7 Tokyo 2021 Female Olympians with Stories We Love
Spoiler: Lots of blood, sweat and tears were involved.
Photo: Unsplash
Until 1900, women were banned from competing in the modern Olympic Games. But female athletes more than made up for that this year with a truly impressive display at the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics.
Many records were broken at the recent Games, but perhaps the most exciting glass ceiling to shatter was that of inequality. The Tokyo Olympics was the most gender-equal iteration to date. In fact, women made up nearly 49% of the total participants, competed in races and sports that they’d previously been barred from, and set records left, right, and centre.
But as much as we love what these female athletes did on the track, on the field, in the pool, and even at the skating park, we’re even more impressed with their backstories. Some battled discrimination and mental health, others fought through pandemic lockdowns, and others were simply inspiring. Here are the athletes and performances we’ll remember long after the Games.
Simone Biles
In the lead-up to the 2021 Olympics, superstar American gymnast Simone Biles was the athlete everyone was talking about. Fresh off sweeping competitions with complicated routines and executing the most complex moves in history, Biles was the one to watch. But in perhaps the biggest story of these Games, she bowed out of four of her five individual events—and the team final—after a lacklustre vault final. The reason? A bad case of the “twisties,” a dangerous phenomenon whereby gymnasts are unable to assess their balance and positioning while competing, leaving them at risk of horrific injuries.
Still, the smiley, supportive Biles stayed on to support the rest of the US women’s gymnastics team, cheering loudly and offering plenty of hugs to teammates Sunisa Lee and McKayla Skinner when they medaled in their events. Keen to compete, Biles managed to overcome the “twisties” to stage a much-lauded comeback. She competed in the individual balance beam event, and although she used a scaled-down version of her routine, she still went home with the bronze.
Alysson Felix
Felix’s appearance in Tokyo wasn’t a given. She’d picked up an incredible nine medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, but 17 years later, the 35-year-old was up against a plethora of challenges.
In 2018, she hid her first pregnancy from her sponsor, Nike, while negotiating a new contract. When the pregnancy was revealed, Nike attempted to change the terms of her contract so that Felix would lose up to 70% of her endorsement deal. Felix went to war and ultimately dropped Nike to partner with Athleta, a brand with more favourable policies. Later, she delivered daughter Camryn through a life-threatening emergency C-section that left her doubting if she’d ever compete again.
Still, through hard work and sheer determination, Felix headed to Tokyo. And what a Games she had. She took the bronze medal in the 400-meter final and won bronze with the 4x400-meter relay team. The two new awards made Felix the most decorated American track and field athlete in history. Did we mention she also started a female-empowering footwear brand—Saysh—just ahead of the 2021 Olympics?
Quan Hongchan
The recent Tokyo Olympics was particularly notable for the number of young athletes competing. Among them was China’s Quan Hongchan, a diminutive diver who took on far more experienced competitors at the pool. Just 14 years old, Quan faced criticism ahead of and during the competition, but she ploughed ahead with a poker face in place.
Keeping her focus squarely on her first international competition (yes, really), Quan impressed the judges, earning six 10s and a 9.5—essentially, a perfect dive—and neatly sweeping the gold medal from older competitors. What captured everyone’s hearts, though, was when she jumped into her coach’s arms with a big smile on her face as she learned the results.
Rayssa Leal
Many musicians get their start online, but few skateboarders can say the same. Enter 13-year-old Brazilian Rayssa Leal, who shot to fame six years ago when Tony Hawk—yes, the celebrity skateboarder—shared a Twitter video of Leal executing a complicated manoeuvre while wearing a fairy costume.
Taking encouragement from Hawk—and her impressive six-million strong Instagram following—Lael worked hard with her board and was nominated for the Action Sportsperson honour at the 2020 Laureus Awards. She then took to the Olympics where she faced stiff competition from other young skateboarders, including Japan’s Momiji Nishiya, who eventually took the gold. Still, we reckon Lael’s pretty happy with her silver medal.
Hidilyn Diaz
It takes a special woman to win a country’s first-ever Olympic gold, but that’s exactly what Filipino weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz did when she set a new Olympic record by lifting 127kg in the Clean and Jerk and a total weight of 224kg. Those who watched the 2016 Olympics may have had an inkling that this feat was on its way, though. In Rio, Diaz won a silver medal, which was the Philippines’ first Olympic medal in 20 years.
The story becomes all the more impressive when you learn what Diaz went through to get to the Olympics. Diaz flew to Malaysia in February 2020 under direction from her coach, who believed her training there would better qualify her for Tokyo. But once there, Malaysia closed its gyms—and its borders—because of the pandemic. Getting creative, Diaz spent 15 months working out with bamboo sticks and big water bottles in a humid carport. When the Olympics were postponed, she also struggled with her mental health and reached out to a sports psychologist and trauma therapist to keep her going. She overcame all of this to take home the gold—and she was even promoted to Staff Sergeant in the Philippine Air Force, in which she’s served for years.
Katie Ledecky
Another record-setting athlete, American swimmer Katie Ledecky walked away from the 2021 Olympics with two gold and two silver medals, making her the most decorated female swimmer in history.
The 24-year-old has won plenty of awards and accolades in her 10-year career, beginning with a gold medal for the 800-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics. She’s also broken no less than 14 world records over her career. And, just ahead of her impressive display at Tokyo, she also graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Psychology.
Sky Brown
Born to a Japanese mother and British father, Sky Brown competed for Great Britain in her first Olympics. The 13-year-old was one of the young and daring skaters to take to the Tokyo park this year, but she had a rough road to getting there.
Just last year, Brown took a tumble in training and suffered life-threatening injuries. In June 2020, she was forced to undergo surgery for skull fractures and a broken wrist and hand. It took months of recovery, rehab, and training to decide whether she would be fit to compete at the 2021 Games. But in an incredible display of youthful resiliency, she got there—and left with a bronze medal that made her Great Britain’s youngest ever medalist.
Like fellow winning skater Lael, Brown learned her skills through YouTube—with the occasional help of Shaun White, who formerly medaled at the Olympics in snowboarding. Her impressive board tricks earned the attention of Nike, who decided to make her their youngest sponsored athlete.
Bonus: The US Women’s Basketball Team
Teamwork makes the dream work, right? At least, that should be the motto of the US Women’s National Basketball Team. Led by veteran athletes and five-time Olympians Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, this dream team was the hot favourite going into the 2021 Olympics.
They didn’t disappoint. The team continued a hot streak that began at the 1992 Barcelona Games and has ended—for now—with their seventh Olympic Gold after edging out the Japan team 90-75. Even more impressive? That seventh gold represents a remarkable 55 consecutive wins.
