Black Tokyo Magic: Meet 13 Women Athletes Representing For The Gold At 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The 2020 Olympics, which was rescheduled to happen in 2021, began on Friday, 23 July 2021, with its Olympic athletic teams in the United States significantly represented by black women.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed back a lot of occurrences that the world had grown used to. From the Grammys to the NBA Finals. The Olympics in Tokyo was no exception.

The International Olympic Committee made the difficult decision to postpone the Summer Olympic Games by one year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has claimed millions of lives. As a result, hundreds of competitors had to wait an additional year to train, prepare, and give their all in order to compete in the summer of 2021.

Fortunately, these women, Simone Biles, Allyson Felix, Christine Clemons, and a host of other competitors now have the chance to compete for their sport’s highest honor, an Olympic gold medal.

Come along to find out more about the black women Olympians competing for team USA in Tokyo this year.

1. Cunningham Vashti

Vashti Cunningham, the daughter of legendary NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, won the women’s high jump with a leap of 6-5 and qualified for her second Olympic Games.

USA today records a report of the 23-year-old;

“The final was very exciting for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the days leading up to it. I was so ready to be there, I didn’t quite jump the height that I wanted to, but I was just happy to go through (and) to win my first trials title.”

Cunningham has an interest in fashion and enjoys photography in addition to athletics.

2. Dunn Crystal

The soccer player is a natural at everything she does, and she’s excited to bring her skills to Tokyo this year to compete for Team USA. Despite the fact that her team’s last journey to the Olympics did not result in a gold medal, she is optimistic that things will be different this year.

3. Tapper Naya

Naya Tapper is a model and actress who works in the fashion industry.

Naya Tapper announced her selection for the women’s rugby squad on Thursday. On her Instagram page, Tapper acknowledged her support system for guiding her and expressed gratitude for the chance, saying she felt “fortunate and humbled.”

“Without every person I’ve come into contact with on this journey, I wouldn’t be here today writing this,” she said. “So thank you to everyone reading this because I’m sure you’ve supported me in one way or another and I appreciate you.”

4. Osaka Naomi

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. Despite taking a hiatus from playing to protect her mental health, the 23-year-old tennis star is motivated to return stronger than ever for the Olympic Games.

As previously reported by Blavity, the four-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from Wimbledon, following her withdrawal from the French Open.

Osaka just released photographs from her cover shoot for Vogue Japan, and also led the opening ceremony by lighting the Olympic cauldron.

5. Clemons Christina

Christina Clemons, a track and field athlete, made an impression at the Olympic trials, earning a position on the USA track team. She came in third place in the 100-meter hurdles and wore Dorito bags as earrings.

I’ve been looked over, I’ve been counted out, but when God is with you, it doesn’t matter,” the 31-year-old told NBC Sports. “Oh, I’m just so happy. To everyone who has had setbacks, to everyone who has had more disappointments than they can count, to everyone who has wanted to give up, to everyone who has lost more than they’ve won, to everyone who is waiting on a breakthrough: I just want you to see me as a walking testimony of where faith and grit can take you. To be used by God as a symbol of hope is the BIGGEST blessing of my life. When you’re feeling weary, remember me. When you’re feeling forgotten, remember me. When you think you’ve hit your breaking point, remember me but mostly remember these words: The amount of love God has for you trumps the pain you feel and if you can just be patient (not your type of patient but God’s type of patient), and allow God to build your CHARACTER, you will turn out to be the best you possible. You will begin to live in your purpose. You will shine and be set free! God can turn around any situation, believe me, your time is coming and when it’s here you’ll appreciate it so much more than you ever could have before!”

6. Muhammed Dalilah

The Olympic champion is a beast in one of her sport’s most arduous events, the 400m hurdles, and she’s determined to make this year’s 400m hurdles event in Tokyo unmissable.

7. Johnson Ashleigh

Johnson has totally mastered her sport to become a water polo trailblazer in her own right as one of the top goalkeepers in the world. She made history as the first Black woman to make the United States Olympic Women’s Water Polo Team in 2016, and her goal now is to continue breaking down barriers for women who look like her.

8. Wilson A’ja

A’ja Wilson, a 24-year-old Las Vegas Aces player, will join the women’s US basketball team. The South Carolina native will join WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on the roster. Wilson was a three-time Southeastern Conference (SEC), Player of the Year, at her alma mater, the University of South Carolina.

Wilson claimed the event was “larger” than her when she received an honorary statue for her illustrious NCAA career earlier this year.

“Thank you for taking a chance on this wide-eyed Black girl, To every girl, especially every Black girl, remember you can do anything that you put your mind to. Have faith. Work hard.”

Wilson enjoys collecting jewelry to pay honor to her grandma Hattie Rakes when she is not shooting hoops.

9. Manuel Simone

Simone Manuel secured a spot on the 2021 Olympic swim team five years after being the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming.

“More than anything, I’m relieved,” she remarked after admitting to having the overtraining syndrome, “Today might have been the longest day of my life, as well as the longest 50.”

10. Hinds Natalie

Natalie Hinds qualified for the U.S. Olympic swim team after finishing fourth in the women’s 100m freestyle on Friday.

In a commentary after her win, Natalie stated,

“I think the reason I’m so emotional about making this team is that I’m so proud of the courage and vulnerability that I demonstrated, that I had a goal and I did everything I could to achieve that objective, and I ultimately did.”

11. Richardson Sha’Carri

Powerhouse and track star Sha’Carri Richardson won the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials on Saturday, securing a spot on the U.S. track team.

After the race, she told NBC Sports the following,

“I just want the world to know that I’m that girl, that every time I step on the track, I’m going to try to do what it is that me, my coach, my support team believe I can do and the talent that God blessed me to have to do every time I step on the track”

Despite the fact that her biological mother had recently died, the 21-year-old chose to rise to the occasion and pursue her aspirations.

12. Kendra Keni Harrison

Kendra Keni Harrison qualified for the women’s track team after winning the 100-meter hurdle jump on Sunday. Harrison kept her sights set on the goal after failing to qualify for the 2016 Olympics, and she would stop at nothing to ensure that she did not repeat the mistake this year.

According to a report recorded by WKYT, Harrison stated after the announcement that:

“All the glory goes to God, just to come out here and do what I knew I could do. I’m so glad I can put the past behind me and move forward. I try not to think of it as pressure. I know what I’m capable of, just to come out here and execute and cross the line first, and get the opportunity to go to the Olympics, means everything. I’ve worked so hard for this moment and I’m looking forward to it.”

13. Felix Allyson

After finishing second in the 400 meters on Sunday, Olympic veteran Allyson Felix joined the US track team for the fifth time.

In a post-race interview, ESPN reported her saying the following,

“It has been a fight to get here, and one thing I know how to do is fight, so I just wanted to do that all the way home.”

Felix will compete in the 2021 Olympics for the first time as a mother after giving birth to her daughter Camryn in 2018.

These black women are strong, fierce, and ready to bring home the gold because black girl magic never runs old. So, until then, we’d sit tight and watch it all unfold; Cheering them on one gold at a time.

All images are sourced from Instagram.com