Every four years, the world watches with bated breath as the Olympic Games bring to us the world’s best athletes, the best talents, and the most spectacular sporting show on this planet.
Unfortunately, the games had to be postponed last year because of the pandemic. However, that did not take away the spirit of the game and the positive anticipation that followers throughout the world have been waiting for. The competition will start soon in Tokyo, Japan. The opening ceremony commences on July 23, 2021.
With a galaxy of stars that have set records after records, there is no way that we can include all the exemplary stories of human achievement on exhibit at the Summer Games in a list.
However, here are NewsMobile’s top five young sportspeople to watch out for.
1) SIMONE BILES (USA, Gymnastics) –
When she won four gold medals in seven days at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she became an immediate national hero, part of a stunning total of 30 Olympic and World Championship medals. Simone will walk into Tokyo as the overwhelming favourite to win the Olympic all-around title, the sport’s most coveted medal, and the first repeat champion since Vera Caslavska of former Czechoslovakia achieved so in 1968. Her greatest rival is, as always, herself.
#PowerOfShe, powered by we. I’ve learned your community is everything. You become who you surround yourself with. I’m so lucky to celebrate my community with @athleta. Thanks to my squad @BilesNellie, @adria_biles, ETC. I want to hear who’s in your circle! ❤ #AthletaxSimone pic.twitter.com/yHMhxWZzfD
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 16, 2021
2) PV SINDHU (India, Badminton)-
When PV Sindhu, India’s world champion badminton star, steps out in Tokyo, a billion admiring eyes will be on her. Sindhu made history by becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but the element of surprise has worn off as expectations have grown.
#100daystogo #tokyoolympics #tokyo2020 #letsgo 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/naxIaIYhFl
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) April 14, 2021
3) NAOMI OSAKA (Japan, Tennis)-
Osaka, a Japanese national who grew up in the United States, is currently perhaps her country’s biggest sports star, a megawatt personality whose every move is tracked. She represents a new vision of Japan that embraces multiculturalism, in addition to her great tennis skills. She withdrew from the French Open in May due to mental health issues, and she has decided to forego Wimbledon this year. But we will be seeing her in Tokyo! The four-time Grand Slam winner is a poster girl of the Games.
Smiles + @naomiosaka = ❤️#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/ORkpYMRJeO
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2021
ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics: Indian Athletes Who Have Qualified For Tokyo Games So Far
4) CAELEB DRESSEL (USA, Swimming)-
Dressel, 24, will compete in as many as seven events in Tokyo, including four relays, in the hopes of winning his first individual Olympic gold medal. He captained the winning 4×100-meter freestyle relay in 2016, swimming directly ahead of Michael Phelps, whose massive Olympic flippers the US will now turn to Dressel to fill. Dressel, a sprint freestyler and butterflyer, has a chance to join Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps as the third man to win three individual golds in the same Olympics.
IT’S A CAELEB DRESSEL PARTY. pic.twitter.com/0jYQLXAhaI
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) June 21, 2021
5) NOAH LYLES (USA, Track and Field)-
Lyles is expected to be one of America’s next major stars. In 2019, he became the world champion in the 200-meter dash at the age of 22. Given his age and personal best in the 200 metres of 19.50, he could be on the verge of breaking Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19. Noah Lyles, 22, set a new meet record at the 2019 Diamond League competition in Paris with a time of 19.65. Usain Bolt held the previous world record of 19.73 seconds.
Lyles is aiming for three gold medals in Tokyo: 200-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay.
Watch me run at 4pm EST on @NBCOlympics https://t.co/vZwP4LBJVh pic.twitter.com/SWFo9YyCu9
— Noah Lyles (@LylesNoah) May 23, 2021
The Games will be held in over forty venues, including the Heritage Zone (which is built on the site of the 1964 Olympics stadium) and the new Tokyo Bay Zone. Despite the pandemic’s uncertainty, athletes around the world are practising with all their enthusiasm to ensure the spirit of the game’s lives on.