As the world will watch in 16 days when the Olympic games begin in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, there is no question that the United States will be at the top of the podium once again, with several Olympic winning athletes returning, and many with the potential to bring home gold.
Even though the athletes representing the United States come from all over the nation, we are united as one when competing. As the United States is sending over 500 athletes, it is no surprise that one of NYC’s many athletes that practice every day will be competing in South America in the next coming days.
Alisa Kano, 21, is a group rhythmic gymnast. She fell in love with the sport after watching one of her friends compete. Now she will be gearing up to head down to Rio to compete with her teammates. She began the sport of rhythmic gymnastics at the age of nine. These will be her first Olympic games.
Kano is very excited to compete at the Olympics, as she is originally from Tokyo, Japan, but moved to New York City at the age of four. For more than a decade she has been throwing all of her hard work and determination to be the best of the best like any athlete competing in the Olympics. All that hard work will be put to the test on August 20th, when qualification starts for rhythmic gymnastics.
Rhythmic gymnastics is an extremely difficult sport, as there is just a floor, props, and your teammates. What shows extreme flexibility, complex moves, and glittering attire is usually the culmination of endless hard work, much determination, and years of sacrifice. The key is to give the judges a great and coordinated performance, usually with the props, such as ribbons, balls, or hula hoops, a creative rhythm and many gymnastic moves to leave viewers with their jaws dropped. Although it usually does not get as much attention as artistic gymnastics, it is still guaranteed to leave the viewers with a stunning performance.
Kano will be one of the many competing for gold. Her teammates include gymnasts, Kiana Eide, Natalie McGiffert, Kristen Shaldybin, and Monica Rokhman. This will be only the second time in history that the United States has sent a rhythmic gymnastics team to the Olympics. In 1996 at the Atlanta games, the United States automatically qualified as they were hosts.
The Olympics begin on August 5th.
We wish Alisa Kano all the best of luck on her first Olympic journey.
Featured Image via Wikimedia
