2021 Tokyo Olympics: Simone Biles, 5 Other U.S. Athletes To Watch

ACROSS AMERICA — With Michael Phelps, Tim Duncan and Aly Raisman among the newly retired, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics offers Americans a chance to find new Olympic heroes.

While a few may already be household names, more than 600 others have a chance to etch their name in Olympic lore when the games begin after the July 23 opening ceremony.

Here are a few in particular to keep an eye on:

Simone Biles: Easily the most well-known Olympian outside possibly a few players on the USA men’s basketball team, many experts agree Simone Biles has already cemented her spot as the greatest gymnast of all-time.

Already having notched four Olympic gold medals prior to 2021, Biles made history during the U.S. Classic in Indianapolis back in May when she became the first woman in history to successfully complete a Yurchenko double pike vault. It’s a skill so difficult it had only been previously attempted in competition by men.

Related On Patch: Things Simone Biles Can Do That Most Of Us Definitely Cannot

Katie Ledecky: At age 24, Ledecky’s five gold medals make the swimmer among the most already accomplished athletes heading into the 2021 Olympics. The swimming superstar and 2020 Stanford University grad has a chance to add to her already impressive total in Tokyo.

She could defend her 2016 gold medals in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 4x200 freestyle swimming events. Her 2016 win in the 800 freestyle was in blowout fashion, finishing 11 seconds ahead of the silver medalist.

Kyle Snyder: In 2016, Snyder became the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal. He’s since defeated Abdulrashid Sadulaev, a Russian legend, and won silver at the 2017 world championship.

Snyder, an Ohio State University alum, now leads a USA freestyle wrestling squad that is expected to see “plenty of success” in Tokyo, according to ABC News.

Devin Booker: The rising Phoenix Suns basketball superstar could pull off something remarkable: winning an NBA championship and gold medal in a month’s time. Booker will be late to join his USA Basketball teammates as the NBA Finals continues into July due to a delay in the season caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Booker has said he plans to be in Tokyo even if the NBA Finals go the full seven games.

Khris Middleton, of the Milwaukee Bucks, is in the same situation as Booker, with the possibility of winning both the championship and gold medal in the same summer awaiting one of the two.

Monica Abbott: USA Softball makes its first appearance at The Olympics since 2008, and one of their stars back then is expected to star again now. Abbott will take the mound in Tokyo as one of the most accomplished fast pitch softball players of all-time.

She posted a 0.29 earned run average in the 2008 games in Beijing, and has stayed sharp since, going 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA in the 2018 World Baseball Softball Confederation Championships.

“The Olympics is the highest stage for many women’s sports; we receive similar coverage to men’s sports and on a global level,” Abbott told Front Office Sports. “For the sport of softball to be back in the Olympics, I’m hoping we can use this opportunity to raise visibility for the sport and encourage more young women to see the possibilities of a career in professional softball.”

Sha’Carri Richardson’s Replacements: While not directly replacing Richardson, Aleia Hobbs will be on the relay team Richardson would have been eligible for had she not tested positive for marijuana and received a controversial one-month ban as punishment.

In Richardson’s absence, the women’s 100-meter relay team will now be led by Javianne Oliver, according to an EssentiallySports.com report. Hobbs, Teahna Daniels, Jenna Prandini, Gabby Thomas and English Gardner will join Oliver in the event.