ICYMI, the Rio 2016 Olympics have well and truly started. So if like me you've been sat at home watching the whole thing on your sofa, frantically Googling 'how to become an Olympic swimmer,' all weekend, why not refresh your memory on some of the women you need to know about this year. Here’s your NTK on the most #inspo women so far.
Yusra Mardini
I mean, where do we start? Yusra Madini is an 18-year-old Syrian refugee who helped saved the lives of 20 people, along with her sister, by jumping off their sinking dinghy in the Aegean Sea while fleeing Syria.Yusra pushed the boat to land the Greek Island Lesbos, we can’t even comprehend how hard that would have been. Now part of the refugee team, Yasra competed the women’s 100-metre butterfly on Saturday, and while she didn’t qualify for the final she absolutely smashed her heat with a time of 1 minute 9.21 seconds. Yursa will be competing in the women’s 100m freestyle on Wednesday. Expect big things from this one.
Dipa Karmakar
Dipa Carmaker became the first Indian to qualify for the apparatus finals of the artistic Olympics at the weekend. That sentence alone is enough to make you want to follow her journey, am I right? The 22-year old from Tripura qualified for the Individual vaults finals in Gymnastics, an achievement no Indian women before has her done. Her move is described as the ‘vault of death,’ named after Russian athlete Yelena Produnova, is so risky that only four other gymnasts have tried it since. Need we say anymore? I think not.
Katinka Hosszu
Katinka Hosszu is a controversial one, but there’s no denying she’s an absolute champion in the swimming pool. The self-named ‘Iron Lady,’ has already won a gold medal for her record breaking performance in the 400-metre individual medley. Some believe she takes preformance-enhancing drugs, although she has never been tested positive, but there’s no denying that Katrina is one to watch out for.
Ibrihaj Muhammad
Currently preparing for her ‘defining moment’ in her life, aka becoming Team USA’s first hijab-wearing Olympian for fencing, Ibrihaj Muhammad is breaking the mould and prepared to challenge the stereotypes people have about Muslin women. The 30-year old ranks eighth this season, after winning the Pan american title in June. She's also won two gold medals for USA in the team saber event at the World Fencing Championships in Russia. Basically she’s absolutely nailing life, in general.
Dina Asher-Smith
We couldn’t not have someone from team GB could we. Dina Asher-Smith, where on earth do we start. This 20-year-old holds the women’s 100m and 200m record. Let us repeat ourselves, Dina Asher-Smith is THE fastest women in British history. She spent the London Olympics watching from the other side of tracks, picking up athletes kits, and now she's set to make history. Excuse us while we go practice our sprints…GO DINA.
Katy Ledecky
Yesterday Katy Ledecky got in the pool ready to do her thing. She did her thing (400m freestyle for team USA if you didn’t know) and oh my god she knocked it so far out of the park you would not believe. She not only broke a world record with a new time of 3 minutes 56.54, she crushed her own world record of 3.58.37. Keep your beady eyes on Katy, she’s going far.
Isadora Cerullo
25-year-old Isadra is a member of the Brazil rugby sqaud. They very nearly made into the knockout rounds, but we’re knocked out. That’s not the real story here, though. After the medal ceremony, Isadora’s girlfriend, Marjorie Enya, asked her to marry her on camera. She even gave a speech and told the whole tea that she was the love of her life. Excuse us while we go grab a tissue.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.