Written by: Jacob Nevis
Every four years, one of my favorite events takes place. No, I am not talking about the U.S. presidential election, though it does normally coincide with this event. I am talking about the Summer Olympics. The Summer Olympics of 2020 were supposed to take place in Tokyo but were postponed until 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those Summer Olympic Games never really felt right to some sports fans, due to the cloud that was hanging over them.
This year, however, the Olympics are back to normal and will take place in Paris, France. The United States has historically been extremely successful in the Olympics. Since 1896, athletes from our country have won 2,635 Summer Olympics medals. This is over 1,000 more medals than the country in second place.
While most of the U.S. Olympic athletes so many of us grew up watching, such as Michael Phelps, Serena Williams and Allyson Felix, have retired, many new and returning athletes will be exciting to watch this year.
Katie Ledecky, one of the best women’s swimmers of all time, will look to continue her dominance . Having already won seven gold medals — 10 total in the previous three Summer Olympics, Ledecky hopes to bring home more gold medals to the United States.
Another swimmer is Caeleb Dressel, who seemingly has been passed the torch by Michael Phelps. Dressel has seven gold medals after winning five at the Tokyo Olympics and will proudly represent the United States in Paris.
The U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team, led by future basketball Hall of Famer LeBron James, will seek its fifth gold medal in a row. The women’s Olympic basketball team will try to win its eighth gold medal in a row.
While only a couple of sports have been mentioned so far, the Summer Olympics offer many different sports for fans to enjoy. Along with swimming and basketball, some other popular events include track and field, gymnastics, soccer, golf and baseball.
The Olympics are always a good time for Americans to come together and cheer for our country. In a year where many Americans may be divided, the Olympics are a good place to put our differences aside to cheer on American athletes. Go Team USA!
