Editor’s note: Find live medal counts, a schedule of events and how to watch the Tokyo Olympics here.
It’s been an uncertain stretch for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but one thing is for sure — Texas women are ready to take home the gold.
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This year, 15 women from all over Texas have qualified for Team USA. (See the schedule of events for the 2021 Olympics here.)
In San Antonio, a pair of sisters are looking to fence their way into an Olympic medal. Kelley and Courtney Hurley are competing this year with the U.S fencing team.
Kelley is a three-time Olympian and she even won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics for team competition with Courtney. Courtney is a two-time Olympian who competed in 2012 and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Down the road in New Braunfels, softball pitcher Cat Osterman will make Olympic history by being the oldest person to compete for Team USA at 38. Osterman first competed in the Olympics in 2004, winning gold with the softball team.
One of the most well-known women to watch for this year is Houston-area native, Simone Biles. Biles won four gold and one bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics competing for the women’s gymnastics team.
This year, Biles secured her spot once again as part of the four-person gymnastic team.
Biles isn’t the only Simone making history. Simone Manuel, another Houston-area native, won gold in the 2016 Olympics, making her the first African American woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming.
While Manuel was hoping to break the record for the 100-meter freestyle this year, she did not place in the U.S Olympic swimming trials. She was diagnosed with overtraining syndrome but in a comeback victory, she won the 50-meter freestyle and secured her spot in Tokyo.
WNBA athlete and 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, Brittney Griner also joins the list of Houston natives hoping to win an award. This is Griner’s second year playing for the Women’s 5x5 basketball team. Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury and is a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Dallas native Sha’Carri Richardson was set to run in the 100-meter race for the track and field team this year. However, Richardson tested positive for marijuana last week and was suspended for 30 days, according to regulations set by the U.S Anti-Doping Agency. On Tuesday, it was announced that she will not be participating in the team relay.
The full list of Texans in the 2021 Olympics are listed below:
- Simone Manuel (Houston)- Swimming
- Jasmine Moore (Grand Prairie) - Track and Field
- Cat Osterman (New Braunfels)- Softball
- Virginia “Ginny” Fuchs (Houston)- Flyweight Boxing
- Alison Gibson (Austin)- Diving
- Hailey Hernandez (Southlake)- Diving
- Courtney Hurley (San Antonio)- Fencing
- Kelly Hurley (San Antonio)- Fencing
- Austen Smith (Dallas)- Shooting
- Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell)- Volleyball
- Ariel Atkins (Duncanville)- Basketball
- Brittney Griner (Houston)- Basketball
- Natalie Hinds (Midland)-Swimming
- Tamrya Mensah Stock (Katy)- Wrestling
- Anna van Brummen (Houston)- Fencing
To see all members of Team USA, visit its website here.