As the Olympics and Paralympics come to a close, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of some of the most remarkable athletes of our time. We, the viewers at home, can’t help but look at some of the most gorgeous competitors, and — as they smile and wave, looking at the camera — you might imagine, “Are they waving at me? Do they want me?”
These athletes’ excellence is shown through their determination for gold. While it is true that the Olympians are there to show off their skills, their pursuit of perfection doesn’t diminish their sense of community. An example of this community was seen when American gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowed to the Brazilian gold medalist, Rebeca Andrade, at the medal ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women’s floor exercise event. “I think it’s all about sportsmanship, and we don’t care whether we win or lose. We’re always going to keep a good face and support our competitors because they’ve worked just as hard as we have for that moment,” Biles said on Today, encapsulating the spirit of the Olympics as adeptly as she executed her floor routine.
Suni Lee made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games. She made history, becoming the first Asian-American female to win the Olympic all-around gold medal for gymnastics. In Paris this summer, without a doubt, she crushed her routines, only taking a fall at the gymnastics balance beam final. She ultimately won bronze in the gymnastics uneven bars final, wearing her dazzling USA leotard with a gorgeous set of nails. The leotard had over ten thousand Swarovski crystals sewn into the fabric to elevate the team’s look, making sure the gymnasts look their best while performing their best. Despite the dazzling smile that was shown on televisions around the world, it was a fight for her to get to that place. After Tokyo, the gymnast was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases, affecting both her mental and physical health. She documented her life on social media during this time, continuing to update her followers and fans, and she kept pursuing her training. When Lee qualified for the Paris Olympics, she showed the world she was ready to come back and fight, and that she did.
Armand “Mondo” Duplantis is a renowned Swedish-American pole vaulter who competes for Sweden and was described as the Usain Bolt of pole vaulting by The New York Times. Duplantis leaped over 6 meters at the Paris Olympics, solidifying his gold and breaking his own world record, but the Swede’s sights were even higher. With high ambitions yet higher jumps, Duplantis set another Olympic record at 6.10 meters and then set another right after at 6.25 meters, further solidifying his stardom. Duplantis became the first pole vaulter to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals since Bob Richards went back-to-back for the USA in 1952 and 1956. Olympics attendee Carrie Rodlands describes watching the event, saying, “Honestly, the Swedish men were pretty hot, and seeing [Duplantis] beat his own record was such an amazing moment to witness.”
If you don’t know who Sha’Carri Richardson is, get out from under that rock! Richardson won two Olympic medals for the USA, broke a collegiate record, and has a death stare that could kill. The internet went wild after she gave a fierce look back to her opponents while running in the women’s 4×100 relay, securing the gold. Not only did she deliver that stare, but, moments before the same race, she came out wearing a wig that she threw off her head to display her braids. Her looks while running have been exquisite and hard to elevate when she constantly raises the standard. Richardson has created so many memorable moments because she is the moment.
American athletes Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall are the epitome of couple goals — if there were medals for such a thing, they’d win gold. At the Olympics, Davis-Woodhall won gold in the women’s long jump, and Woodhall won gold in the men’s 400m at the Paralympics. The couple went viral when their reactions to seeing each other win gold were displayed for the world to fawn over. Once Davis-Woodhall completed her final jump, a glow emanated from her smile as she took in the moment, making snow angels in the sand. Woodhall cheered for his wife’s victory in the stands, and she quickly jumped into his arms, embracing the moment with him. “We train every single day together, and he’s seen all the hard work that I’ve done, and I see all the hard work that he’s done,” said Davis-Woodhall to Olympics.com. The internet continues to follow the couple’s lives on social media as they continue to post content.
Noah Lyles, a professional sprinter, ran in the men’s 100m and 200m in the Paris Olympics. During the men’s 100m, Lyles nearly tied with the Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson, and the runners waited for what seemed like the longest fifteen seconds of their lives to see Lyles win by four-thousandths of a second. Lyles’s reaction afterward was full of confidence and joy. He told the camera, “America! I told you! I got this!” Olympic attendee Josie Bourgault remembers getting “to be inside the Team USA House for Noah Lyles’s win.” She explains, “As soon as it showed up that Noah won, strobe lights turned on and everyone went crazy!”
American pommel horse heartthrob, Stephen Nedoroscik, made his Olympic debut this year, catching the internet’s eye for his signature Clark Kent moment where he not only looked like the steamy superhero but gave the performance of a champion. Nedoroscik needed to stick to his routine so that Team USA could get on the podium. Before his event, he went into a sleeper agent kind of concentration, sitting with his eyes closed. When it was his turn, he took his glasses off and revealed an extraordinary routine. He stuck to his routine, winning bronze for Team USA as well as securing bronze individually. After his routine, Nedoroscik’s fame grew exponentially. He was invited to “Dancing with the Stars” and told Good Morning America he may be planning to bring some of his gymnastics routine to the dance floor.
For many, a major component of attractiveness can be categorized by watching someone pursue and achieve what they love. Witnessing how much work these athletes put into making this dream a reality at the Olympic and Paralympic Games makes it hard not to blush. Their excellence sets an example for all of us, showing what it means to strive to be the best version of ourselves. While watching these athletes constantly push the boundaries of greatness, it’s hard not to feel inspired — and maybe a little flustered.
