SportsRio OlympicsPaving The Way

10 Olympians Who Will Make History Before They Even Compete In Rio

Meet the athletes breaking barriers this Olympics.
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By 

Senior Culture Writer, HuffPost

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Ibtihaj Muhammad, first Team USA athlete to compete in a hijab.
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

This year’s Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which kick off on Aug. 5, will surely be filled with some historic moments. Golf will return to the games for the first time since 1904, and amateur and professional boxers will be come face-to-face in the ring. And of course, sporting records in all events will be set and broken for the first time. 

But what about the athletes who are setting records before they even compete? This year, there are several Olympians coming to Rio who will be the first of their kind ― from the oldest woman to compete in gymnastics, to the first black woman to play on the U.S. Water Polo team. Below are some of the most impressive athletes changing the game just by showing up: 

1
Jo Pavey, Oldest Track-And-Field Athlete Ever
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Jo Pavey, representing team Great Britain, has the distinction of being the oldest track athlete in Olympic history (she is 42). In 2014, she became the oldest woman to win gold in competition at the European Championships.
2
Ashleigh Johnson, First Black Woman To Compete In Water Polo
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Ashleigh Johnson, 21, will be the first black woman ever to compete on the U.S. Women's Water Polo team. A native of Miami, Florida, Johnson will serve as goalkeeper for the team in Rio.
3
Ibtihaj Muhammad, First U.S. Athlete To Compete In A Hijab
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Muhammad, a 30-year-old native of Maplewood, New Jersey, will represent Team USA in sabre fencing in Rio. She is the first woman on Team USA to compete while wearing a hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim women.
4
Bernard Lagat, Oldest U.S. Athlete To Compete In Track
Kent Horner via Getty Images
At 41, Bernard Lagat will be the oldest Team USA athlete to compete in running. Lagat, born in Kenya and a naturalized citizen of America, is also the second-oldest U.S. athlete to compete in running ever.
5
Yusra Mardini And The First-Ever Refugee Olympic Team
Michael Dalder / Reuters
Yusra Mardini is an 18-year-old swimmer from Syria. She's also a refugee. For the first time in Olympic history, she and several other refugee athletes will not compete under the Syrian flag but as the Refugee Olympic Team.
6
Oksana Chusovitina, Oldest Competing Female Gymnast
Brian Snyder / Reuters
Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan, 41, will make history in Rio by becoming the oldest woman to compete in gymnastics. She's poised to compete against gymnasts (like Laurie Hernandez) less than half her age.
7
Lia Neal And Simone Manuel, First Black Female Swim Duo On Team USA
Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images
Lia Neal, 21, and Simone Manuel, 19, are Stanford students making history in the swimming category at the Olympics. It's the first time two black women will compete in Olympic swimming for Team USA at the same time. The duo will be competing on the 4x100 freestyle team.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article said Lia Neal And Simone Manuel were the first black swimmers in Olympic history to represent the USA. This is the first year two black female swimmers have represented the USA at the Olympics at the same time. Other black swimmers have participated in the games for Team USA. The article also said this was the first year golf would be included in the games; it is returning to the games for the first time since 1904.

For more Olympics coverage:

Before You Go

The Olympics Throughout History
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Bettmann (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) USA California Los Angeles: 1932 Summer Olympics Javelin thrower Mildred 'Babe' Didriksen (USA) winning the gold medal (43,68) ahead of two German athletes - August 1932 - Photographer: Max Schirner - Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by Sportbild Schirner /ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) USA's Bruce Jenner got a second place in the shot put of Olympic Decathlon competition with this toss of 15.35 metres. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) Jane Fauntz of the United States exhibits perfect form during the finals of the springboard diving events of the Los Angeles Olympic games. Jane placed third in the event. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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ATHENS - 1896: The start of the 100 meters sprint at the first Olympic Games of the Modern Era in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images via Getty Images)
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Olympic Games, 1896. Preparation for the 100-meter race. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images) (credit:Heritage Images via Getty Images)
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1896: View of athletes, standing in rows, and crowds filling the stadium at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 10/19/1937-Jesse Owens, runner. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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Olympic figure skater Maribel Vinson pulls the oars of a single scull. She is training to be a competitive rower. (Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) (credit:Library of Congress via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) Dick Button executing one of his more difficult routines during the Olympic figure skating championship which he won. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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Danish women gymnastics team practising at the 1908 London Olympics. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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July 1908: A Danish gymnast walking the beam at the 1908 London Olympics. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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July 1908: Harry Porter of the USA in mid-jump during the High Jump event at the 1908 London Olympics. He won the Gold Medal setting an Olympic record of 1.905 metres. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) Her leg muscles standing out like steel cables, Stella Walsh, representing Poland, tightens up to heave the discus during the event in the Los Angeles Olympic games. Stella placed sixth, with Lillian Copeland of the United States tossing the platter a distance of 133 feet 2 inches to smash the world and Olympic record of 129 feet 11.9 inches. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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Nan Cindele, of Chicago, Illinois, throwing javelin in preparation for the Olympic games. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 02/08/1952-Helsinki, Finland- America wins basketball today when they beat the U.S.S.R. team. photo shows incident around the American basket ,Robert Albert Kurland,U.S. defender taking the ball from S. Butatus (4), of Russia. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 7/29/1948-Wembley, England- Roy Cochran goes over a hurdle in trial heat on July 29. Cochran went on to cop the 400-meter hurdle event at the Olympics in new winning time of 51.1 seconds. Americans took five first in the second day of competition at Wembly Stadium. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) Skispringen, Spezial-Sprunglauf: Helmut Recknagel (DDR) gewinnt für die gesamtdeutsche Mannschaft mit Sprüngen von 93,5 und 83,5 Metern die Goldmedaille - im Sprung mit nach vorne gestreckten Armen (Photo by ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) Der Oberstdorfer Max Bolkart beim 1. Ausscheidungsspringen West - Ost für die Olympischen Spiele 1964 am 26.12.1963 in Oberstdorf. . (Photo by Horstmüller/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) Olympic Games Berlin: swimmers jumping into the water - Photographer: Lothar Ruebelt- Published by: 'Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung' 1936Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by Lothar Ruebelt/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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Italian cyclists Sergio Bianchetto and Angelo Damiano posing with Soviet cyclists Imants Bodnieks and Viktor Logunov and with German cyclists Willi Fuggerer and Klaus Kobusch after the tandem on track awards ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics.Tokyo, October 1964 (Photo by Mario De Biasi;Giorgio Lotti;Walter Mori/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) (credit:Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
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JUL 19 1972, AUG 15 1972; Honnen, Suzie; Good Colorado bet in Jr. Olympics; Unbeaten DU Hilltopper diver Suzie Honnen will compete in the 13-14-year-old diving event in national meet.; Suzie Honnen DU Hilltoppers; Coached by Dennis Hartman; Credit: Denver Post Inc (Photo By Ernie Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images) (credit:Ernie Leyba via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) Mr. Avery Brundage Makes Closing Speech. Melbourne: With the embroidered satin Olympic flag flying from the dais, Mr. Avery Brundage, president of the International Olympic Committee, makes his closing speech to the crowded Melbourne Cricket crowd. Flanking his dais are the Mayors of Melbourne (Left) and Helsinki (right). The symbolic flag was afterwards handed to the Mayor of Melbourne for safe keeping until the games of the XVII Olympics in Rome. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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Finnish runner Lasse Viren sprints around the last curve in front of Tunisian Mohammed Gammoudi to win the gold medal in the 5000m final, 10 September 1972 at the Olympic stadium in Munich. Viren also won the gold medal in the 10.000m and repeated his exploits at the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976. / AFP / - (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:- via Getty Images)
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1976: Women dressed in ancient Greek tunics at Olympia performing the ceremony of lighting the Olympic Flame at the sacred altar. After the ceremony the flame is carried to Athens by athletes, then flown to Austria for the Winter Olympics. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
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CANADA - JANUARY 27: Glenda Reiser; in fourth place; is forced to the outside in the semi-final of the women's 1;500-metre race at the Munich Olympic games. Only 17; Glenda was unable to cope with the opposition in a tactical race and finished a disappointing seventh. But the Ottawa girl is regarded as one of the rising young stars in the track world. She will face world-class copetition in 1;000-yard race in The Star-Maple leaf Indoor Games Friday evening at Gardens. (Photo by Graham Bezant/Toronto Star via Getty Images) (credit:Graham Bezant via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) Mayer, Helene *20.12.1910-15.10.1953+Fechterin, DOlympiasiegerin 1928- (r.) in einem Trainingsgefechtmit dem sechsmaligen Olympiasieger NedoNadi (Italien)- 1928 (Photo by Schirner/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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(GERMANY OUT) Germany Berlin Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf) - Summer Olympics, apparatus gymnastics - August 1936 (Photo by Wolff & Tritschler/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 8/12/1948-London, England- Photo shows Shello of Italy circling the track after winning the 1000 meters scratch final at Herne Hill this afternoon. Second, was Britain's Reg Harris and third, was Scharndorff of Denmark. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 8/6/1948-London, England- Bob Mathias is shown in action as he heaved the heavy platter in the discus throw event of the decathlon at the Olympic games. With seven of the ten events finished he held a 98 point lead over the second man, Ignace Heinrich, of France. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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Cissie Davies of Great Britain on the balance beam at Empress Hall, Earl's Court, during the gymnastics events at the London Olympic Games, 12th August 1948. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 8/6/1948-London, England- DUTCH HOUSEWIFE SETTING NEW RECORD AT OLYMPICS. Mrs. Fanny Blankers-Koen (at right) is pictured going over the hurdles during the 80 meters hurdles. The Dutch housewife, mother of two children, set a new world and Olympic record of 0.11.2 for the event. Finishing second was Maureen Gardner of Great Britain (second from the right). She too set a new record, and Shirley Strickland, no. 668, of Australia, took third place. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 8/12/1948-Wembley, England- Egypt's Mohammed Zulficar, at right, presses home a vigorous attack to score against Mexico's B. Ramos Ramos during their Olympic sabre amtch in the palace, of engineering at Wembley, England. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 7/30/1952-Helsinki, Finland- OLYMPICS GAMES. Mrs. Patricia McCormick of Los Angeles, CA, shows off her championship form as she executes a difficult manuever on the Olympic springboard in Helsinki. Mrs. McCormick's form won her the springboard diving title and the gold medal which accompanies the title. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) 7/24/1952-Helsinki, Finland- The Rev. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. Richards made 14 feet, 11.14 inches to surpass previous marks on his final try. Don Laz of Champaign, IL., was second and Ragnar Lundberg of Sweden was third. Richards is from La Verne, CA. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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The three winners of the Ladies 200 metre final at the Rome Olympics, 6th September 1960. From left to right, Britain's Dorothy Hyman (bronze), the USA's Wilma Rudolph (gold) and Germany's Jutta Heine (silver). (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Central Press via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) Joe Frazier of Philadelphia after he won the Olympic heavyweight boxing match against Germany's Hans Huber October 23. Frazier won the bout by a decision and gained another gold medal for the U.S., which clinched the Olympics gold medal championship. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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American athlete Alfred Adolf Oerter Jr. (1936 ? 2007) breaks the Olympic record with a throw of 191 feet 8 1/4 inches in the qualifying round of the discus, during the Rome Oympics, 6th September 1960. He went on to win the gold medal. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Central Press via Getty Images)
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(Original Caption) International Olympic Committee Chairman Avery Brundage (left) congratulates Otis Paul Drayton of the United States after presenting the gold medal to members of the US 400 meter relay team October 21. Other team members are (left to right): Gerald Howard Ashworth; Richard V. Stebbins; and Robert L. Hayes. The team set a new Olympic and world's record by winning the event in 39 seconds flat. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
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TOKYO - OCTOBER 23: (JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS OUT) Hiroharu Yamashita performs in the Men's vault during the Tokyo Olympic on October 23, 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Sankei Archive via Getty Images) (credit:Sankei Archive via Getty Images)
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Group photo of the eleven cyclists of the Italian track racing team. They are on their bikes, leant one against the other on the Olympic velodrome. The Italian team shall win the bronze medal in the men's team pursuit 4,000 metres and the silver medal in men's sprint with Giordano Turrini. Mexico City (Mexico), October 1968. (Photo by Mario De Biasi;Sergio Del Grande;Giorgio Lotti/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) (credit:Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
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