The 2021 Olympics looks a little different than in years past, and while fans aren’t crowding the stands in Tokyo this summer, the SBP team has been cheerleading right at home. Sure, the cards were stacked against the 2021 games, but in spite of several upsets and a full year’s delay, we’ve witnessed countless victories and transformative events that have downright redefined what the Olympics stands for. Below, get a glimpse of the SBP team’s top Tokyo moments.
F. Ron Smith
My favorite moment from the Olympics was when Karsten Warholm of Norway won gold in the 400m men’s hurdle. You could feel his excitement as he tore off his shirt to celebrate after the event. Overall, my biggest takeaway from the Olympics is how friendly and cordial everyone has been with one another. Such an inspiration.
David Berg
I think Simone Biles’ return to the Olympics is one of the greatest comeback stories of all time. It’s so noble that she was able to prioritize her mental health and well-being yet still overcome and make the world proud after hopping back on the balance beam. That will go down in Olympics history.
Rick Torres
Being a swimmer, I really enjoyed watching that competition. My sister competed in five Olympics in swimming so I know firsthand the extreme physical and metal toll it can take. So my favorite moment was definitely when Caleb Dressel won his first individual gold medal and emoted such pure feeling — from total elation to breaking down crying. I found it to be so real and vulnerable.
Katy Yambao
My favorite moment was watching Kevin Hart and Snoop Dog giving the Olympics highlights. Their commentary on equestrian dressage in particular is absolutely worth the watch!
Nathan Stadler
I’m a huge golf nut. I loved watching Xander Schauffele break through and bring home gold for the U.S. He’s also half Japanese, so to do it in the country where his grandparents still live, and to share it with them, was pretty cool.
Sewit Eshetu
My favorite moment was when Selemon Barega won the first track and field gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics and claimed the 10,000-meter title back for Ethiopia after nearly a decade of dominance by Mo Farah.
Hannah Pilkington
Like David, my favorite moment from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics was Simone Biles bravely prioritizing her mental health despite being underneath the world’s microscope. This was a step in the right direction for this country and she showed future generations that maintaining one’s mental health is just as important as one’s physical health.
Ryan Bergum
I can truly appreciate a good underdog story, and there’s one moment from this year’s Olympics that stands out to me. Eighteen-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia managed to pull off a surprise upset in the men’s 400 freestyle. Days before, he recorded the slowest qualifying time of the eight swimmers in the final heat. Talk about incredible!
Krista Masella
My favorite Olympics moment was watching the women’s street skateboarding final. The athletes ranged in ages from mid 30s to barely teens and seeing those women out there shredding was a joy to watch. You could feel how excited they were to be there and the overwhelming support they had for their fellow competitors. At the end, the gold medal went to 13 year old Momiji Nishiya of Japan, silver to 13 year old Rayssa Leal of Brazil and bronze to 16 year old Funa Nakayama of Japan. Talk about girl power!
Andres Vargas
I think one of the most inspiring stories from the Olympics is how British BMX rider Bethany Shriever won gold after being refused funding by UK Sport. So, instead, she resorted to crowdfunding in order to get to Japan and raised $69,719 to cover costs. It’s a truly incredible story of overcoming sexist barriers presented to female athletes.