Famous people of Jamaica Barrington Ainsworth Levy is a reggae and dancehall artist from Jamaica. Canibus Hip hop Artist Germaine Williams better known by his stage name Canibus, is a Jamaican-American rapper, actor and member of The Hrsmn, Sharpshooterz, Cloak N Dagga, The Undergods, and one-half of T.H.E.M. Canibus rose to fame in the mid-Nineties. About.com placed him at number 32 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time, while in 2012 The Source placed him number 44 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. Linford Christie Olympic athlete Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a former sprinter from the United Kingdom. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He was the first European to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m and still holds the British record in the event.

He is a former world indoor record holder over 200 metres, and a former European record holder in the 60 metres, 100 m and 4 x 100 metres relay. With 24 major championship medals including 10 gold medals, he is the most decorated British male athlete. Christie's track career ended when he received a two-year ban for taking a performance-enhancing substance, although he has always denied any wrongdoing. Since his retirement he has focused on coaching, helping Katharine Merry and Darren Campbell to Olympic medals, and his sports management company. John Barnes Soccer John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is a Jamaican-born English former footballer and manager, who currently works as a commentator and pundit for ESPN and SuperSport. During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times. After a period at Newcastle United, he ended his playing career at Charlton Athletic in 1999.

After retiring as a player, Barnes had a brief stint as head coach of Celtic in 1999–2000, working alongside Kenny Dalglish. He took over as manager of the Jamaica national team in 2008, but resigned six months later to become manager at Tranmere Rovers. He was sacked by Tranmere in 2009, after a series of poor results. Merlene Ottey Olympic athlete Merlene Joyce Ottey OD is a Jamaican-born Slovenian track athlete. Ottey began her career representing Jamaica but since 2002 has represented Slovenia, where she now resides. She is ranked fourth on the all-time list over 60 metres, sixth on the all-time list over 100 metres and third on the all-time list over 200 metres. Her world indoor record for 200 metres, set in 1993, still stands. Ottey has had the longest career as a top level international sprinter, which apparently has not yet concluded as she anchored the Slovenian 4x100 relay at the 2012 European Athletics Championships at the age of 52.

She holds the record for the most Olympic appearances of any track and field athlete and for winning the largest number of World Championships medals. Her career achievements and longevity have led to her being called the "Queen of the Track". Her proclivity for earning bronze medals in major championships also earned her the title of "Bronze Queen" in track circles. Ottey was formerly married to the American high jumper and 400 m hurdler Nat Page and was known as Merlene Ottey-Page during the mid eighties. Stamford Raffles Politician Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, FRS was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore. He is often described as the "Father of Singapore". He was also heavily involved in the conquest of the Indonesian island of Java from Dutch and French military forces during the Napoleonic Wars and contributed to the expansion of the British Empire. He was also an amateur writer and wrote a book titled History of Java. Mavado Dancehall Artist David Constantine Brooks, better known by his stage name Mavado, is a Jamaican musician, actor, singer and music producer.

Bunny Wailer Ska Artist Bunny Wailer, also known as Bunny Livingston and affectionately as Jah B, is a singer songwriter and percussionist and was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. A three-time Grammy award winner, he is considered one of the longtime standard bearers of reggae music. He has been named by Newsweek as one of the three most important musicians in world music. Stuart Hall Academic Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist and sociologist who has lived and worked in the United Kingdom since 1951. Hall, along with Richard Hoggart and Raymond Williams, was one of the founding figures of the school of thought that is now known as British Cultural Studies or The Birmingham School of Cultural Studies. He was President of the British Sociological Association 1995–1997. At the invitation of Hoggart, Hall joined the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at Birmingham University in 1964. Hall took over from Hoggart as director of the Centre in 1968, and remained there until 1979.

While at the Centre, Hall is credited with playing a role in expanding the scope of cultural studies to deal with race and gender, and with helping to incorporate new ideas derived from the work of French theorists. Hall left the centre in 1979 to become a professor of sociology at the Open University. Hall retired from the Open University in 1997 and is now a Professor Emeritus. British newspaper The Observer called him "one of the country's leading cultural theorists". He is married to Catherine Hall, a feminist professor of modern British history at University College London. Horace Andy Reggae Artist Horace Andy is a roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land" also "Angel" & "Five Man Army" with Trip hop trio Massive Attack. He is also famous for a cover version of "Ain't No Sunshine". Wayne Wonder Dancehall Artist Wayne Wonder is a Jamaican reggae fusion artist. While his early recordings were dancehall and reggae, he later moved towards hip hop and rap. Anthony B Reggae Artist Keith Blair, better known by the stage name Anthony B, is a Jamaican deejay and member of the Rastafari movement.

Alton Ellis Ska Artist Alton Nehemiah Ellis OD was a Jamaican vocalist. One of the innovators of rocksteady who was given the informal title "Godfather of Rocksteady". In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame. Tanya York Tanya York is a film producer and screenwriter. Ken Boothe Ska Artist Ken Boothe OD is a Jamaican vocalist known for his distinctive vibrato and timbre. Boothe achieved an international reputation as one of Jamaica's finest vocalists through a series of crossover hits that appealed to both reggae fans and mainstream audiences. Mary Seacole Nurse Mary Jane Seacole, née Grant, was a Jamaican-born woman of Scottish and Creole descent who set up a 'British Hotel' behind the lines during the Crimean War, which she described as "a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers," and provided succour for wounded servicemen on the battlefield. She was posthumously awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1991. In 2004 she was voted the greatest black Briton. She acquired knowledge of herbal medicine in the Caribbean.

When the Crimean War broke out, she applied to the War Office to assist but was refused. She travelled independently and set up her hotel and assisted battlefield wounded. She became extremely popular among service personnel who raised money for her when she faced destitution after the war. After her death, she was forgotten for almost a century, but today is celebrated as a woman who successfully combatted racial prejudice. Her autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, is one of the earliest autobiographies of a mixed-race woman, although some aspects of its accuracy have been questioned. It has been claimed that Seacole's achievements have been exaggerated for political reasons and a plan to erect a statue of her at St Thomas' Hospital, London, describing her as a "pioneer nurse", has generated controversy. Further controversy broke out late in 2012 over reports of a proposal to remove her from the National Curriculum. Nesta Carter Olympic athlete Nesta Carter OD is a Jamaican sprinter, who specializes in the 100 metres event.

Carter has been successful as part of the Jamaican 4 x 100 metres relay team, taking gold and setting successive world records at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Olympics. He also gained a 4 x 100m silver medal at the 2007 World Championship. On August 11, 2013, Carter secured an individual 100m World Championship bronze medal in Moscow, behind Justin Gatlin and teammate Usain Bolt. He followed this with another gold in the 4 x 100 metres relay. In August 2010 he became only the fifth sprinter to run the 100 metres in less than 9.8 seconds. His current 100m personal best of 9.78 ranks him as the fifth fastest man of all time, behind fellow Jamaicans Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, and American Tyson Gay. Monty Alexander Jazz pianist Monty Alexander is a jazz pianist, who also plays the melodica.

His playing has a strong Caribbean influence and swinging feeling, but he has also been influenced by Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly, and Ahmad Jamal. Ricardo Fuller Soccer Ricardo Dwayne Fuller is a Jamaican footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool. He has also played for the Jamaica national team. Fuller started his football career with Jamaican side Tivoli Gardens, before he moved to England with Crystal Palace in February 2001. He returned to Jamaica and then went on loan to Hearts, before joining Preston North End. He scored 27 goals in 58 League game at Preston, which prompted Portsmouth to pay £1million for his services. Fuller failed to make an impact at Portsmouth and joined rivals Southampton in 2005 before Stoke City signed him for £500,000 in August 2006. At Stoke, he became an influential member of the first team and his goals helped the "Potters" gain promotion to the Premier League in 2008.

He remained a key figure in the top-flight, despite a poor disciplinary record, and helped Stoke reach the 2011 FA Cup Final, but missed out on the final due to injury. After he recovered from his injury he was only give a bit-part role and he left the club in June 2012 for a one season stay with Charlton Athletic. Justin Masterson Pitcher Justin Daniel Masterson is a Jamaican-born American professional baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball. Masterson was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. Masterson was rated as the 64th-best prospect going into that year's draft by Baseball America. Masterson stands 6'6", and weighs 250 pounds. Masterson was the first Red Sox pitcher since the park's 1912 opening to make his first four consecutive starts in Fenway Park and not lose any of them. Sugar Minott Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator. Freddie McGregor Ska Artist Freddie McGregor has been variously a singer, musician and producer.

According to Allmusic he is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with a steady career that started in the 1960s, when he was just seven years old. Boi-1da Hip hop Artist Matthew Jehu Samuels, professionally known as Boi-1da, is a Canadian hip-hop producer from Toronto, Ontario. He has produced for artists and groups such as Clipse, The Diplomats, Drake, Kanye West, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, G-Unit, Kardinal Offishall, k-os, Das Racist, Lecrae, Nas, Bizzle, Talib Kweli and Saukrates, among others. He significantly collaborates with other producers who co-produce on his tracks including, The Maven Boys, Stephen "Koz" Kozmeniuk, Vinlyz and Allen Ritter. Cocoa Tea Cocoa Tea is a Jamaican reggae/dancehall singer, songwriter, and DJ. Super Cat Dancehall Artist Super Cat is a deejay who achieved widespread popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement.

His nickname, the "Wild Apache" was given to him by his mentor Early B. He is the elder brother of reggae artist Junior Cat. Wynton Kelly Jazz pianist Wynton Charles Kelly was a Jamaican American jazz pianist. He is perhaps best known for working with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1959 to 1962. Don Carlos Don Carlos a.k.a. Don McCarlos is a Jamaican reggae singer and composer. Richie Spice Reggae Artist Richell Bonner, better known as Richie Spice is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is a member of the Rastafari movement. Some of his most famous songs include, "Youth Dem Cold", "Groovin' My Girl", "Earth A Run Red", "Marijuana" and "The Plane Land". Three of his brothers are also reggae artists - Pliers, Spanner Banner, and Snatcha Lion. Prince Buster Ska Artist Cecil Bustamente Campbell OD, better known by the stage name Prince Buster, is a Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer. He also has the Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music.

The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary music and created a legacy of work that later reggae and ska artists would draw upon. Jepther McClymont Jepther McClymont OD, better known as Luciano, is a Jamaican second-generation roots reggae artist. Jenna Wolfe TV Journalist Jenna Wolfe is a correspondent for NBC's Today, and the news anchor for Weekend Today, and had once substituted on the NBC Nightly News. Marcia Griffiths Roots reggae Artist Marcia Llyneth Griffiths is a successful female singer, also called the "Queen of Reggae". One reviewer described her noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances". Garnett Silk Dancehall Artist Garnett Silk, was a Jamaican reggae musician and Rastafarian, known for his emotive, powerful and smooth voice. During the early 1990s he was hailed as a rising talent, but his career was ended by his early death in 1994, while attempting to save his mother while his house was on fire.

Mutabaruka Musical Artist Mutabaruka is a Jamaican Rastafarian dub poet. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". He lives in Potosi District, St. James, with his spouse and their two children. Mutabaruka continues to perform and write poems on every issue known to man. He is known for his expression and lively performances as much as for the poems themselves. Some of his themes include sexism, politics, discrimination, poverty, race, and especially religion. Mutabaruka's stylistic form is in a way pathos related. He uses stories and experiences to get readers to think about issues in ways that they would not normally think about them. Lee Boyd Malvo Man Lee Boyd Malvo, also known as John Lee Malvo, is a Jamaican-American convicted murderer who, along with John Allen Muhammad, committed murders in connection with the Beltway sniper attacks in the Washington Metropolitan Area over a three-week period in October 2002. Although the pairing's actions were classified as psychopathy attributable to serial killer characteristics by the media, whether or not their psychopathy meets this classification or that of a spree killer is debated by researchers.

In 2012, Malvo claimed that he was sexually abused by John Allen Muhammad. According to Malvo's confession, he and Muhammad had planned to kill six white people a day for a month in order "to terrorize the nation." The beltway attacks turned out to be only the latest of a series of shootings across the United States connected to these individuals which began on the West Coast. Muhammad had befriended the juvenile Malvo, and had enlisted him in the murderous rampage. According to Craig Cooley, one of Malvo's defense attorneys, Malvo believed Muhammad when he told him that the $10 million ransom sought from the US government to stop the sniper killings would be used to establish a Utopian society for one hundred and forty homeless black children on a Canadian compound. Bushwick Bill Hip hop Artist Richard Shaw, better known by the stage names Bushwick Bill and Dr. Wolfgang Von Bushwickin the Barbarian Mother Funky Stay High Dollar Billstir, is a Jamaican-born American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop group Geto Boys. Sherone Simpson Olympic athlete Sherone Simpson is a track and field sprint athlete, competing internationally for Jamaica.

She is a gold medalist in the 4 x 100 m relay from the 2004 Olympics and silver medalist in 2005 World Championships and now is the silver medalist in the individual event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, after she tied for second with Kerron Stewart in a photo finish. Tanya Stephens Dancehall Artist Tanya Stephens, is an influential reggae artist who emerged in the late 1990s. Stephens is most known for her hits "Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet" — the single was later featured on the Reggae Gold 1997 compilation album — and "It's a Pity", which achieved Tanya international recognition. She and business partner Andrew Henton have together co-founded Tarantula Records. Ernest Ranglin Ska Artist Ernest Ranglin OD is a Jamaican guitarist and composer who established his career while working as a session guitarist and music director for various Jamaican record labels including Studio One and Island Records. Ranglin played guitar on many early ska recordings and helped create the rhythmic guitar style that defined the form.

Ranglin has worked with Theophilus Beckford, Jimmy Cliff, Monty Alexander, Prince Buster, The Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Eric Deans Orchestra. He is noted for a chordal and rhythmic approach that blends jazz, mento and reggae with percussive guitar solos incorporating rhythm 'n' blues and jazz inflections. Rohan Marley Entrepreneur Rohan Anthony Marley is an entrepreneur and former football player. He is the son of reggae artist Bob Marley and Janet Hunt. A 1991 graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Marley played linebacker for the University of Miami football team, where he played alongside players like Dwayne Johnson and Ray Lewis. In 1993 he led the Hurricanes with 95 tackles. He later played professional football in the Canadian Football League with the now defunct Ottawa Rough Riders. John Holt John Kenneth Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter. Colin Ferguson Film subject Colin Ferguson is a black supremacist mass murderer who was convicted of murdering six people and injuring nineteen others on the Long Island Rail Road in Garden City, New York.

On December 7, 1993, as the train pulled into the Merillon Avenue Station, Ferguson pulled out his gun and started firing at passengers. He killed six and wounded nineteen before being stopped by three of the passengers: Kevin Blum, Mark McEntee and Mike O'Connor. Ferguson's trial was notable for a number of unusual developments, including his firing of his defense counsel and insisting on representing himself and questioning his own victims on the stand. Ferguson was convicted on February 17, 1995, of murder for the deaths of the six passengers who died of their injuries. He was also convicted of attempted murder for wounding nineteen passengers. As of 2013, he is serving his sentence of 315 years and 8 months to life at the Upstate Correctional Facility in Franklin County, New York. His earliest possible parole date is August 6, 2309. Courtney Walsh Cricket Bowler Courtney Andrew Walsh is a former international cricketer who represented the West Indies from 1984 to 2001, captaining the West Indies in 22 Test matches.

He is best known for a remarkable opening bowling partnership along with fellow West Indian Curtly Ambrose for several years and holding the record of most Test wickets from 2000, after he broke the record of Kapil Dev. This record was later broken in 2004 by Shane Warne. Michael Frater Olympic athlete Michael Frater O.D is a sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres event. He won a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships and a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games for the event. He has also been successful as part of the Jamaican 4 × 100 metres relay team, setting the world record and Olympic record at the 2012 London Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also won gold in the relay at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and took silver in the 2002 edition. Donovan Ruddock Professional Boxer Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is a retired Canadian heavyweight boxer. He was a promising heavyweight of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Ruddock earned the "Razor" nickname early on for his cutting jab but he was better known for his powerful hybrid left hook/uppercut, which he called "The Smash". One of the best exhibitions of his left hand power, was his brutal 1990 knockout of former WBA heavyweight champion Michael Dokes. Big Youth Reggae Artist Manley Augustus Buchanan, better known as Big Youth, is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his work during the 1970s. He commented, "Deejays were closest to the people because there wasn't any kind of establishment control on the sound systems". Dawn Penn Dawn Penn is a Jamaican reggae singer. Millie Ska Artist Millie Small CD, also known simply as Millie, is a Jamaican singer-songwriter, best known for her 1964 cover version of "My Boy Lollipop". Her other stage names include Little Millie Small.

World Countries Summer Olympics 2016: 50 Names You Need to Know for Rio | Bleacher Report Summer Olympics 2016: 50 Names You Need to Know for Rio By Seth Gruen , Featured Columnist Apr 27, 2016 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Ezra Shaw/Getty Images 77 Comments If the names of certain Olympians sound as unfamiliar as those of some members of Congress, it’s because many of these athletes live in anonymity until the Olympics begin. But every four years athletes in sports generally uncovered by mainstream media earn a chance to compete on the world’s stage. For a few darlings, the Olympics can be life-altering. Celebrity and endorsement dollars await those whose names are forever etched in the sports lexicon. Some athletes competing in the upcoming Rio Olympics have gained that fame and fortune in previous Games. Swimmer Michael Phelps and gymnast Gabby Douglas are two such examples, and they’re therefore left off this list of athletes you need to know heading into the Olympics. You already know them. Likewise, the professional basketball and soccer players who populate those competitions are largely known commodities. Many of them didn’t need to be included.

Of course, sports like golf and tennis feature worldwide, well-covered tournaments weekly. It makes Olympic competition look like an identical twin, making any nods to those athletes unnecessarily repetitive. So consider this a list of 50 Olympic athletes you should know that you probably don't already know. There might be a few you'll remember long after Rio. Matt Baranoski, Cycling, United States Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports Matt Baranoski became the youngest U.S. Cycling Elite national champion when he earned the title at 17 . Last August, he won a national title. Now 23, he is ranked 16th in the world in the keirin, per April’s Union Cycliste Internationale rankings. For the opening laps of the keirin, cyclists must stay behind a motorized bike that increases in speed each lap. With two-and-a-half laps to go, the race begins. At Rio, he’ll chase his first world championship podium. Baranoski has halted his electrical engineering studies at Penn State to train with his dad, Michael, but he plans to graduate, according to TeamUSA.org .

Simone Biles, Gymnastics, United States Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports The massive hype surrounding the U.S. women’s gymnastics team heading into Rio is largely thanks to Simone Biles. Biles was the first African-American to win the world all-around. She will compete in that event, floor exercise and beam for the U.S., which is favored to win the team championship in Rio, according to Today.com . Biles has won 10 gold medals at various world championships—more than any gymnast in history, according to her USAGym.org profile . She is not just the favorite to win gold in the all-around, but has the kind of inspiring story the media loves: Her mother struggled with drug addiction, and she was adopted by her grandparents when she was three years old. Bohdan Bondarenko, Track and Field, Ukraine FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images The high jump will feature one of the best duels of any of the field events. Bohdan Bondarenko, one of two gold-medal favorites, won the 2014 European Championships in the event.

The 26-year-old Ukrainian has a chance of breaking the 23-year-old world record of 2.45 meters set by Cuban Javier Sotomayor. His rival, Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim, also has a chance at the world record. Both athletes made a run at it in 2014. Bondarenko won the 2013 World Championships with a jump of 2.41 meters. He took second at the 2015 World Championships. Trayvon Bromell, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports A U.S. track and field prodigy, Trayvon Bromell was the first high school sprinter to break the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash, having run it in a wind-assisted 9.99 seconds at age 17. As a freshman at Baylor, he won the 100-meter title at the NCAA outdoor championships, and he holds the record for the 10 fastest 100-meter times in the school’s history, according to the Boston Globe .

Having run a wind-aided 9.76 in the semifinals, Bromell was the first teenager to make the U.S. Men’s World Championship team when he qualified at 19, running 9.96 in the finals. He won a bronze medal in the 100 at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, finishing behind Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin. Perhaps what’s most remarkable about Bromell is his size: He’s only 5'9", significantly smaller than most of the world’s elite sprinters. A February profile in the Boston Globe says Bromell, 20, has a chance to be a medalist and one of the U.S. team’s “breakout stars.” Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports Only 20, Kadeisha Buchanan is among the best defenders in the world. Playing in her native Canada last year, Buchanan won the Young Player Award at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She started every game in the tournament. She scored from close range in the group stage of Olympic qualifying against Trinidad and Tobago, proving that she can strategically and effectively attack gaps in the midfield.

Having a defender with offensive capability will only strengthen the Canadian attack, putting pressure on opposing defenses. Buchanan’s first international goal came when she was 18 in a friendly against the U.S. Vashti Cunningham, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Vashti Cunningham’s father, Randall, was an All-Pro NFL quarterback. But his daughter could reach a pinnacle of her sport, one that would rival her father’s illustrious career. At the Rio Olympics, Vashti is the favorite to win gold in the high jump. At the U.S. Indoor Championships in March, the 18-year-old jumped a height of 6' 6¼", the best in the world in 2016. A month later, with a jump of 6’5”, she became the youngest ever to win gold at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Ashton Eaton, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports If the winner of the decathlon earns the title, “World’s Greatest Athlete,” it bears watching what other monikers Ashton Eaton receives if he wins the event twice.

Eaton is attempting to become the greatest of the greatest by being the first to win back-to-back gold medals in the hallmark Olympic event since Brit Daley Thompson did it in 1980 and 1984, and both of those Games were diminished by boycotts. Not only is Eaton the world record holder with a 9,045-point total at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, but he also owns the record for the decathlon 400 meters. Eaton ran the 100 meters in 10.23 seconds—a world championship best. Jessica Ennis-Hill, Track and Field, Great Britain Ian Walton/Getty Images After winning the gold medal in the heptathlon at the London Olympics, Jessica Ennis-Hill gave birth to a son in 2014 and then won gold in the event at the 2015 World Championships. The 30-year-old missed all of the indoor season after suffering an Achilles injury in early 2016. The Press Association’s Eleanor Crooks (h/t/ the Mail Online ) reported that as of late March, Ennis-Hill didn’t know when she would be able to return to full training.

But the report indicates she's confident in her ability to return in time for Rio. Mo Farah, Track and Field, Great Britain Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports A resident of Portland and training partner of American Galen Rupp, Mo Farah is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters—a brutal distance double. Farah took eighth in the 2014 London marathon but his aspirations in the sport remain on the track. He is known for his outstanding kick at the end of races and superior speed for a distance athlete, making the shorter distances more suited to his strengths. In the 10,000 meters, Farah's biggest challenge figures to come from Rupp, who took silver at the London Games. Allyson Felix, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Expect Allyson Felix to set a U.S. women’s track and field record in Rio. Felix, who competes primarily in the 200- and 400-meter sprints, is tied with Olympic great Jackie Joyner-Kersee with six Olympic medals—the most of any U.S. female track and field athlete.

That mark sits three medals behind the world record, held by Jamaican Merlene Ottey. The reigning Olympic champion in the 200 and World Outdoor champ in the 400, Felix is coached by Joyner-Kersee’s husband, Bob Kersee. She will look to double in the 200 and 400 and could compete on U.S. relay teams. Connor Fields, BMX, United States Harry How/Getty Images An Olympian in 2012, Connor Fields took silver in the first event of the 2016 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It was the second career World Cup silver medal for Fields, who also has three gold and two bronze medals on the circuit. The 23-year-old finished a disappointing seventh at the 2012 Olympics after winning the U.S. national championship. Though only 19 at the London Games, Fields was a favorite. He remains a favorite heading into this year’s Olympics. And with his first Olympics behind him, Fields should perform to expectations in Rio. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Track and Field, Jamaica David J.

Phillip/Associated Press If she were a native of any other country, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce might be the darling of the track and field delegation. But she has been overshadowed by Usain Bolt’s record-breaking runs over the last two Olympiads. After Rio, however, Fraser-Pryce may command a share of the headlines in track and field’s unofficial capital. Fraser-Pryce, the fastest woman in the world, is attempting to win her third straight gold medal in the 100 meters. No woman has ever won three straight golds in the same track and field event. Bolt, meanwhile, is going for his third straight Olympic championship in both the 100 and 200 meters. Justin Gatlin, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports When Justin Gatlin was given an eight-year track and field suspension for doping in 2006—later reduced to four years—the thought was it would torpedo the career of one of America’s most promising sprinters. That amount of time away from competition would stunt the development of nearly any athlete. Gatlin pursued an NFL career, but his speed failed to translate to the gridiron.

So instead he continued to train, and when he returned to competition in 2010, he began one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the career of any track and field athlete. At the 2012 Olympics he won a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash and silver in the 4x100-meter relay, though the U.S. was later stripped of that medal. In 2015 he won silver medals in the World Outdoor Championships in the 100 and 200 meters. Heading into Rio, Gatlin is a serious threat to Usain Bolt’s bid for a third straight gold medal in the 100 and 200 meters. Laura Graves, Equestrian, United States John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Laura Graves enjoyed some stability as a hairdresser in Boston but abandoned it to bet on an unknown horse named Verdades, nicknamed “Diddy,” and her talent as a horse trainer. With a relatively low budget, Graves bought Diddy after seeing him in a sales video. The temperamental horse was difficult to train when Graves first moved to Florida to pursue her dressage dream. She was fortunate to meet U.S.

Olympian Debbie McDonald, who recognized the talent in both Diddy and Graves. The story of Graves' journey in the sport is detailed in this CNN feature . McDonald's coaching has Graves and Diddy heading into the Rio games poised to potentially win a medal. Graves' biggest break came at the 2014 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions where she came in second behind Olympian Steffen Peters. That earned her a spot on the U.S. equestrian team, where she and Diddy were given the opportunity to participate in worldwide competitions. Koki Nagahama/Getty Images The two biggest names in the sport will be hunting Kosuke Hagino. Hagino beat Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in the 200-meter individual medley final at the Pan Pacific Championships in August 2014. He made the final in both IM events at the 2012 Olympics, taking bronze in the 400 by edging Phelps. He could race against Lochte in the 200-meter freestyle and both medley events, and he figures to face Phelps in the 200-meter medley.

At just 5'8 ½", Hagino is unusually diminutive for a world-class swimmer. Phelps and Lochte are 6’4” and 6’2”, respectively. Sarah Hammer, Cycling, United States Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports Sarah Hammer moved to Colorado Springs and has been living at the U.S. Olympic Training Center since 2013 in pursuit of what has eluded her in the past two Olympics: a gold medal. She earned silver medals at the London Games in the omnium and team pursuit. She placed fifth in the individual pursuit at the Beijing Games. Now 32, Hammer will compete in the omnium and anchor the team pursuit for the U.S. She’s ranked third in the world in the omnium, a decathlon-like event that takes place over two days, spanning six events. Hammer is a seven-time world champion and won gold in the omnium at the Pan American Games in 2015. Lindsey Horan, Soccer, United States Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports After signing a professional contract upon her high school graduation, Lindsey Horan has scored 46 goals in 58 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain.

She also tallied twice against Canada in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship but figures to be less of a scoring threat in Rio, playing more of a midfield role. At 21, she's one of the bright young stars of American soccer. U.S. success in Rio could depend largely on Horan’s ability to create chances for forwards like Alex Morgan. Her ability to switch positions with the national team speaks to her growth as a player. Carlin Isles, Rugby Sevens, United States David Becker/Getty Images Four years ago, Carlin Isles was readying for his chance to qualify for the London Olympics—as a sprinter. But he didn’t even make the U.S. trials. A week later he switched sports after watching rugby on the Internet, according to NBC . Now, not surprisingly, Isles is considered the fastest rugby player in the world. He is one of many American crossover athletes in a sport that seems to draw people from varied athletic backgrounds. He is part of an American renaissance in the sport, which has the U.S. inching closer to challenging the world’s traditional powers.

Kirani James, Track and Field, Grenada Christian Petersen/Getty Images Kirani James won gold in the 400 meters at the 2012 Olympics when he was just 19. Now 23, James also specializes in the 200 meters. American LaShawn Merritt won gold in the 400 at the 2008 Olympics and is the primary threat to unseat James in Rio. At the Drake Relays in April 2015, James' 400-meter run of 44.22 seconds set the event record , breaking the previous record of 44.41 which American Michael Johnson set in 1996. Merritt also ran in that race. James, who lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, won back-to-back NCAA outdoor championships in the 400 meters in 2010 and 2011 as a member of Alabama’s track and field team. Joe Kovacs, Track and Field, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Perhaps no other Olympic athlete has experienced a bigger ascent in his or her sport during this Olympic cycle than shot-putter Joe Kovacs.

After finishing fourth at the U.S. team trials in 2012 and failing to qualify for the London Games, Kovacs is a candidate to break the shot put world record of 23.12 meters set by American Randy Barnes in 1990. Six months after failing to qualify for London, Kovacs moved to the Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California. Dedicating himself full-time to the sport has helped tremendously. In July 2015, Kovacs had a throw of 22.56 meters at the Monaco Diamond League that ranked him No. 1 in the world that year. It was the longest throw since 2003, placing Kovacs among the favorites to win gold in Rio. He has won back-to-back national championships. Katie Ledecky, Swimming, United States Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Katie Ledecky is a do-it-all freestyle swimmer. The world recorder holder in the 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle, Ledecky won five gold medals at the 2015 FINA World Championships.

She is the first swimmer to win the 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle in a major competition, according to Karen Crouse of the New York Times. Her international swimming career began at the 2012 Olympics in London, when she won gold in the 800-meter freestyle, upsetting the event’s former world record holder, Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington. She will enroll at Stanford, where she is committed to swim, after this summer’s Olympics conclude. Maggie Nichols, Gymnastics, United States Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports In 2015, Maggie Nichols placed second at the U.S. nationals in the all-around competition. She is known for performing the difficult Amanar vault and double-twisting, double back in the floor exercise, according to Amy Van Deusen of About.com. She was a member of the 2015 U.S. team that won world championship gold, competing in all four events in the team finals. Nichols won bronze in the floor exercise at the World Championships.

With such a stellar 2015 campaign, Nichols is among the top candidates to make the five-person U.S. Olympic team. Sally Pearson, Track and Field, Australia Masashi Hara/Getty Images Sally Pearson has one of the best comeback stories of the Rio Olympics. At the Diamond League meet in June 2015, the 100-meter hurdler fell and broke her lower arm. According to Reuters, via the Guardian , she suffered a “bone explosion” in her wrist and feared that she would have to have part of her arm amputated. But after surgery, she has recovered and is set to compete in the Rio Games. Pearson, who won gold in the 100-meter hurdles in London, is a favorite to repeat as Olympic champion. She won silver in the event at the 2008 Olympics. Jillion Potter, Rugby Sevens, United States Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports In 2014 Jillion Potter was diagnosed with Stage 3 synovial sarcoma. This came just four years after Potter broke her neck, after which she was told she would never play rugby again, according to John Meyer of the Denver Post.

Her career was ultimately saved by surgery and rehabilitation. She has returned to the U.S. team, serving as captain, and is ready to realize her Olympic dream. Potter plays prop in rugby sevens. She won bronze with the Women’s Eagles Sevens at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow. Potter began playing the sport at the University of New Mexico after her high school basketball career ended. Six months later she was selected to the Women’s Junior All-Americans. Mallory Pugh, Soccer, United States Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports During her career with the national team, Mallory Pugh has always had a little more luggage than her U.S. teammates. As a teenager playing with the senior team during Olympic qualifying, Pugh would study calculus after games. This was in an effort to maintain her 3.68 grade-point average while on the road, according to Laura Vecsey of Fox Sports. But Pugh, who turns 18 on April 29, has managed to shine as much on the field as she does in the classroom. The midfielder started all but one Olympic qualifying match for the U.S.

Aly Raisman, Gymnastics, United States Joe Robbins/Getty Images Aly Raisman is a returning member of the “Fierce Five,” the moniker given to the U.S. women’s gymnastics team that won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. She served as team captain in London. Her three medals were the most by an American gymnast at the 2012 Games. In addition to the gold she won in the team competition, Raisman won gold in the floor exercise and bronze in the balance beam. She finished third in the all-around but lost the tiebreaker. A feature in ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue” details Raisman’s daily workout regime , which lasts seven hours. David Rudisha, Track and Field, Kenya Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports David Rudisha is the best 800-meter runner in the world. But in recent months he has earned headlines as much for being outspoken off the track as for his work on it. Rudisha has been critical of the Kenyan delegation after allegations of doping and corruption surfaced. In March, Reuters, via the Guardian , delved deep into issues surrounding Kenya’s athletics program and Rudisha’s response.

Come Rio, though, Rudisha will be focused on his individual performance. He will attempt to win back-to-back Olympic golds in the 800 meters after winning the event at the London Games in world-record time. Taylor Sander, Volleyball, United States Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images Though the sport is dominated by the Brazilians, American Taylor Sander is among the best young volleyball players in the world. The 24-year-old outside hitter was named 2014 American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year, the most prestigious award given to any volleyball player. That same year, Sander led the U.S. team to a gold-medal upset win over Brazil at the FIVB World League. Sander won MVP honors for his efforts. While Brazil is the favorite to win gold at home, any chance the U.S. team has rests largely on the ability of Sander to be the tournament’s breakout star. Dafne Schippers, Track and Field, Netherlands Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports By 23, Dafne Schippers was on the heels of two U.S. track and field legends.

At the 2015 World Championships, Schippers ran the 200 meters in 21.63 seconds, making her the third-fastest ever to run the event. That’s dangerously close to Marion Jones’ best time of 21.62 seconds. Given Schippers’ age—she will have turned 24 by the time the Rio Olympics begin—Florence Griffith Joyner’s world record of 21.34 is within sight. Schippers also took second in the 100 meters at the 2015 World Championships with a time of 10.81 seconds. She is among the top female sprinters heading into Rio. Claressa Shields, Boxing, United States Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Becoming the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in boxing didn’t net Claressa Shields otherworldly celebrity. Endorsement deals didn’t pile up for the middleweight. Instead, Shields returned to her normal life in Flint, Michigan, moving back in with her parents and continuing to train, according to Kevin Helliker of the Wall Street Journal .

According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole , Shields had a rough childhood: She grew up in poverty with a drug-addicted mother, and she says she was sexually abused by three different men. She didn’t speak until she was five. Other Olympic athletes, who grew up with more stability, may have benefited from more high-level coaching. But those circumstances didn’t stunt her growth as a boxer. Shields is undefeated since the London Games and, at 21, is a favorite to win gold again. And according to Iole, she has an endorsement deal from Audi with others in the works. Maggie Steffens, Water Polo, United States Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press Set to graduate from Stanford this year, Maggie Steffens won gold with the U.S. women’s water polo team in London. At the time she was only 19 years old. Four years later, she will be a key component to the team’s chances of repeating in Rio. Steffens, a defender, scored 17 goals in the team’s qualification for the upcoming Olympics.

She scored 13 goals at the 2015 FINA World Championship and added 11 more at the 2016 FINA Intercontinental Tournament. The U.S. won both tournaments and enters the Olympics as the favorite. Kerri Walsh Jennings, Beach Volleyball, United States Mpu Dinani/Getty Images Kerri Walsh Jennings represents half of the greatest women’s beach volleyball duo of all time. She and Misty May-Treanor won gold at the past three Olympics. The pair won 21 straight Olympic matches, dropping only one set—to Austria at the 2012 Games. But with May-Treanor retired, Walsh Jennings will chase her fourth straight gold medal with a new partner, April Ross. Walsh Jennings is finally healthy after surgery in September to repair a torn labrum, and she and her new partner are sixth in Olympic provisional rankings, the highest of any U.S. pair. Tweet As a 14-year-old, Si Yajie won the World Aquatics Championships on the 10-meter platform. Now 17, Yajie enters the Rio Olympics as a favorite to win gold in the same event.

Yajie, who has been diving since she was six , began this Olympic year strong. In March, she won gold at the opening 2016 Diving World Series event in Beijing. The Chinese team is expected to perform well in Rio with a contingent that took gold in each of the 10 disciplines in that opening event. Last year, Chinese divers took 50 of 60 golds in the World Series. Katie Zaferes, Triathlon, United States Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images Katie Zaferes is Syracuse’s record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. But after graduating in 2012, she elected to transition to triathlon and turned pro in 2013. Zaferes grew up playing multiple sports, but her swimming and running background is what got her recruited by USA Triathlon, according to Sports Illustrated . All Zaferes needed to do was work on her biking. She finished in the top three in each of her first five ITU World Triathlon races in 2015. She's not yet guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, with one qualification race remaining.

Arthur Zanetti, Gymnastics, Brazil Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Arthur Zanetti won the gold medal in the rings at the 2012 Olympics and sits as the host country’s best hope for a medal in men’s gymnastics. At 5’1”, Zanetti is among the world’s most recognized gymnasts after being somewhat of a surprise winner in London. In recent months, his name has emerged as the potential flag-bearer for Brazil. A Rio University poll revealed, via O Globo (h/t NBC Sports ), that 14 percent of people who voted favor Zanetti as the country’s flag-bearer. He was second to swimmer Cesar Cielo, who received 19 percent of the vote. Merlene Ottey (Rival) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Merlene Ottey Female Born May 10, 1960 Merlene Joyce Ottey is a Jamaican-born Slovenian track athlete. Ottey began her career representing Jamaica but since 2002 has represented Slovenia, where she now resides.

She is ranked fourth on the all-time list over 60 metres (indoor), sixth on the all-time list over 100 metres and third on the all-time list over 200 metres.… Read More related links Allyson Felix Makes History After Medaling In Women's 400 Meter Dash Huffington Post - Aug 16, 2016 ' \n Allyson Felix clinched her seventh career Olympic medal on Monday evening after finishing second in the womenâs 400-meter dash with a time of 49.51 seconds, an accomplishment that makes her the most decorated female track and field athlete in American history. \n Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas won the race with a time of 49.44 after diving over the finish line, and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica won the bronze with 49.85. \n \n Felix, competing in her fourth Olympics, was the reigning worl...

Kanter Throws 67.99m In Warsaw International Association Of Athletics Foundation Google News - Sep 21, 2011 'Cuban Yuniel Perez won the men&#39;s 100m in 10.31 (+1.8) while Briton Montell Douglas took the women&#39;s sprint in 11.52 (+0.8) with legendary <mark>Merlene Ottey</mark> finishing fourth in 11.84, her second fastest of the year 11.84.

Elsewhere on the infield,' 'russians' Win Big Again Rampant Steths Maul Newell 17 0 Jamaica Gleaner Google News - Sep 18, 2011 'Photo by Adrian Frater The goal-scoring machine of reigning daCosta Cup champions Rusea&#39;s High School rolled over yet another opponent yesterday afternoon when they spanked a hapless <mark>Merlene Ottey</mark> 6-0 in their Zone B fixture at the Colin Miller Complex' Rusea's On The Prowl Again Go Jamaica Google News - Sep 17, 2011 'Rusea&#39;s will host <mark>Merlene Ottey</mark> High at the Colin Miller Sports Complex. Rusea&#39;s lead Zone &#39;B&#39; with maximum six points, three ahead of <mark>Merlene Ottey</mark> High. Thirty-three other games across 12 zones are also scheduled for the day' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Merlene Ottey.

CHILDHOOD 1960 Birth Born on May 10, 1960. TEENAGE 1976 16 Years Old Ottey's inspiration came from listening to the track and field broadcast from the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where Donald Quarrie ran in the sprint finals. Her athletics career took off when she moved to the US and attended the University of Nebraska in 1979, where she joined the track team. She represented Jamaica in the 1979 Pan American Games, winning a bronze medal in the 200 m. TWENTIES 1980 20 Years Old In the 1980 Moscow games, Ottey became the first female English-speaking Caribbean athlete to win an Olympic medal. … Read More Back in Jamaica, she was awarded an Officer of the Order of Nation, and the Order of Distinction for 'services in the field of sport'. Read Less 1982 22 Years Old In the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Ottey won a gold medal in the 200 m and silver medal in the 100 m.

1983 23 Years Old She won 14 World Championship medals between 1983 and 1997 â more than any other athlete, male or female â however, her failure to win many golds in major international competitions earned her the nickname "the Bronze Queen" in racing circles. … Read More She has won a total of three gold, three silver and eight bronze medals in the 4 x 100 m relay, the 100-m, and 200-m races. Read Less 1984 24 Years Old She graduated from university with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and married fellow athlete Nathaniel Page in 1984 and briefly used the name Merlene Ottey-Page. … Read More The couple later divorced. Read Less THIRTIES 1990 30 Years Old Nearly a decade later, in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, she won gold in both events. Show Less Ottey was named Ambassador of Jamaica after her gold medal win in the 1993 world championships.

… Read More She has also been named Jamaican Sportswoman of the year 13 times between 1979 and 1995.<br /><br /> Throughout her career, she has won nine Olympic medals, the most by any woman in track and field history These include three silver and six bronze medals. She has never won an Olympic gold medal, but lost by five thousandths of a second to Gail Devers in the 100 m Final at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when they both recorded the same time of 10.94 seconds. Read Less This was not her closest finish to Devers â she recorded a time of 10.812 seconds to Devers' 10.811 seconds in the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart â still the closest finish at an international athletics meet. … Read More Her seven Olympic appearances from 1980 to 2004 are the most by any Track & Field athlete.

The next highest is six, by javelin thrower and heptathlete Tessa Sanderson, discus thrower Lia Manoliu, and middle-distance runners Maria Mutola and JoÃ£o N'Tyamba. Read Less Ottey was appointed an Ambassador at Large by the Jamaican government in 1993. … Read More In 1999, during a meet in Lucerne, Switzerland, a urine sample submitted had returned positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. Her 'B' sample also contained higher than normal levels of the substance. Ottey was subsequently banned by the IAAF from competing in the World Championships in Seville, Spain. Read Less FORTIES Show Less Ottey fought to clear her name, asserting that charge was a "terrible mistake", and that she was innocent of knowingly taking steroids. In the summer of 2000, Ottey was cleared of all charges by the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association, the IAAF lifted its two-year ban, after the CAS dismissed the case; it is important to note the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the case because the retesting was not completed in the allotted time.

… Read More In Jamaica, at the National Senior Trials before selection for the Olympics, Ottey placed a disappointing fourth. According to the rules of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), only athletes who had finished in the top three at the trials were eligible to run at the Olympics; she was only qualified to run on the 4 x 100 m relay team. Ottey asked that she be substituted for another team member, a courtesy that had been extended to others in the past. The JAAA's decision to replace Peta-Gaye Dowdie with Ottey caused widespread controversy. Dowdie's team members and many Jamaicans believed that Ottey had bullied her way onto the team. She was construed as an aging icon trying to retain power by usurping the place of a younger and equally worthy athlete. Jamaican 400 m Olympian and championship medallist Gregory Haughton lead the notorious "Games Village" protests to oust Ottey, which made international headlines. The protest ended when The International Olympic Committee (IOC) threatened to throw the Jamaicans out of the Games if the team managers were not able to control their charges.

Read Less At the 2000 Olympics, Ottey finished fourth in the 100 m, beaten from a medal by fellow Jamaican sprinter Tayna Lawrence. … Read More The race was won by Marion Jones who registered 10.75 seconds, followed by Ekaterini Thanou of Greece in 11.12 seconds. Lawrence posted 11.18 seconds to Ottey's 11.19 seconds. In the 4Ã100 relay, the Jamaican team â bronze medalist Lawrence, teenager and newcomer Veronica Campbell, and Beverly McDonald â was anchored by Ottey to a silver medal. This medal gave Ottey her eighth medal, the most ever for a female athlete. Nine years later, Ottey's fourth place was retroactively promoted to third â giving Ottey her ninth medal â and Lawrence to second when Jones was stripped of her medals for steroid abuse.<br /><br /> Due to the controversy, Ottey decided that "after Sydney I said I wasn't going to run another race for Jamaica...

because I felt like the Jamaicans were trying to push me out of the sport and I really needed to prove my point, that I might be 40 but I can still run." Read Less 2002 42 Years Old … In 1998 Ottey moved to Slovenia and began training with Slovene coach SrÄan ÄorÄeviÄ. There she was still representing Jamaica. Read Less However, in May 2002, she became a Slovene citizen, and now resides in Ljubljana, where she represents her new country in international events. 2004 44 Years Old Ottey competed for Slovenia in the 100 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where she reached the semifinals. 2006 46 Years Old At age 46, she competed in the 2006 European Championships in Athletics. … Read More She finished fifth in the semi-finals of the 100 metres and did not qualify for the final, which was won by Belgium's Kim Gevaert.

Read Less 2008 48 Years Old Ottey failed by .28 seconds to reach her eighth Olympic Games, aged 48 in 2008. FIFTIES 2010 50 Years Old In spite of this, two years later she qualified for the Slovenian 4 x 100-metre relay squad at the 2010 European Athletics Championships where she became the oldest athlete ever to participate in the history of the European championships.

Question: Who holds the record for the most appearances as a track athlete in the Olympic Games? (7 appearances)
Answer: MERLENE OTTEY