The 2020 Olympic Games are finally underway, and they have proven to be both groundbreaking and nail biting! The first gold medals have been won, history has been made several times over, and Olympic fans have been taken on quite a roller coaster ride in qualifiers and main events they have been dying to see.

With some of the most diverse teams to date, this year's Olympics have also seen an increase in minorities representing the USA, as well as triple the number of LGBTQ athletes from around the globe that participated in 2016.

Stefanie Dolson, one of at least 168 out athletes competing, plays for the WNBA's Chicago Sky. She helped Team USA dominate in the debut of 3x3 basketball over six games, until their first loss Tuesday to Japan (20-18). Their 6-1 record secured their spot in Wednesday's final, though, in which Dolson and her team brought home the gold.

Tom Daley, an openly Gay diver for Great Britain, won the men's synchronized 10-meter diving competition with his partner Matty Lee, breaking China's twenty-one-year winning streak.

"I hope that any young LGBT person out there can see that no matter how alone you feel right now, you are not alone," he said, while in the company of his Chinese and Russian competitors — a powerful moment for an Olympian who had previously avoided participating in Russian competitions out of fear for his safety as an openly Gay athlete. "You can achieve anything, and there is a whole lot of your chosen family out here, ready to support you."

This was Daley's third Olympic medal after winning bronze in 2012 and 2016,

Other firsts
History continued to be made when half-Filipina 27-year-old medical student Lee Kiefer became the first American to win a gold medal in individual foil fencing.

More history was made when weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, in her fourth Olympics, became the Philippines' first-ever gold medalist, in the women's 55kg category. She lifted a combined weight of 224 kg (about 493 lbs.), setting an Olympic record.

During the pandemic she had been forced to train with bamboo poles and large water bottles. Overwhelmed with pride and emotion, she broke out in tears to the sound of her country's national anthem.

Women's gymnastics
One of the most popular events — women's artistic gymnastics — has been an unexpected ride for Team USA. With their leader Simone Biles having a hard time finding her rhythm in the qualifiers, members of the Russian Olympic Committee team were able to qualify ahead of the American team.

Later Biles withdrew from the team final after struggling with the stress of being the greatest gymnast in history, and the expectations placed on her. While removing herself must have been one of the hardest things she has had to do, it allowed her team to win the silver medal, cementing her GOAT (greatest of all time) status.

She is not sure if she will compete again at the Tokyo Games, but for many, she is already their champion.

A heartfelt sentiment Biles tweeted to her teammates after her withdrawal: "OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALISTS. I'm SO proud of these girls right here. You girls are incredibly brave & talented! I will forever be inspired by your determination to not give up and to fight through adversity! They stepped up when I could not. Thanks for being there for me and having my back! forever love y'all."

The United States has the most medals so far, with 31 in total (as of Wednesday afternoon): 11 gold, 11 silver, and 9 bronzes. However, the games are far from over, with many events still to come, including Team USA's legendary women's basketball team, with five openly Gay women (Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm, Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces, Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm (and WNBA MVP), and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury), whose progress we are excited to watch!