10 Olympians to watch in Rio

OMAHA, NE - JULY 02: Michael Phelps of the United States competes in the final heat for the Men's 100 Meter Butterfly during Day Seven of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink Center on July 2, 2016 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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Aug 21, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Simone Biles competes on the balance beam in the 2014 P&G Championships at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Simone Biles has dominated women’s gymnastics since 2013 and has won the most world championship gold medals of any female gymnast in history. She is a three-time all-around world champion and four-time U.S. national all-around champion. She has also won the world championship multiple times in floor and beam.

Biles is fun to watch because of her personality, athleticism, and grace. Gymnastics is already a popular Olympic sport, but Biles makes it even more worthwhile to tune in. She can generate the kind of interest in gymnastics that Mary Lou Retton did in 1984.

Biles has been working with the same coach, Aimee Boorman, since she was six years old. Check out some vintage Biles here. (By the next Olympics we should have every athlete’s entire career documented in smartphone footage.)

Homeschooled, Biles devotes countless hours to her sport, and, by all accounts and appearances, is still full of enthusiasm and passion. Her coach’s love of her job probably helps. Boorman told the Houston Chronicle, “I love coaching. That is what I love to do. Gymnastics is my passion.”
Biles could win five medals in Rio. You’ll have to watch to find out if she does

Next: 6. Justin Gatlin, Track and Field