The Power of Dedication & Training

Many of the amazing Olympic athletes appearing on your screen today and throughout history have been training for that particular moment since they were kids. To win an Olympic medal, it requires an incredible amount of dedication, hard work, and practice. We're not talking several years, we're talking ongoing training that started when they were 13, 8, or maybe even 4. Here are 20 of the most talented, decorated Olympians to walk the Earth, and how long they've been training to get to where they are now.

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1. Michael Phelps (Swimming)

There's no household in America that didn't watch in anticipation as Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time back in 2008. With a whopping 28 medals, you can't help but wonder how it all started. It should come as no surprise to learn that this amazing athlete first began swimming at the young age of seven. As soon as he realized he had a talent and love for the sport, he started training at a mere 11 years old under his coach Bob Bowman. 

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2. Simone Biles (Gymnastics)

It's safe to say watching Simone Biles compete in the Olympics is unlike anything else you'll ever see. She is, without a doubt, one of the greatest gymnasts in all of history. And with a talent so spectacular, you can only assume she began training at an incredibly young age. In fact, her journey first began when she was just 8 years old, training with her coach Aimee Boorman.

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3. Usain Bolt (Athletics)

Also known as the fastest man alive, Usain Bolt was always a force to be reckoned with when he competed in the Olympics. It seemed like no one would ever be able to outrun him! His talents were first discovered at a very young age, around 12 years old. As soon as coaches understood his potential, he started training in a professional manner around the same age.

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4. Nadia Comaneci (Gymnastics)

Being remembered as the first gymnast to ever receive a perfect score of 10 at the Olympics is a pretty amazing thing. And with 5 Olympic gold medals under her belt, Nadia Comaneci is truly a wonder to behold. It all began when she was still a kid, being discovered by her gymnastics coach when she was only 6. 

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5. Serena Williams (Tennis)

Deemed one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, Serena Williams doesn't just have Grand Slams in her name, she's also got 4 Olympic gold medals. She started playing tennis when she was just 4 years old, and at 14, she made her professional debut. Talk about dedication. We can only imagine how hard she had to train to get to where she is now.

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6. Shaun White (Snowboarding)

When you think about the most dominant snowboarders around the world, Shaun White is definitely a name that comes up. With 3 Olympic gold medals in his name, there's no award more telling than that. But did you know he's pretty much had this talent all his life? He began snowboarding at just 6 years old, and at 7, he was already winning competitions.

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7. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Athletics)

When someone says "greatest female athlete of all time", Jackie Joyner-Kersee's name will always come up in contention. Her Olympic performances in heptathlon and long jump have won her multiple medals including 3 Olympic gold. She already showed a lot of talent for long jump in high school, but it wasn't until 1981 (when she was 19) that she started training under her coach, Bob Kersee.

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8. Lionel Messi (Soccer)

Already known as one of the most talented soccer players in the whole wide world, Lionel Messi solidified that thought with his gold medal win back in 2008. He first fell in love with the sport at just 4 years old, which began his training arc that led to him playing professionally at 17 years old. 

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9. Andre De Grasse (Athletics)

A true Canadian treasure, sprinter Andre De Grasse has got an impressive 6 Olympic medals (1 gold!) to his name. Compared to the others on this list, he started training at a relatively older age, at 17 years old. That's not to say he hasn't trained as much or as hard as everyone else though! Can you imagine doing that at 17? We think not!

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10. Allyson Felix (Athletics)

Although Allyson Felix is now retired, she was one of the most dominant track and field athletes to ever grace the sport. Watching her run was so incredible, and everyone stared in awe as she claimed 11 Olympic medals, 7 of them gold, during her career. It all started with her decision to join the high school track team back when she was in the ninth grade. After her talent was discovered, it was all history from there.

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11. Kristi Yamaguchi (Figure Skating)

Kristi Yamaguchi certainly made a name for herself when she became the first Asian-American to win at the Winter Olympics. Her passion for the sport came at an early age, when she was just six years old. Waking up extra early in the morning so she could practice before school, it just goes to show you the dedication needed to become a champion.

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12. Evgeni Plushenko (Figure Skating)

Learning how to skate when he was just 4 years old, all that dedication and hard work led Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko to 4 Olympic medals. Starting so young gave him all the more time to master his craft, as he quickly became an idol to all aspiring skaters. 

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13. Ashton Eaton (Decathlon)

As with all the other athletes on this list, it's clear that their talents started blooming at a young age. For Ashton Eaton, it took moving schools and joining the track team in fifth grade to kickstart his journey. From the moment he started training seriously, he's set plenty of world records and even won 2 Olympic gold medals. Now that's true success.

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14. Sky Brown (Skateboarding)

At just 13 years old, Sky Brown quickly became Britain's youngest athlete to win a medal at the Olympics. In 2020, she shocked the world with her amazing skateboarding skills, climbing her way to the podium to receive a bronze medal. At just 13! If you think that's hard to believe, you'll be even more surprised to learn she started skateboarding when she was only 3 years old.

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15. Katie Ledecky (Swimming)

If men's swimming has got Michael Phelps, women's swimming has got the fantastic Katie Ledecky. With an astonishing 14 Olympic medals (including some won this year in Paris!), she's arguably one of the greatest female swimmers to ever compete. She was only 15 years old when she went to her first Olympics, and she was only 6 when she first started training to become a swimmer!

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16. Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw)

As the first Asian athlete to ever win the gold medal in Men's javelin throw, you can only imagine how much hard work Neeraj Chopra had to put in to get this far. Discovering his skill with the sport when he was just 13 years old, his continued dedication has led him to become an icon for his country.

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17. Ayumu Hirano (Snowboarding)

Ayumu Hirano first fell in love with snowboarding when he was just 4 years old. He was always an athletic kid, but it was this sport that truly got him hooked. After years of training and competition in his teen years, he eventually received the honor of competing in the Olympics for Japan. The best part? He became a 3 time Olympic medalist thanks to his skill and years of practice.

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18. Gabby Douglas (Gymnastics)

Although Simone Biles is all the rage right now, don't forget about all the other amazing gymnasts out there. Gabby Douglas is a superstar, winning 3 Olympic gold medals during her career. She started her training when she was only 6, but once her potential was realized, she moved to Iowa when she was 14 to train with a top notch coach. 

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19. Mo Farah (Athletics)

Considered to be one of the greatest runners ever, Mo Farah has definitely etched his name in history. With 4 Olympic gold medals and even a knighthood thanks to his accomplishments, it can't get more amazing than that. It all started when he was about 12 years old when his potential was first noticed. Shortly after, he began competing in competitions where he slowly started racking up his titles.

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20. Sunisa Lee (Gymnastics)

Of course if we talked about Simone Biles, we have to talk about her amazing gymnastics partner, Suni Lee. The two are often regarded as the greatest women's gymnasts of their time. And with 6 Olympic medals, two of them gold, she can certainly back it up. She's been working incredibly hard since she was 6 years old to achieve her dreams, and we can guarantee she's not stopping now.

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