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It is natural to root for the nation you call home during Summer Olympics Games. Unfortunately, fans often miss the incredible accomplishments of athletes from other countries. Within the last two weeks, the Philippines celebrated its first-ever Olympic gold medal and a Canadian soccer player by the name of Quinn became the first nonbinary gold medalist of any country in any sport. Not to mention, Lamont Marcell Jacobs became the first Italian man to ever win the men's 100-meter dash. As the 2021 Summer Olympic Games come to a close, look back at the great accomplishments of Black athletes from around the world.
Zhan Beleniuk
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Representing: Ukraine
Sport: Greco-Roman Wrestling
Accomplishment: He is Ukraine's first Greco-Roman wrestler to win multiple medals at the Olympic Games
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn
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Representing: Puerto Rico
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: She won Puerto Rico its first gold medal in a track and field event.
Alice Dearing
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Representing: Great Britain
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishment: She is the first Black swimmer to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.
Andre De Grasse
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Representing: Canada
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: He is the first Canadian man to win the 200-meter dash since 1928.
Steven Gardiner
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Representing: Bahamas
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: He is the first Bahamian man to win a gold medal in an individual Olympic event.
Lamont Marcell Jacobs
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Representing: Italy
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: He is the first Italian man to win the 100-meter dash.
Shaunae Miller
Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Representing: Bahamas
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: She is the first woman from the Bahamas to win the 400m twice.
Samuel Takyi
Photo: Ueslei Marcelino - Pool/Getty Images
Representing: Ghana
Sport: Boxing
Accomplishment: He won Ghana its first Olympic medal since 1992.
Christine Mboma
Photo: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Representing: Namibia
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: She brought her nation's first Track and Field medal since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Hugues Fabrice Zango
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Representing: Burkina Faso
Sport: Track and Field
Accomplishment: He brought home Burkina Faso's first-ever Olympic medal, claiming gold in the men's triple jump.
Abel Kipsang
Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images
Representing: Kenya
Sport: Track and Field
Accomplishment: Kipsang set a new Olympic record in 1500m semifinal win. Before the runner took the track this Olympic Gmaes, the record hadn't been broken in over 20 years.
Fiji's Men and Women's Rugby Teams
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images;GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images
Representing: Fiji
Sport: Rugby
Accomplishment: The men defended their gold medal, winning back-to-back Olympic games. The nation's women's team won the bronze medal –– a first for the nation's women's teams –– defeating reigning champions New Zealand.
Elaine Thompson Herah
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Representing: Jamaica
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: Won gold back to back in the women’s 100-meter and 200-meter races, now the fastest woman in the world.
Donata Katai
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Representing: Zimbabwe
Sport: Swimming
Accomplishment: First swimmer from Zimbabwe at the Olympics.
Blessing Oborududu
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Representing: Nigeria
Sport: Wrestling
Accomplishment: First athlete to win an Olympic medal in wrestling for Nigeria.
Marileidy Paulino
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Representing: Dominican Republic
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: First athlete to win a gold medal for the Dominican Republic in the women’s 400-meter race.
Peruth Chemutai
Photo: Getty Images
Representing: Uganda
Sport: Track
Accomplishment: First Ugandan woman to ever win an Olympic medal.