by Madi McClellan

The 2020 Olympics, originally scheduled to begin in July 2020, was postponed for a year due to covid. This summer, the 2020 Olympics took place and was a success for the US, finishing at the top of the medal table with 39 gold medals and 113 total medals. This was the fourth time that the Olympics have taken place in Japan. 

One of the things making the Tokyo 2020 Olympics unique was that new sports were featured. 3×3 basketball, skateboarding, climbing, surfing, and karate are some of the new editions. Also, softball was included for the first time since the 2008 Olympics.

Lee Kiefer, an Olympic fencer born in Cleveland, represented the United States this summer.  She is a three time Olympian who competed at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and at London in 2012. She won an individual gold medal in the Women’s foils becoming an Olympic Gold medalist. 

This summer, Sunisa Lee made history as the first Hmog-American Olympian. The eighteen year old, having a total of six world champion and Olympic medals, is tied in 9th place with Gabby Douglas, Kim Zmeskal, Kyla Ross and Rebecca Bross for the most decorated American female gymnast. US women’s gymnastics won silver medals as a team. Individually, Sunisa won a gold medal at the Women’s all around final and a bronze medal at the uneven bars.

Simone Biles, a two time Olympian and seven time Olympic Medalist is often referred to as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of gymnastics. She shocked her fans around the world by doing the unprecedented: withdrawing from the individual competition for her mental health. This created an opportunity to destigmatize mental health in Olympic Sports.

Katie Ledecky is a three time Olympian. She holds the world record in the women’s 400, 800, and 1500 meter freestyle. Ledecky won four medals this summer: two gold and two silvers along with a fifth place finish. Her Olympic career is far from over.