The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games are over but we’re still feeling the adrenaline rush and powder slash. Among some of the top performers were female Olympians who made history over and over this year, surprising some and wowing all. Here are 6 female Olympians that will continue to inspire us:
1. Chloe Kim: 17 and Killing the Game
Kim is a trilingual American snowboarder, guitarist and the veritable queen of our teenage dreams. At 17, she’s the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal. And she didn’t just win any medal in the women’s snowboard halfpipe – she won gold.
2. Mia Manganello: Hometown Hero
Manganello is a long track speed skater from Crestview. According to Team USA News, she and her team “broke a 16-year medal drought with a bronze-medal performance.” She has a long history of accomplishments as an athlete, loves pizza and lives by the quote, “if you can’t stop thinking about it, don’t stop working for it.”
3. Elizabeth Swaney: Scam Artist or True Olympian?
Swaney, American born, competed in the ski halfpipe where her performance was less than impressive. Cue the Mean Girls “she doesn’t even go here” clip.
Essentially, Swaney was able to join the Hungarian team based on the lack of competition for those spots. Some have accused her of swindling the system, but she really just saw an opportunity and took it. Swaney had the courage to compete in an event that few “normal people” will ever experience.
Fun fact: she earned a master’s degree from Harvard University.
4. Simidele Adeagbo: Definition of Black Girl Magic
According to her website, Adeagbo is the first black woman to compete as a skeleton athlete and says, “it’s time for the world to see strong, smart, vivacious, courageous, beautiful and ambitious women unapologetically blazing a trail in sports.” Adeagbo is a business woman, a serious athlete and truly an inspiration for all women.
5. Mirai Nagasu: Triple Axel Boss Babe
Nagasu landed a triple axel, making her the first American woman to do so in an Olympic competition. As if this wasn’t enough girl power for one performance, her teammate, Alexa Scimeca-Knierim, screamed, “You did it, girl!” after Nagasu landed the triple axel before her routine was over. We love to see women supporting women.
6. Lizzy Yarnold: Two Time Gold
According to NBC Olympics, Yarnold “became the first skeleton to not only win two medals in the event, she became the first to win back-to-back golds. On top of that, she became the first Great Britain athlete to win back-to-back gold in any Winter Olympics event.” She shares her fears on her website, saying “At times over the last four years it’s been so hard and I’ve doubted myself . . . but the team never lost faith and that’s why I’m back here today on the podium.”
Whether they won gold or crashed out, Olympians are incredible athletes. If we could work traits like Olympian-level dedication and courageousness into our everyday lives, we would all be better off. Break barriers like Simidele Adeagbo. Support your friends like Alexa Scimeca-Knierim. Work hard like Mia Manganello.