01of 20
First Hmong American Olympic Gold Medalist
Team USA’sSunisa Leemakes history not only as the first Hmong American Olympic gymnast, but also the first Hmong American Olympic gold medalist. Leeplaced firstin the women’s gymnastics individual all-around event on July 29, cinching the competition with a score of 57.433.
On July 27, the first-time Olympian alsowon silveralongside Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum at the women’s team gymnastics final.
02of 20First Women’s Gymnastics Medal for BrazilJamie Squire/GettyBehind Lee’s historic gold, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade finished second to seize silver in the women’s gymnastics individual all-around. The moment marked a national milestone of her own, with Andrade winning the first-ever gymnastics medal for Brazil, according toNBC Olympics.
02of 20
First Women’s Gymnastics Medal for Brazil
Jamie Squire/Getty
Behind Lee’s historic gold, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade finished second to seize silver in the women’s gymnastics individual all-around. The moment marked a national milestone of her own, with Andrade winning the first-ever gymnastics medal for Brazil, according toNBC Olympics.
03of 20USA Takes First Gold Medal in 3-on-3 Basketball DebutTeam USA’s 3x3 Basketball Team.Stanislav KrasilnikovTASS via GettyForthe inaugural Olympic competition of 3-on-3 basketball,team USA (WNBA players Stephanie Dolson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Allisha Gray) bested Russia’s athletes 18-15 to take home the sport’s first-ever gold medal on July 28.
03of 20
USA Takes First Gold Medal in 3-on-3 Basketball Debut
Team USA’s 3x3 Basketball Team.Stanislav KrasilnikovTASS via Getty
Forthe inaugural Olympic competition of 3-on-3 basketball,team USA (WNBA players Stephanie Dolson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Allisha Gray) bested Russia’s athletes 18-15 to take home the sport’s first-ever gold medal on July 28.
04of 20
First-Ever Gold Medal for Bermuda
Li Ming/Xinhua via Getty
Flora Duffy looked triumphant after winning the first-ever gold medal for Bermuda on July 27 in the women’s triathlon. She swam, biked and ran to victory in 1 hour, 55:36 minutes,ESPN reported.
05of 20First-Ever Medal for TurkmenistanChris Graythen/GettyIn a national first, women’s weightlifter Polina Guryeva of Team Turkmenistan won the first medal for her country since it declared independence from the Soviet Union.Guryeva lifted 217 kilograms (478 lbs.) to score silver on July 27, and said it was surreal to achieve the dream.“I was in shock because it’s the first Olympic medal in the history of the Turkmen people. It’s the first medal, which I won. No sport in Turkmenistan has had a medal, not one medal,” she said, per theAssociated Press. “I’m so in shock.”
05of 20
First-Ever Medal for Turkmenistan
Chris Graythen/Getty
In a national first, women’s weightlifter Polina Guryeva of Team Turkmenistan won the first medal for her country since it declared independence from the Soviet Union.
Guryeva lifted 217 kilograms (478 lbs.) to score silver on July 27, and said it was surreal to achieve the dream.
“I was in shock because it’s the first Olympic medal in the history of the Turkmen people. It’s the first medal, which I won. No sport in Turkmenistan has had a medal, not one medal,” she said, per theAssociated Press. “I’m so in shock.”
06of 20Inaugural Surfing Medals AwardedRyan Pierse/Getty ImagesCarissa Mooreof Team USA won gold in the first-ever women’s shortboard surfing event July 27, taking the top prize in the sport’s Olympic debut.
06of 20
Inaugural Surfing Medals Awarded
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Carissa Mooreof Team USA won gold in the first-ever women’s shortboard surfing event July 27, taking the top prize in the sport’s Olympic debut.
07of 20
The Philippines Wins First Gold
Filipina weightlifterHidilyn Diazscored the first-ever gold medal for her country July 26, lifting a whopping 127kg (279 pounds!) with ease.
08of 20
First Skateboarding Medals Awarded
Ezra Shaw/Getty
In getting the gold, the teen also became Japan’s youngest-ever Olympic medalist, per theAP.Rayssa Leal, 13, of Brazil, took silver, while Funa Nakayama, 16, also of Japan, won bronze.
In scoring silver, Leal also become her country’s youngest-ever medalist, on what theOlympic organizationcited as “what is believed to be the youngest Olympic podium ever.”
09of 20US Wins Its First Skateboarding MedalTeam USA’s Jagger Eaton celebrates his bronze medal in the men’s skateboarding street final on Sunday at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.Wally Skalij /Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesSkateboarder Jagger Eaton of Team USA took home the bronze in the men’s street competition, scoring the first skateboarding medal for the U.S. in the sport’s Olympic debut July 25.“To be sitting here, the medal around my neck, just means the world to me,” he toldPEOPLEafter his victory.
09of 20
US Wins Its First Skateboarding Medal
Team USA’s Jagger Eaton celebrates his bronze medal in the men’s skateboarding street final on Sunday at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.Wally Skalij /Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Skateboarder Jagger Eaton of Team USA took home the bronze in the men’s street competition, scoring the first skateboarding medal for the U.S. in the sport’s Olympic debut July 25.
“To be sitting here, the medal around my neck, just means the world to me,” he toldPEOPLEafter his victory.
10of 20
First US Men’s Olympic Basketball Loss in 17 Years
Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Dropping the ball, the U.S.‘men’s basketball teamlost in the group round stage July 25, a first in 17 years.
“We have to be more consistent,” coach Gregg Popovich said.
11of 20First Siblings Win Gold in Individual Sport on Same DayBrother and sister Hifumi and Uta Abe of Team Japan made history July 25 when they each won gold in their respective judo divisions. Now, the Abes are officially the first siblings to win gold in individual sports on same day, theIOC reported.
11of 20
First Siblings Win Gold in Individual Sport on Same Day
Brother and sister Hifumi and Uta Abe of Team Japan made history July 25 when they each won gold in their respective judo divisions. Now, the Abes are officially the first siblings to win gold in individual sports on same day, theIOC reported.
12of 20US Wins First Air Rifle Gold MedalKevin C. Cox/GettyWilliam Shaner of Team USA won the country’s first gold medal in the 10m men’s air rifle event July 25, even setting a new Olympic record with a final score of 250.9.“We’ve been trying to get a medal in this event for a long time…so it was nice to bring it back home now,” the athlete said after his win, according to theIOC.
12of 20
US Wins First Air Rifle Gold Medal
Kevin C. Cox/Getty
William Shaner of Team USA won the country’s first gold medal in the 10m men’s air rifle event July 25, even setting a new Olympic record with a final score of 250.9.
“We’ve been trying to get a medal in this event for a long time…so it was nice to bring it back home now,” the athlete said after his win, according to theIOC.
13of 20First Individual Foil Fencing Gold for Team USALee Kiefer.Elsa/GettyTeam USA fencerLee Kieferbecame the first American woman to medal in the individual foil event, getting the gold on July 25.
13of 20
First Individual Foil Fencing Gold for Team USA
Lee Kiefer.Elsa/Getty
Team USA fencerLee Kieferbecame the first American woman to medal in the individual foil event, getting the gold on July 25.
14of 20
Historic First Gold in Taekwondo for the US
In another historic win, Team USA’sAnastasija Zoloticwon her country’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s taekwondo on July 25.
15of 20First Openly Trans Athletes Competinggetty (2), Chelsea Wolfe/instagramThough the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed transgender athletes to compete in the Olympics since 2004, no one has done so openly until now, theAssociated Pressreported.Quinn, a member of the Canadian women’s soccer team, made history as the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Olympics during a July 24 game against Japan.Other trans athletes to watch are Laurel Hubbard, a women’s weight lifter competing for New Zealand, and Chelsea Wolfe, a reserve member of Team USA’s BMX Freestyle team. According to the outlet, they’re not alone, either.“In addition to Quinn, Hubbard and Wolfe, some transgender athletes are competing without discussing their transition,” per the AP.
15of 20
First Openly Trans Athletes Competing
getty (2), Chelsea Wolfe/instagram
Though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed transgender athletes to compete in the Olympics since 2004, no one has done so openly until now, theAssociated Pressreported.
Quinn, a member of the Canadian women’s soccer team, made history as the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Olympics during a July 24 game against Japan.
Other trans athletes to watch are Laurel Hubbard, a women’s weight lifter competing for New Zealand, and Chelsea Wolfe, a reserve member of Team USA’s BMX Freestyle team. According to the outlet, they’re not alone, either.
“In addition to Quinn, Hubbard and Wolfe, some transgender athletes are competing without discussing their transition,” per the AP.
16of 20
Youngest-Ever Athletes
getty (3)
Age is just a number for these youthful competitors, who aren’t kidding around.
Syrian table tennis sensation Hend Zaza, 12, debuted as the youngest competitor in her sport in Olympic history on July 24, though she lost her opening match.
17of 20
Zero Medals for Team USA on Day 1
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty
18of 20
First Gender-Balanced Olympics
Team USA.Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
19of 20
Four New Sports Debut
In addition, softball and baseball are back for the first time in 13 years, due in part the popularity of both sports in host nation Japan, according toThe New York Times.
20of 20
No Spectators in Attendance
Christen Press.Berengui/DeFodi Images via Getty
“It’s been a while now that we’ve been competing without fans and we miss everybody so much,“Christen Pressof Team USA’s women’s soccer team said of the spectator ban, following the team’sloss to SwedenJuly 21.
“We could hear each other, we could hear our own breath a little bit, but we do feel the support from everyone from our family and fans back home, and honestly the support powers us through,” she added.
source: people.com
