The Summer Olympic Games kick off in Rio in less than a month, and stateside anticipation isbuilding big time for the event.  Just this week the USA finalized their women’s gymnastic roster, and earlier this month the legend Michael Phelps qualified to compete in as many as 6 events for his big comeback.

The Olympics is a lifetime goal and accomplishment of athletes worldwide, and when the time comes for the big stage, stars from all around the world bring their absolute best to the table.

And, since I’m all “Go Team USA” over here, I feel the need to add that we totally rock. Trying to narrow down the list of athletes to profile is nearly impossible as we have dozens of returning gold medalists as well as tons of new blood coming to play.

There are no shortage of great events to watch and awesome athletes to follow in Rio in 2016, and these are my top five picks.

 

If you follow the ITU Triathlon circuit at all, chances are good you’ve heard of Gwen Jorgensen. She’s the two-time champion in 2014 and 2015 and had one heck of a winning streak last year where she placed first in 12 straight races among some seriously stacked female competition.

Rio won’t be her first Olympics, she qualified and raced in 2012 where she got a flat tire on the bike a finished a disappointing 38th place. That setback didn’t slow her down, however, as in the following years she’s proved to be one of the most dominant forces in the sport.

Alongside her coach Jamie Turner, Gwen has honed her skills over the years notably improving her bike handling and swim times while maintaining her incredible running fitness.  Athletes have been quoted as saying they need a substantial lead over Gwen going into the run to even have a chance at beating her, and you better believe that she’s not going to give in inch in Rio.

 

Last we heard following the London Olympic Games in 2012, Michael Phelps was retired. He had 22 total shiny medals around his neck, and with 18 of them being gold he was well on the way to building that giant gold palace that he so very much deserved.

But then, back in April of 2014, it hit the news that he was coming out of retirement to swim at a meet in Omaha. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big Phelps fan, but I wasn’t convinced that he had another Olympic Games in him. At 31 years old on the day of the qualifying competition, he’s one of the older athletes in the sport, and who knew how time off would affect him.

Given that he qualified in 3 individual events (100m butterfly, 200m medley, 200m butterfly) and is also able to compete in three relay events (4x100m medley, and the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle), I’d say he’s back. Not only was he smooth and fast in the water, but he beat longtime rival Ryan Lochte in the 200m individual medley.

And he’s not done yet.  In an interview he says, “I’m 30 years old and swimming almost faster than I ever have before”

We can’t wait to see that in Rio.

 

Some of the biggest, and most anticipated Olympics news broke this week, the USA Women’s Gymnastic Team was announced. There were some favorites from the 2012 Games including Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman, as well as some fresh new faces in Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian.

Last, but anything but least, on the roster, is Simone Biles. As the only woman ever to capture the title of World Champion for three years running, Biles is already being touted by some as the greatest female gymnast of all time. She’s on the top of many lists to be the All-Around champion in Rio, making it the fourth time in a row an American woman holds the title.

Her execution of every piece of work is flawless, and she performs routines at an extremely technically high level, allowing her to earn maximum points on the beam, uneven bars, vault, and during her floor routine.

 

The name Kendrick Ferris and the words beast mode go hand in hand.  He’s one of only three athletes representing the USA in weightlifting at the Olympic Games this year and for good reason.

Lifting at 207 pounds he has a recorded highest total lift of 372.9kg (that’s 820 freaking pounds for those of us who don’t do metric), and he placed first in the 2015 PanAm games with a 363kg (800-pound) total lift.

He’s competed twice before, in 2008 and 2012, but both years was competing in a lighter category (187 pounds). By bumping up his weight class, focusing on adding lean muscle mass, and drilling his technique like a crazy man, Kendrick is sure to put on one heck of a show in Rio next month.

 

Allyson Felix is a Track and Field powerhouse and has been exploding off the starting line just like she exploded onto the scene back in 2008. A three-time Olympic competitor and five-time medalist, she’s qualified for Rio to chase gold in the 400m event.

She already has three under her belt from London, the 200m individual, and the 4x100m relay, as well as one from Bejing in 2008 in the 4x400m relay.

In 2016 she was attempting to qualify to run both the 400m and defend her 200m title but came up just short (we’re talking .01 seconds short) of the 200m qualifying time due to an injury. She had previously petitioned the Olympic committee to approve her running both events, as it was previously not allowed.

While she was disappointed at not having the chance to defend her gold, Felix is sure to have a spectacular showing in the 400 and has a chance at earning a new medal.

What event are you the most excited about watching?  We know we left out a lot of big names and a lot of faces to watch, but stay tuned. We have more Olympics coverage to come!