Tokyo Olympics: 10 hottest men of track and field
The Tokyo Olympics have managed to take things up a notch, from the trial events themselves. Among the most highly anticipated events for Americans at least are track and field competitions where Team USA has continued to excel for years now. But it's not just Team USA that is worth looking forward to when it comes to track athletes in the Tokyo Olympics.
With Gwen Berry's US flag and national anthem incident, and trans athlete Chelsea Wolfe allegedly saying in the past that she wanted to burn the US flag, things have been sensational, to say the least. Trans-weightlifter Laurel Hubbard's selection to compete in an Olympics women's events has also created quite the positive buzz. But it is the sprinters who're sure to leave viewers vowed for more than their chiseled physique. From Norway's record-breaking 20-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen to Japan's very own fastest man Ryota Yamagata, Team USA has a tough competition ahead, with their work fully cut out for them. But before the US champions brave them, here's a look at the top ten hottest track and field athletes participating in this year's games.
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Andre De Grasse
The Canadian sprinter won the silver medal in the 200m at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Among his wins were also bronze medals in both the 100m and 4×100m relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Titled the Pan-American champion and the NCAA champion in the 100m and 200m, De Grasse is the first Canadian sprinter to have bgged three medals in one single Olympics. The 26-year-old's achievements helped him beat the record of Canadian legends Donovan Bailey and Percy Williams, both of whom had made history with two medals in a single Olympics each.
Akani Simbine
The 27-year-old South African sprinter is a 100 meters event specialist. Coming fifth at the Rio Olympics in the men's 100 meters, Simbine is the 100 meters record holder in Africa with the impeccable timing of 9.84 seconds — a record set in July 2021. The World Championships finalist in the men's 100 meters twice so far also emerged the 100 meters champion at the 2018 African Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games. His South African record time of 38.24 seconds helped him steer the country to win gold at the 2021 World Relays.
Donavan Brazier
The 24-year-old from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is expected to do wonders at the Tokyo Olympics, having dominated the 2019 World Athletics Championships' 800-meter race. Brazier set both indoor and outdoor American records and went on to win the USATF, the Diamond League crown as well as World Championship gold. One of the earliest highlights of Brazier's career was when the young athlete was still in his junior year of high school and won the 800 meters at the New Balance national scholastic championships, setting a new state record in 2014. The track maestro is currently a trainee under former US professional distance runner Pete Julian.
Noah Lyles
Another major Team USA star to watch out for in Tokyo Olympics, the 23-year-old Lyles also specializes in sprints. Some of his personal best records include 9.86 seconds for the 100 meters and 19.50 seconds for the 200 meters races. Lyles holds the title of the 300-meters indoor world best, with an unmatched timing of 31.87 seconds from the 2017 USA Indoor Championships. Breaking his way into 100-meter world rankings in 2019, Lyles' biggest feat was the 200 meters race at the 2019 IAAF World Championships, where he won gold. With an illustrious career, he is a big Olympic hopeful in both the 100 meters and 200 meters races at the Tokyo games.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
The Norwegian middle-distance runner bagged two gold medals at the 2018 European Championships, in the 1500 and 5000 meters events. Ingebrigtsen set a new European record in the 5000 meters race at the Diamond League earlier in June, with his time 12:48.45. With older brothers Henrik and Filip, also international level middle-distance runners, the Ingebrigtsen brothers train under their father, Gjert. As of 2021, Ingebrigtsen is among the top ten fatest men in the 1500 meters, 2000 meters, and 3000 meters categories respectively. The accomplished 20-year-old is also the only one of two men to run a sub-3:30 1500 meters, sub-7:30 3000 meters, and a sub-12:50 5000 meters.
Omar McLeod
The 27-year-old Jamaican professional hurdler and sprinter won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The former World champion in the 110 meters category was also titled the NCAA indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles in 2014 and 2015. McLeod was also named the outdoor champion in the 110 meters hurdles in 2015 and shortly after the year's collegiate season, he went pro. McLeod's personal best of 12.90 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles soars him to a fifth rank on the world all-time list.
Randolph Ross
Son of Duane Ross, the 1998 USA Indoor 60 meter hurdles champion, Randolph Ross is a sophomore from Raleigh, North Carolina, with collegiate affiliation to A&T Aggies. Randolph also coaches under his father, Duane, and at just 20 years old, he has already won the 200 meters race at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, at a record 43.85 seconds. The timing put the US sprinter on the best of all-time list, and shortly after, Randolph qualified for the Tokyo Olympics by finishing third at the US trials back in June this year.
Ryota Yamagata
The 29-year-old Japanese sprinter holds a national record of 9.95 seconds in the 100 meters category. He set the record as he qualified for the men's 100-meter finals at Japanese athletics trials for the Tokyo Olympics in June. Having won the bronze medal in the medley relay at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Athletics, Yamagata was a part of the 4x100 meters relay team for Japan, and helped the nation bag a silver medal in the finals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Trayvon Bromell
At 26 years old, Bromell is already the first junior to have broken the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters with a time of 9.97 seconds. With the current junior world record, the team USA member's personal best of 9.77 seconds in the 100 meters category helped him rank seventh on the list of fastest men alive. The 2016 world indoor 60 meters champion, Bromell had also competed for the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Zharnel Hughes
The British sprinter specializes in the 100 meters and 200 meters categories. At 25, he has already won the gold medal in both the 100 meters and 4x100 meters relay at the 2018 European Championships, where he represented Great Britain. Hughes also won the gold in the 4x100 meters relay at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he represented England.