The summer tournament has officially begun.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed by a year due to the pandemic, are scheduled to open on Friday, July 23 and conclude on August 8. Still, the emergence of new virus variants and the ongoing spread of infections continue to distract athletes and fans alike. Ethnic pride continues to excite fans around the world.
As reported in asian journal, The Philippines is that largest athlete delegation Since the 2020 Sydney Games, more than half of them were Filipinos. Not to be outdone, the United States also sends several historic Filipino Americans to represent the Stars and Stripes at various events.
Since the days of legendary Filipino-American Olympic gold medal diver Vicki Draves, the first Asian-American to win a gold medal and the first American woman to win two gold medals in diving, Athletes have been trying to leave their mark on the world. Olympic stage.
Here are some of the Filipino-American athletes competing in this year's Olympics.
![](https://asianjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Paige-McPherson.jpg)
Paige McPherson (Taekwondo)
This year, there are only two taekwondo athletes (both women) on Team USA, including 30-year-old Paige McPherson, who previously competed in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. Nicknamed “McPhears,” she became the first American female taekwondo athlete to qualify for the Olympics three times.
A native of Texas and a graduate of Miami Dade University, McPherson was adopted by Susan and Dave McPherson along with four other siblings. She is of Filipino and African American descent, and according to a June 18 Instagram post, McPherson met her Filipino birth mother and her half-siblings for the first time.
“I called my mother, who lives in Sacramento, and told her I was in San Francisco, and we all met in Union Square,” McPherson said. miami herald In June. “It was surreal to meet people who looked like me. All four of us had gaps between our front teeth. I know I'm Filipino and I know I'm black. However, meeting my mother, who is Asian, gave me a sense of security in my identity.Growing up in South Dakota, I had no idea what it was like to be Filipino or even African American. I didn't have a chance to learn about my own culture. When I actually met my mother, she talked and walked like a Filipino, and I thought, “Wow, that's amazing.''
McPherson will face Farida Azizova of Azerbaijan in the first round of the women's 67kg weight class on Sunday, July 25th.
![](https://asianjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/204445580_3876900515751930_7902421168251321545_n.jpg)
Bella Sims (swimming)
Swimmer Arabella “Bella” Sims of Henderson, Nevada, will compete in her first Olympics as part of the 4×200 meter freestyle relay. The 16-year-old started swimming since she was 9 years old and she swims as a member of the Sandpiper on the Nevada swim team.
At the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, Sims placed fifth in the 200-meter freestyle, earning her a spot on the national relay team. Her selection made her one of four high school athletes to make the national team.
from the heart Instagram post Announcing his selection to the USA Swimming Team, Berra wrote: “I'm honored to be selected to represent the United States this summer! Thank you to all my coaches, family, and friends for their endless support! I couldn't have done it without you! Dreams do come true! [sic]”
![](https://asianjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/210197579_1914866021999505_5425749874057621836_n.jpg)
Emma Malabuyo (Gymnastics — Substitute)
Among the Olympic sports, women's gymnastics is definitely one of the most-watched sports, if not the most-watched sport, during the entire 16-day competition. Selection for Team USA's women's gymnastics team is fiercely competitive, and just being selected is already a big step in her career.
UCLA rhythmic gymnast Emma Malabuyo, 18, was about to quit competing completely when her coach, Kim Burdett, encouraged her to “reprogram” her entire mindset and approach to competition. However, according to the paper, daily bruin.
After months of training, Malabuyo, a native of Milpitas, Calif., competed at the U.S. Nationals in June, where he placed third on beam, earning him a chance at the U.S. Olympic Trials and being named an alternate. . She joined the official women's gymnastics team.
“I was just overwhelmed and speechless because all my hard work paid off,” Malabuyo said. “It's been a long process and a battle to get to this moment.”
![](https://asianjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-14.jpeg)
Lee Keefer (fencing)
Right-handed fencer Lee Keefer — three-time Olympian, five-time NCAA champion, 10-time Pan American champion, nine-time Pan American individual champion, and 2018 world champion — doesn't have much else to prove.
The 27-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, competes in both individual and team fencing events in Tokyo. She is married to fellow Olympic fencer Gerek Meinhardt.
Kiefer, whose mother is Filipino, became the first American woman to be ranked No. 1 in the International Fencing Federation rankings in 2017 (a position she still holds). In preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, Kiefer completed her two and a half years of medical school at the University of Kentucky.
![](https://asianjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/My-Post-3-1.jpg)
Colin Rivera (cycling)
Kiefer isn't the only 20-something to have accomplished more in his life than most people accomplish in a lifetime.
Colin Rivera, 28, from Newport Beach, California, will be competing in the Olympics for the first time as a road cyclist for the U.S. Cycling Team. To date, she has won her 72 national championship titles in her four disciplines: road, track, cyclocross and mountain bike.
She was also the first American to win the Tour of Flanders, a competitive bicycle road race held annually in Belgium, in 2017.
Rivera will compete in a bicycle road race event on Saturday, July 24th.