This year’s Olympic games in Rio proved to be a strong victory for Team USA. The US finished with 46 gold medals, 37 silver, and 38 bronze, with a total of 121 medals. Great Britain came in 2nd place, 54 medals behind the US.

  “I felt proud of my country. We did really well at the Olympics. I think we had the most medals, just in general, and the most gold medals, so I was happy with how we did,” Sophomore Sadik Mohamed said.

  Record breakers at the Olympics were abundant this year. World record breakers from Team USA were Ryan Crouser in Shotput, Ryan Murphy in the 100 Backstroke, and Katie Ledecky in the 400 and 800 Freestyle. Olympic record breakers were Ryan Crouser in Shot Put, Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller, Michael Phelps, and Nathan Adrian in the 4×100 Medley Relay, Simone Manuel in the 100 Freestyle, and Lillia King in the 100 Breaststroke.

  “I thought we performed well. I always love watching the Olympics and it gives me great national pride,” Teacher Sara Langford said.

  Not only did Simone Manuel break the Olympic Record and tie for gold, she became the first black woman to win an individual swimming medal at the Olympics. Ibtihaj Muhammad did not set a world or Olympic record, but was the first Muslim American woman to wear a hijab while competing for the US in Olympic Fencing. Michael Phelps continued his reign as the most decorated Olympian of all time, and Simone Biles replaced Shannon Miller as the most decorated American gymnast.

  “I feel like the Olympics are about all these countries coming together no matter what each of them are going through separately. The political culture we’re in right now is terrible, but it just shows how we can come back and be together and show what America is truly about when we see all this diversity,” Mohamed said.