Who is/was your favorite Olympic athlete?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (100008)
United States
July 31, 2024 12:34pm CST
With the Olympics going on I wanted to ask who your favorite Olympic athlete is. Even those of you who vocally scoff at professional sports seem to make exceptions for Olympic sports. I guess because most aren’t making Lebron James money.
Michael Phelps and Simone Biles are my more favorite recent Olympic athletes, but Nancy Kerrigan (obviously, Winter Olympics) was probably my all time favorite Olympic athlete. She won silver in figure skating in 1994 (I think), but unfortunately, she is also remembered for getting her knees taken out by cronies of Tonya Harding.
My mom really liked Dorothy Hamill, although I’m not sure who remembers her. Most people also seem to enjoy the Summer Olympics over the winter.
18 people like this
19 responses
@marguicha (227698)
• Chile
31 Jul
Just as I was drawn to box by Muhammad Ali, I started loving gimnastics after I saw Nadia Comaneci mant decades ago.
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (100008)
• United States
31 Jul
@marguicha That must have been amazing.
2 people like this
@marguicha (227698)
• Chile
31 Jul
@AmbiePam I saw her when she competed for the first time. She was a girl and an amazing one too.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78856)
• East Tawas, Michigan
31 Jul
My very favorite was Dorothy Hamill, I even had my hair cut like hers:) She was amazingly talented!
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (100008)
• United States
31 Jul
My mom liked her so much she took my sister and I to get our hair cut, and told the beautician to cut it like Dorothy Hamill. The lady must not have known who that was because we came out looking like Dorothy Hamill’s brother.
She certainly was/is a classy lady.
She certainly was/is a classy lady.1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78856)
• East Tawas, Michigan
31 Jul
@AmbiePam My sister and I both got our haircut like Dorothy Hamill. It was a very popular haircut!
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (50833)
• Mojave, California
1 Aug
Steph Curry, sorry Lebron. Lebron is neat but no one like Steph. If we talking about this year I a big basketball fan but Simone Biles is amazing. I never got into Micheal Phelps much, do not know why. I just like what I like I suppose.
When I was young in 90's I loved Kim Zmeskal. She was like a underdog every time and preformed well above what everyone was expecting.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (100008)
• United States
1 Aug
@crossbones27 You remember when everyone questioned his ankles?
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (50833)
• Mojave, California
1 Aug
@AmbiePam They people too, people forget and why I always like Steph he knows and just tries to do right thing. It is amazing his first Olympics but not surprising, sport pundits did not think he would be anything. I had doubts but knew he way better than what they were saying. No one knew how good he would be and why steph way better than lebron. More of a Olympic story and whats neat about Olympics. Its about all the people that counted you out .Now let me me show you what you taught me with out being a jerk. Bad aas every time.
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2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (111322)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
31 Jul
My favorite Winter Olympians are Doctor Debi Thomas and my favorite Summer Olympian is Panamanian female gymnast Hillary Heron.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (111322)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
1 Aug
@AmbiePam I remember Debi since she was the first Black ice skating champion in 1988 and the latter recently competed in Paris and executed a move that is named after her in Paris.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (191967)
• United States
31 Jul
For some reason it seems everyone has their favorite female gymnast starting with Olga Korbut. I don't really have a favorite Olympic athlete, but alot of them seem like cool people. Maybe if I had to pick one I would say the diver Greg Louganis..thrilling to watch, and I admire his courage. I haven't even been off the high dive at a pool since I was 11. For some reason, I wasn't afraid then.
2 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (37991)
• Toccoa, Georgia
31 Jul
Do you remember Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast from the 1970s? She was awesome. She was my favorite from the Olympics that she debuted in.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (54005)
• Canada
31 Jul
When I was a young girl I remember watching Dorothy Hamill skating, and she was amazingly talented.
I do like Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, they are no longer doing the ice dancing, they have 'retired' from performing at the Olympic level.
He is from this area.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (86443)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
31 Jul
You know I have now forgotten. There was an Olympic gymnast by the name of Mary Lou something. I remember when she won her medal the headline in the Daily News said Well, hello Mary Lou, I had forgotten this until you asked, Do you remember her? Just popped into my head Mary Lou Retton, Glad the brain is working,
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (192981)
• United States
1 Aug
Some of the old skaters and gymnasts are still favorites. I really don't have a favorite at this year's games. Have a good day.
2 people like this
@much2say (57651)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Aug
I have too many favorites from past Olympics (oh gosh, and the present one too - and it's not over!).
Among them, in no particular order, would be Scott Hamilton, Kurt Browning, Oksana Baiul, Nicole Bobek, Katarina Witt, Nancy Kerrigan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Evgeni Pluschenko, Dorothy Hamil, Yuzuru Hanyu, Dan Hollander . . . the list goes on and on with skating. Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Apolo Ono, Mary Lou Retton, Simone Biles, Chole Kim, Shaun White, Eric Heiden. There's more and I feel bad for not listing them all 
.
.1 person likes this
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@dgobucks226 (36645)
•
3 Aug
You named a few really good ones like Hamill and Kerrigan. I was impressed with Mary Lou Retton's gymnastic performance. I was a fan of Scott Hamilton. And for teams the USA Hockey team in 1980 when they defeated the Soviet Union was maybe one of the best!
1 person likes this
@JimmyDeen (250)
•
8 Aug
In recent years, Usain bolt. Track and field legend. They look like they're skating around the track they move so fast. Also Dibaba and Cheruiot of women's long distance. And mufarah, gebrsellassie, legends of the mens 10k meter long distance.
