Christina Stiehl

Like all Tokyo-bound athletes, Felix was originally prepared to compete in summer 2020 — then the pandemic hit. But while Felix said she had to give herself time to grieve the postponed Games and feel upset, she made the decision to prioritize her mental health and move on to focus on competing a year later than originally planned.

Professional cyclist Ayesha Rosena Anna McGowan, creator of A Quick Brown Fox, started out riding a bike when she got two bikes for Christmas one year. Now, McGowan rides for Liv Racing and is the first Black American woman on a professional road cycling team. She uses her platform to advocate for BIPOC cyclists and those who are interested in racing and amplify the message that representation matters.

The sprinter, whose main events are the 400-meter and the 4x400 relay, has competed in four Games total since her Olympic debut in 2004. So when it came time to train for her fifth Games in Tokyo, the accomplished athlete was mentally prepared to compete in July 2020. But, as we all know, a global pandemic had other plans.