age: 27
Events at Rio: Pommel Horse, Vault, Horizontal Bar, Floor Exercise, Rings, Parallel Bars, Individual All Around, Team All- Around
Previous Honors:

• 2 silvers at Beijing Olympics 2008
• 1 gold, 2 silvers at London Olympics 2012
• 10 golds, 5 silver, 4 bronze at World Championships (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015)

Gabby Douglas
USA
Age 20
Events: Women's Uneven Bars, Women's Beam, Women's Vault, Floor Exercise, Individual All Around, Team All around
Previous Honors:

• 2 golds at London Olympics 2012
• 2 golds, 1 silver at World Championships (2011, 2015)

Simone Biles
USA
Age: 19
Events: Women's Uneven Bars, Women's Beam, Women's Vault, Women's Floor Exercise, Women's Individual All Around, Women's Team All Around
Previous Honors:

• 10 golds, 2 silver, 2 bronze at World Championships (2013, 2014, 2015)

Beach Volleyball

I enjoy the game of volleyball, and this is really the only time I get to watch and follow it on TV. I enjoy the normal 6 person indoor court format as well as the 2 person beach volleyball format. The American duo of Kerri Walsh and Misty May have gone on to win gold in the past 3 Olympics games. This time Misty May will not return and is replaced by the very attractive April Ross. I hope they are able to defeat the favored Brazilian team of Antunes and Franca.


Talita Antunes
Brazil
Age: 33
Event: Women's Beach Volleyball
Previous Honors:

• Brzone at World Championships 2009

Larissa Franca
Brazil
Age 34:
Event: Women's Beach Volleyball
Previous Honors:

• Bronze at London Olympics 2012
• 1 gold, 2 silvers, 1 bronze at World Championships (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)

April Ross
USA
Age 34
Event: Women's Beach Volleyball
Previous Honors:

• Silver at London Olympics 2012
• Gold at World Championships 2009

Kerri Walsh
USA
Age 37
Events: Women's Beach Volleyball
Previous Honors:

• Gold at Athens Olympics 2004
• Gold at Beijing Olympics 2008
• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• 3 Gold, 1 silver at World Championships (2003, 2005, 2007, 2011)

Soccer

Hard to believe the men's Brazilian football team has never won the Olympic games. This year they are going all out as they have enlisted their superstar Neymar. While the soccer games do not provide the top quality due to age and association restrictions, they're still a great honor for each team to represent their country. The women's tournament will especially be more exciting, since for them this is the 2nd best tournament they have after the World Cup. I look forward to watching Team USA, and the likes of Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, and the very attractive Allie Long defend their title.

Neymar
Brazil
Age: 24
Events: Men's Soccer Tournament
Previous Honors:

• Silver at London Olympics 2012

Alex Morgan
USA
Age: 27
Events: Women's Soccer Tournament
Previous Honors:

• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• Silver at Germany World Cup 2011
• Gold at Canada World Cup 2015

Carli Lloyd

USA
Age: 34
Events: Women's Soccer Tournament
Previous Honors:

• Gold at Beijing Olympics 2008
• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• Bronze at China World Cup 2007
• Silver at Germany World Cup 2011
• Gold at Canada World Cup 2015

Hope Solo
USA
Age: 35
Events: Women's Soccer Tournament
Previous Honors:

• Gold at Beijing Olympics 2008
• Gold at London Olympics 2012
• Bronze at China World Cup 2007
• Silver at Germany World Cup 2011
• Gold at Canada World Cup 2015