The United States made its Olympic debut in 1896 but it would take another 10 years before one of the first African-American Olympic athletes — John Baxter Taylor Jr. — would win a gold medal. Over time The Olympic Games have become more diverse and inclusive — the Paralympic Games began in 1960 — but barriers and challenges still remain for BIPOC athletes in 2021. Here are some BIPOC Olympic athletes to watch at the 2021 Summer Games Tokyo Olympics.
What does BIPOC mean?
BIPOC Olympic athletes to watch in the Tokyo Olympics 2021
Over the last year, a long-overdue awakening around systemic racism was set into motion after the tragic death of George Floyd. We can hope that in time these barriers to BIPOC success will diminish. In the meantime, as we continue to fight injustices and right the wrongs, we can look ahead to the myriad of success stories such as these:
Simone Biles
The gymnastic superstar will be contending for five gold medals in Tokyo. If she does get all five, she will have achieved the title of one of the Greatest Olympians Ever.
Jordan Chiles
The former roommate of Simone Biles, gymnast Chiles will be vying for her very first Olympic medal in Tokyo.
Carissa Moore
The professional surfer and Hawaii native is a strong contender this year and will likely be bringing home some hardware.
Noah Lyles
The sprinter, who ran the 200-meter with the fastest time on the planet this calendar year, will head to his first-ever Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Olympic Games will take place July 23 through August 8 and The Paralympics begin on August 24th and run through September 5th.
