{"id":33766,"date":"2016-08-19T23:33:47","date_gmt":"2016-08-20T03:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=33766"},"modified":"2016-08-20T00:51:35","modified_gmt":"2016-08-20T04:51:35","slug":"the-impressive-women-of-the-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/the-impressive-women-of-the-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"The Impressive Women of the Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There have been so many impressive women at the Olympics in Rio in addition to the <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/the-great-simones-and-gabby-douglas\/\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. gymnastics team and swimmer Simone Manuel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m dazzled by all the &#8220;firsts&#8221; in these games. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcolympics.com\/news\/michelle-carter-wins-womens-shot-put-gold-medal\" target=\"_blank\">Last week<\/a>, Michelle Carter became <a href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetorch\/2016\/08\/13\/489874745\/michelle-carter-wins-team-usas-first-gold-in-womens-shot-put\" target=\"_blank\">the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal<\/a> in shot put, and the first to win any medal in the event since since 1960, when <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Earlene_Brown\" target=\"_blank\">Earlene Brown<\/a> took home the bronze.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/589029062\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.666667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/589029062?et=z_k5t-rATlJcIAany7UQEw&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=q_j0qgye-6owylWK3X51xgvS6DMJ6cI2edNIJObjqD0=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>In another first for women, Americans Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali, and Kristi Castlin swept the 100m hurdles, winning gold, silver and bronze respectively. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcolympics.com\/news\/first-time-ever-us-women-1-2-3-olympic-track-event\" target=\"_blank\">All the previous 1-2-3 sweeps in track and field had been in men&#8217;s events, according to NBC<\/a>. Look at the joy in this photo! <\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/591632266\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.666667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/591632266?et=cgZQV229RVxZxkGWtLEwpw&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=oEAGXdWA4Wu36MCDx55b4Bwk_9srV6VkVvUAXEGKSko=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcolympics.com\/news\/allyson-felix-becomes-most-decorated-us-woman-olympic-track-and-field-history\" target=\"_blank\">Allyson Felix became the most decorated woman in U.S. track and field<\/a> AND <a href=\"http:\/\/www.people.com\/people\/package\/article\/0,,20996464_21025635,00.html\" target=\"_blank\">the first woman in U.S. track and field to win five gold medals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/592239210\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:69.360269% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/592239210?et=MQDnG-ZIT2lzJLlnV_LmHA&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=weuaZXNxWtQpl4eC40GvF6wS5YRfxrSYo_pQIK5an8g=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"412\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Also in track and field, Dalilah Muhammad became the first U.S. woman to win the 400m hurdles. Look at her go!<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/591926866\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.666667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/591926866?et=DW6fYTI0QENH4J_0SSDx_A&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=WVWHIXtO5gRb5hLFkWORYaOYPQ8YGaLa6t54Pt9lt28=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s yet another first: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/olympics\/rio-2016\/2016\/08\/18\/usa-helen-maroulis-wins-gold-freestyle-wrestling-53kg\/88963624\/\" target=\"_blank\">Helen Maroulis<\/a> won the first gold medal for U.S. women&#8217;s wrestling. <\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:426px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/592207546\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:139.436620% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/592207546?et=hjWmtI3vQ1BcdDMN3wgsFQ&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=GhZPIqbMi3CONCD8FQvRaMvyEmdr-6G9x4RCCpIvPfg=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"426\" height=\"594\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>There were firsts for non-U.S. women too, including Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, who won bronze in taekwondo, becoming the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/entry\/kimia-alizadeh-zenoorin-iran-woman-olympic-medal_us_57b7631de4b0b51733a37c08\" target=\"_blank\">first woman from Iran to medal in the Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/591926922\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.666667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/591926922?et=0xaAxkmISkZucA2jBTaB_g&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=EKxzUWed54-_7tbOQY0_dppn5WtE4qKgX90ew_LTsqc=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>While I always choke up when the winners shed tears of happiness and pride, my new favorite way of celebrating a gold medal comes courtesy of Japan&#8217;s Risako Kawai, <a href=\"http:\/\/nymag.com\/thecut\/2016\/08\/risako-kawai-knows-how-to-celebrate-olympic-gold.html\" target=\"_blank\">a wrestler who expressed her joy by body-slamming her couch twice and then carrying him around on her shoulders while he waved the Japanese flag<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Risako Kawai wins gold in the 63kg freestyle, celebrates by body slamming her coach&#8230;twice. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3nZ10QtWAW\">https:\/\/t.co\/3nZ10QtWAW<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nySNtpGPvT\">https:\/\/t.co\/nySNtpGPvT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCOlympics\/status\/766439051129860097\">August 19, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Can we give her a gold medal for celebration?<\/p>\n<p>For further reading, here is <a href=\"http:\/\/variety.com\/2016\/tv\/columns\/rio-2016-olympics-stars-ryan-lochte-simone-biles-gabby-douglas-1201840600\/\" target=\"_blank\">Variety&#8217;s story on the women taking center stage at the Olympics<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/opinion\/commentary\/ct-olympics-black-women-simone-biles-manuel-20160818-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">a Chicago Tribune commentary on how the high-performing black women at the Olympics don&#8217;t get all the respect they deserve<\/a>. New York Magazine has a <a href=\"http:\/\/nymag.com\/thecut\/2016\/08\/shine-theory-rio-olympics-gymnastics-track.html\" target=\"_blank\">piece on the women of the Olympics and &#8220;shine theory.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n<p>UPDATED TO ADD: I almost missed fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.teamusa.org\/News\/2016\/August\/08\/Ibtihaj-Muhammad-Officially-Becomes-First-Team-USA-Athlete-To-Compete-In-Hijab-At-Olympics\" target=\"_blank\">who became the first U.S. athlete to compete in the Olympics while wearing a hijab<\/a>. She helped win a team bronze for the U.S. in sabre.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/589468268\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:78.451178% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/589468268?et=Hf_ZxOJwRoR9WEsWfjPv_g&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=9BQqUBitdd2-IsEE7q7eE7UsZbp_PypewoqCiC_YDrY=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"466\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>And here&#8217;s a massive OOPS: I thought I mentioned world-record-setting swimmer <a href=\"http:\/\/www.si.com\/olympics\/2016\/08\/17\/katie-ledecky-rio-olympics-gold-medals-bruce-gemmell\" target=\"_blank\">Katie Ledecky<\/a> in my last Olympics post, but I didn&#8217;t! Four gold medals and one silver medal in one Olympics? I can&#8217;t leave her out.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/589027402\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:66.666667% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/589027402?et=akfHGy2nS4lkqtNBhhgJWw&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=fxkqp52ZI5uGx9uJSKQFIkKKJtqZounJgNRAubjOHl4=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"396\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m sorry, Katie. But at least I didn&#8217;t write this headline.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This headline is a metaphor for basically the entire world. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5WpQa04N0o\">pic.twitter.com\/5WpQa04N0o<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nancy Leong (@nancyleong) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nancyleong\/status\/764968748298100736\">August 14, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>I also have to comment on one dude: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/early-lead\/wp\/2016\/08\/18\/tyson-gay-going-for-gold-with-a-neck-full-of-gold\/\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay<\/a>, who was wearing layers of gold chains with jewelry-designer-level expertise.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:396px;\">\n<div style=\"padding:0;margin:0;text-align:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/591785270\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:150.000000% 0 0 0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/591785270?et=3H-uAFlHTUV6lDvoSuGWpw&#038;viewMoreLink=on&#038;sig=E65lvvSaUjuKxLkI6JWGW033c34SmqCk3F-AoMeljRU=&#038;caption=true\" width=\"396\" height=\"594\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t know how anyone can run with so much jewelry on; I marveled over the athletes wearing just one necklace! Unfortunately for Gay, he doesn&#8217;t have to worry about his chains clashing with a bronze medal for the 4&#215;100 meter relay, because the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbssports.com\/olympics\/news\/rio-olympics-2016-u-s-mens-relay-team-disqualified-for-early-handoff\/\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. team was disqualified for an early baton handoff<\/a>. The team was previously stripped of the silver medal it won at the 2012 London games because Gay was suspended for drug use. Four years before that, a failed handoff involving Gay prevented the team from completing the preliminary heat. Basically, Gay and the Olympics don&#8217;t go together very well &#8230; but I still love the necklaces! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There have been so many impressive women at the Olympics in Rio in addition to the U.S. gymnastics team and swimmer Simone Manuel. I&#8217;m dazzled by all the &#8220;firsts&#8221; in these games. Last week, Michelle Carter became the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in shot put, and the first to win any&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/the-impressive-women-of-the-olympics\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[49,107],"tags":[799,791,798,800,801],"class_list":{"0":"post-33766","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-in-the-news","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-allyson-felix","9":"tag-rio-olympics","10":"tag-simon-biles","11":"tag-simone-manuel","12":"tag-tyson-gay","13":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33766"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33766\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33794,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33766\/revisions\/33794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}