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I'm a sports fan, but not in the traditional sense. I enjoy international competitions, as I've been a fan of the Olympics for as long as I can remember. With more events than ever available to watch on television and online, I've become a fan of quite a few international athletes. Here are some of my favorites, with links to homepages or profiles when available.
Badminton
Badminton
Japan
Won me over with her spirited playing in her gold medal doubles match in the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Japan
Also discovered Okuhara at Rio 2016, where her polite demeanor (bowing to the court and officials before each match) defies her masterful playing in singles.
Japan
Randomly watched a singles match in 2018 when Okuhara wasn't playing, and discovered this left-hander with a fierce and powerful playing style.
Japan
In summer of 2018 I was watching a doubles match at a tournament when Matsutomo and Takahashi weren't playing, and Nagahara's playing style caught my eye.
Curling
Curling
Japan
Playing Third for the Japanese women's team at Pyeongchang 2018, Yoshida is a lively chatterbox keeping spirits high on the team.
Diving
Diving
Figure Skating
Figure Skating
Russia
No introduction needed. I became a fan a few years ago even before I learned that she's a dedicated Sailor Moon fan.
Japan
Quiet and beautiful to watch on the ice, she reminds me a bit of the retired Mao Asada, who I was also a big fan of.
Japan
Absolutely charming to watch, she won me over with her expressive and magical Amélie skate in the 2017/2018 season.
Russia
My favorite of the Russian underdog skaters, with a subdued elegance which may emerge with time and experience.
Kazakhstan
Tiny but with lots of potential, I first took notice in the 2016/2017 season when she skated to music from Princess Mononoke.
Hungary
One of the underdogs, she skates to her own rules, making a buzz in the 2017/2018 season when she brought her AC/DC skate to the Pyeongchang Olympics!
Slovakia
US-born but representing Slovakia due to her heritage, she's another underdog. Always lively on the ice.
Ski Jumping
Ski Jumping
Swimming
Swimming
Lithuania
I am of Lithuanian heritage myself, so I usually cheer for Lithuanian athletes in any sport I see them competing in. Imagine my surprise when I was watching some swimming in the London 2012 games and saw Meilutytė breaking records left and right... at the age of 15!
Volleyball
Volleyball
South Korea
An explosive ball of energy on the court, I quickly became a fan during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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