Celebrating International Women

It's International Women's Day!  Especially after the past year, women deserve to have their own day and be celebrated.  Because, if you didn't know it already, women are bad asses!  Seriously, what can't they do?!  Homeschooling while trying to work from home while spending 24-7 with their kids and trying not to go insane...I don't know how they do it!

We'll see plenty of those bad ass women this summer in Tokyo.  This year's Olympics will have more women's events and more female athletes than ever before, and they figure to be some of the biggest stars of the Games.  Here are some of those who I expect to see at the top of podiums in Tokyo, representing 11 different countries and 11 different sports, as well as three women from new sports that will debut in Tokyo and figure to stick around a while.  They're all also on the program for Paris 2024, and probably will be for LA 2028, too.

Simone Biles, USA (Gymnastics): No woman dominates her sport more than Simone Biles.  She won four gold medals in Rio, including the all-around, took a break, then won six medals (four golds) at the 2018 World Championships and five golds at the 2019 Worlds.  The greatest gymnast of all-time, she could become the first back-to-back Olympic all-around champion since 1968.

Naomi Osaka, Japan (Tennis): Naomi Osaka has been the face of these Games ever since she won the US Open in 2018.  Three more Grand Slam titles later, her status as a Japanese sports icon has only grown.  She's also one of the most socially active athletes out there, using her voice to promote change.  I wouldn't be surprised to see her carry the host nation's flag into Olympic Stadium, or maybe even lighting the cauldron.

Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (Swimming): Of all the outstanding swimmers in the world today, Katinka Hosszu is one of the absolute best.  She won three gold medals and a silver in Rio, setting a world record in the 400 IM and an Olympic record in the 200 IM.  The "Iron Lady" has swept the IMs and the last four World Championships and hasn't lost either race at a major meet since the 2012 Olympics.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica (Track & Field): Whether she medals in Tokyo or not, Fraser-Pryce is one of the greatest female sprinters in Olympic history.  She won back-to-back 100-meter golds in Beijing and London, then took bronze in Rio.  After having a baby, Fraser-Pryce won her fourth 100-meter World Championship in 2019.

Isabell Werth, Germany (Equestrian): Tokyo will be Isabell Werth's sixth Olympics.  She's won 10 medals (six gold, four silver), all in dressage.  Werth's only individual gold came in 1996 (all four of her silvers are in the individual event).  Wouldn't it be something if she can win the individual Olympic title again 25 years later?

Shi Tingmao, China (Diving): China's long been the dominant force in the sport of diving, and Shi Tingmao has dominated the springboard events for the better part of a decade.  She swept the individual and synchro 3-meter events at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Championships, as well as the Rio Olympics.

Ko Jin-Young, South Korea (Golf): There are any number of Korean golfers who could find her way to the top of the podium in Tokyo.  Inbee Park, the defending gold medalist, could easily defend her Olympic title.  But then again, it might be world No. 1 Ko Jin-Young, who won two majors and was named LPGA Player of the Year in 2019.

Carolina Marin, Spain (Badminton): In a sport otherwise dominated by Asians, Carolina Marin became just the second European ever to win Olympic badminton gold in Rio.  The former world No. 1 is also a three-time world champion.  She's won three events already in 2021, as well.

Clarisse Agbegnenou, France (Judo): With the addition of a mixed team event, judo athletes will be eligible for multiple gold medals at the same Olympics for the first time.  I'm not saying the French team is strong enough to win that event, but, individually, Clarisse Agbegnenou could easily turn her Rio silver into Tokyo gold.  She's won three straight World Championships and three straight European titles since then.

Anna van der Breggen, Netherlands (Cycling): Van der Breggen has said she's retiring after the 2021 season.  She could go out by winning her second straight Olympic road race.  She also won bronze in the time trial in Rio and has medaled in both events at the last three World Championships, including a pair of golds in 2020.

Jade Jones, Great Britain (Taekwondo): Jade Jones won Great Britain's first-ever Olympic taekwondo title at home in 2012.  She repeated as gold medalist in 2016.  Don't be surprised if the 2019 World Champion and three-time reigning European champion makes it three in a row in Tokyo.

Stephanie Gilmore, Australia (Surfing): You know that the first-ever Olympic gold medal in surfing is something that will automatically jump to the top of the career highlight list for whoever wins it.  And the battle for it should be great.  Stephanie Gilmore, one of the best surfers ever and a seven-time World Champion, has already qualified for a ridiculously competitive Aussie team, so she'll definitely be one of the favorites.

Pamela Rosa, Brazil (Skateboarding): Pamela Rosa is only 21 and has already won six medals at the X Games.  She also took the gold in street, one of the two Olympic events, at the 2019 World Championships.  Rosa enters the Olympic season ranked No. 1 in the event.

Janja Garnbret, Slovenia (Sport Climbing): Sport climbing is the new Olympic sport that I'm the most excited about.  And Janja Garnbret seems as good a candidate as any to claim the first gold medal in the sport.  She just turned 21 and is already a six-time World Champion.  Garnbret won three of the four disciplines at the 2019 Worlds and has won the last two World titles in the combined, which is the Olympic event.