Rio Olympics 2016: 5 superhumans playing at the Summer Games in Rio
The Rio Olympics 2016 has only begun and top athletes from around the globe have arrived in the Brazilian City to take the center stage. They are all one of the bests, if not the best, at what they do. Some have to maintain their legacy while many are looking to surprise the world on their debut.
A few have excluded themselves from the average Olympian to rise further and beyond any competitor to book a permanent slot for the gold in their respective events. These are the superhumans that the world has a keen interest in. Some of them are looking at their final Olympics this year, while others are just 19 and getting started.
Here’s a look at the 5 superhumans that’ll grace the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Michael Phelps
A classic superhuman’s tale starts off with an anomaly or a disorder, something that humans don’t deem “fit” or “normal”. When Phelps was in the sixth grade, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). By the age of 10, he held a national swimming record for his age group.
The swimmer is the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 22 medals in total in 3 Olympiads. Phelps’ record of 18 Olympics gold medals is double that of the second highest record holder. In the 2012 London Olympics, Phelps became the most successful athlete of the Olympics games after winning 4 gold and 2 silver medals.
The American is the world record holder in the 200m butterfly, 100m butterfly and the 400m individual medley as well as the former long course world record holder in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
The seven-time World Swimmer of the Year Award recipient and a nine-time American Swimmer of the Year Award recipient, Phelps boasts a staggering 77 medals to his name from all major international long-course competitions.
His medal tally includes 61 gold, 13 silver, and 3 bronze from the Olympics, the Pan Pacific Championships and the FINA World Aquatic Championships.