If you’re underwhelmed by the Team USA men’s basketball team, you’re not alone. But luckily for the 2016 Summer Olympics, they won’t be the top draw. Even with the absence of Russia due to their doping ban, this could be the strongest field of Olympic athletes in history.
That’s mainly due to the participation of three people; Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles. It’s not rare to have elite athletes participate in the Olympic games. What is rare is to have the three best athletes at their particular sports in human history all show up and compete at the same time.
Bolt is the fastest human on the planet. He holds two world records in the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and the 200 meters (19.19 seconds). Bolt is one of the most famous and recognizable faces on the planet and has the distinction of being one of the few non-American athletes that can sell products here in the United States.
Bolt’s Olympic appearance isn’t without its problems. A hamstring injury kept him out of the Jamaica National Championships an with the Olympics less than a month away, he’s looking for a quick cure. Bolt was diagnosed with a Grade 1 tear and Tuesday flew to Germany to get treatment from Dr. Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt in an effort to make it to the games in Rio at 100 percent.
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) July 2, 2016
Bolt will be facing off against what could be the strongest field of sprinters to ever compete as well. American Justin Gatlin has the fastest time in the world this year. He put down a time of 9.80 at the US Olympic trials last Sunday.
.@JustinGatlin wins the 100M in 9.80 to qualify for Rio. #TrackTown16 https://t.co/BKPz7Bl3t9
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 4, 2016
For Phelps there is no such problem. He’s already the most decorated Olympic athlete in history with 22 medals, 18 of them gold. Phelps “retired” after the 2012 Olympics, but to no one’s surprise he decided to come back for 2016, making his fifth straight Olympic team. Only one other person, swimmer Dana Torres, had done that before. Phelps qualified for the 200 meter butterfly, the 200 meter individual medley and the 100 meter butterfly. He’ll also likely be on a couple of the relay teams.
Phelps comeback did hit a snag after a DUI got him dumped from the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, but he’s put that behind him and is primed to at least add three-to-five more gold medals to his already full trophy case.
Michael Phelps is the first male American to ever qualify for 5 different Olympics, and the only stoner to ever really get anything done.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) July 3, 2016
If you don’t know who Simone Biles is by now, you’re about to be inundated by facts, highlight videos and photos of her 1,000-watt smile over the next two months. Biles is the most dominant female athlete on the Planet Earth at the moment. She’s won four consecutive United States gymnastics championships and three consecutive World gymnastic titles. Her fourth world title should come in August at the Olympics. Since the P&G Championships in 2013, Biles has won every single meet in the All-Around competition she has participated in. A string of 12 straight titles. She was too young to participate in the 2012 Olympics. She’ll be the face of the 2016 Olympics.
.@Simone_Biles getting fancy with her #Astros first pitch. Love it! #USA pic.twitter.com/bPW43fX5SZ
— Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) July 4, 2016
It should be a coronation for Biles, who has easily bested all the best gymnasts in the world over the last three and a half years. She’s already considered the greatest female gymnast ever. The Olympics should be her crowning achievement.
Biles is so good she had to create something from scratch to make her floor routine more difficult. It’s a move no other gymnast had ever attempted and since she was the first to do it, it got named after her. It’s the crazy, twisting flip she does at the end of her second pass.
She’s so good and at ease on the floor, she actually winked at former US gymnast Shawn Johnson in the middle of her routine. That’s akin to Joe Montana pointing out John Candy to his offensive line before the game-winning drive during Super Bowl XXIII.
And while no one seems very excited about this year’s “Dream Team,” they should still easily walk their way to a gold medal. Earlier this week USA Basketball announced their roster that doesn’t include pretty much anybody you’d love to have on the team other than Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. They’ll be joined by Harrison Barnes, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Draymond Green, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, Kyle Lowry and Klay Thompson. Mike Kryzewski returns to coach the team to pick up his every four years gold medal.
