Special thanks to intern Rebecca Rowell for the following post!
In little more than two weeks, the 2016 Summer Olympics will get underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The games open on August 5 and close August 21. During that time, sports fans will have a feast of events to choose from as athletes from 206 countries participate in 306 events across 42 disciplines.
As we prepare to cheer on this year’s athletes, let’s look at the great athletes who stood out in earlier games—some of whom will participate in the Rio games. Check out the Amazing Athletes series with Lerner Digital which highlight several individuals who have excelled in the Olympics.
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. To-date, he has a whopping twenty-two medals, eighteen of them gold. Learn about this phenomenal swimming talent in the revised edition of Michael Phelps, written by Jeffrey Zuehlke. Now Phelps came out of retirement and made the US swim team. Look for this amazing athlete at the Rio games next month.
Gabby Douglas is another repeat Olympian who will take part in Rio. Although she’s just 4 feet, 11 inches tall, Gabby Douglas made a larger-than-life impact on the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She won the gold medal in the women’s all-around event, and she was only sixteen. Learn about this rising talent and more in Gabby Douglas (also available as an interactive book), written by Jon M. Fishman.
Krystyna Poray Goddu tells the story of one of the most remembered American female Olympians in What’s Your Story, Wilma Rudolph?. She was the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single games. Geared toward readers in grades K–3, this book shows how to use interviewing skills and journalistic questions to reveal a story—in this case, the story of a famous American and honored Olympian.
Enjoy these stories. And, whatever sport you like to watch, enjoy the games.