TOKYO, Japan — There are 16 athletes from Arizona competing in the Tokyo Olympics this year in a variety of sports including beach volleyball, skateboarding and baseball.
Meet the Arizona athletes below and follow their journey through the Olympic Games.
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Brady Ellison, Archery
Birthplace: Globe, AZ
Hometown: Globe, AZ
Olympic Teams: 2008, 2012, 2016
Olympic Medals: 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
In his first Tokyo Olympics appearance, Ellison was eliminated in an upset 5-4 loss to Indonesia at the Yumenoshima Archery Field in Koto City, Tokyo on Friday.
Ellison is a full-time Archer who competes internationally and in the United States. He overcame complications from Perthes Disease, which stems from his childhood, and put off surgery for nine months to compete in the Beijing Olympics, according to his official website.
You can visit his personal website here.
Jamie Westbrook, Baseball
Birthplace: Gilbert, AZ
Hometown: Chandler, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics:
Westbrook is a part of the Milwaukee Brewers organization, but he was drafted in 2013 by the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth round. He committed to play collegiate baseball at Pepperdine University before signing with the Diamondbacks, according to Team USA.
Sarah Sponcil, Beach Volleyball
Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Sponcil is a professional beach volleyball player. She won back-to-back national championships in beach volleyball (2018-2019) and enjoys riding her unicycle around Hermosa Beach, according to her personal website.
RELATED: Phoenix-native Olympian Sarah Sponcil makes Olympic history as family, friends watch from home
Brandon McNulty, Cycling
Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
McNulty finished sixth in the men's cycling road race on Saturday.
McNulty gained a love for cycling as a child; his dad would take him out to ride on dirt roads near his house. At the age of 8, he competed in his first mountain bike race. Then four years later, he transitioned to the road, according to USA Cycling.
Corben Sharrah, Cycling BMX Racing
Birthplace: Tucson, AZ
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Olympic Teams: 2016
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Sharrah enjoys racecar driving, fishing, hunting and building jumping in is spare time, according to Team USA.
Delaney Schnell, Diving
Birthplace: Iron Mountain, MI
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Schnell made Team USA history when she took home the team's first-ever medal in Women's Synchronized Platform Diving with a silver medal with Jessica Parratto! The Americans scored 78.72, earning marks from 8.0 to 8.5 for synchronization.
Schnell began diving at 10 years old. Her favorite dive is a back 3 ½ tuck (207C) on 10-meter. When she isn’t training, she is involved with Southern Arizona Roadrunners, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging fitness and health in Tucson and Southern Arizona through running and walking, according to Team USA.
Jade Carey, Gymnastics
Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Carey became interested in gymnastics through her parent's gym, where she would spend ample time playing. She loves that gymnastics has allowed her to travel around the world and meet fantastic gymnasts, according to USA Gymnastics.
Carey will continue on to not just the team competition, but also the all-around final as a replacement for Simone Biles after she dropped out due to mental health issues.
Jade Carey won a gold medal in floor exercise on August 1. She finished with a 14.366.
RELATED: Phoenix gymnast Jade Carey brings home gold after stunning Tokyo Olympics floor performance
MyKayla Skinner, Gymnastics
Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
Hometown: Gilbert, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Skinner will step in to compete in the women's individual vault finals after Simone Biles pulled out citing mental health.
RELATED: ‘It’s go time baby!’: Gilbert’s MyKayla Skinner replacing Simone Biles for Olympic vault finals
Skinner has three older sisters that participated in gymnastics. She admired them so much she signed up to participate in gymnastics, as well. She loves Taylor Swift and reading the Twilight book series, according to USA Gymnastics.
Skinner earned a silver medal after hitting both vaults in the August 1 competition in Tokyo.
RELATED: 'All dreams come true' Social media reacts to Arizona Olympian MyKayla Skinner's silver medal win
Maceo Brown, Rugby
Birthplace: Tempe, AZ
Hometown: Tempe, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Brown started playing rugby at 16 years old; he also played football and basketball. He participated in Division II college football for two years at Grand Canyon University before he excelled in playing rugby, according to USA Rugby.
RELATED: Rules of the Game: Rugby
Brett Thompson, Rugby
Birthplace: Tempe, AZ
Hometown: Tempe, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Thompson grew up around rugby and began playing at 14. He also played Division I football at the University of Arizona. according to USA Rugby.
Alana Smith, Skateboarding
Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Smith earned a silver medal at 12-years-old at X Games Barcelona 2013 Women’s Park Contest, which made them the youngest medalist in X Game history. Smith, who identifies as non-binary, said they don't want to be known as a good female skateboarder, just a good skater, according to X Games and USA Skateboarding.
Smith, unfortunately, will not advance in the Olympics after coming in last during the women's skateboarding preliminary round after not being able to land four of their five best trick attempts.
Jagger Eaton, Skateboarding
Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished competing
Eaton's hobbies consist of snowboarding, off-roading, golf, wakeboarding and bowling, according to Team USA.
On July 24, Eaton won the bronze medal in the men's street skateboarding competition.
RELATED: Rules of the Game: Skateboarding
Julie Ertz, Soccer
Birthplace: Mesa, AZ
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Olympic Teams: 2016
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics:
Ertz admits that sports helped her grow and without them, she wouldn’t have been able to attend college because of how expensive it is. So she and her husband created the Ertz Family Foundation, a charity that creates opportunities for children in sports and education, according to USA Soccer.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Tennis
Birthplace: Rochester, MN
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Sands began playing tennis at the tender age of 5 and her debut as a pro was at 14. Besides playing tennis, she enjoys outdoor activities, shopping, cooking, and relaxing by the pool, according to Team USA.
Aliphine Tuliamuk, Track and Field (Marathon)
Birthplace: Tapach, Kenya
Hometown: Flagstaff, AZ
Olympic Teams: 2020
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Tuliamuk has 32 siblings. She became a U.S. citizen in 2016, according to Team USA.
Follow Tuliamuk on Instagram.
Will Claye, Track and Field (Long and Triple Jump)
Birthplace: Tucson, AZ
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Olympic Teams: 2012, 2016
Olympic Medals: 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Claye was the first Arizona high school athlete to triple jump more than 50 feet and set the Arizona triple jump record. He skipped his final semester of high school to enroll at Oklahoma early, according to Team USA.
You can visit his personal website here.
Athletes with ties to Arizona
Devin Booker, USA Men's Basketball
Arizona Connection: Phoenix Suns Guard
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, MI
Hometown: Moss Point, MS
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Vs. Australia on August 6 @ 7:30 p.m. PT
Booker helped lead his team to become 2021 Western Conference champions. He also was a member of the USA Basketball 2018-20 Men's National Team and was named the 2020 NBA All-Star.
Diana Taurasi, USA Women's Basketball
Arizona Connection: Phoenix Mercury Guard
Hometown: Chino, CA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: on August 7 @ 6:30 p.m. PT
Taurasi is a three-time WNBA Champion (2014, 2009, 2007) and a four-time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2012, 2008, 2004). She is one of only five athletes in history with four Olympic gold medals in basketball. No basketball athlete has five medals.
Brittney Griner, USA Women's Basketball
Arizona Connection: Phoenix Mercury Center
Hometown: Houston, TX
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: on August 7 @ 6:30 p.m. PT
Griner helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to win the 2014 WNBA Champion. She was a member of Team USA’s 2016 gold medal team during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Griner is a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2015, 2014), becoming the first player in Mercury franchise history to win the award.
Skylar Diggins-Smith, USA Women's Basketball
Arizona Connection: Phoenix Mercury Guard
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: August 7 @ 6:30 p.m. PT
Diggins-Smith is a four-time WNBA All-Star (2018, 2017, 2015, 2014) and two-Time All-WNBA First Team member (2017, 2014).
Danielle O'Toole, Mexico Softball
Arizona Connection: U of A
Birthplace: Fontana, CA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
O'Toole nicknamed Tooky was named Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2017.
Check out her full bio here.
Sashel Palacios, Mexico Softball
Arizona Connection: ASU
Birthplace: Chula Vista, CA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Palacios position is a catcher and her father Fanciso Palacios also was a catcher, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1992 by the MLB.
Check out her full bio here.
Dallas Escobedo, Mexico Softball
Arizona Connection: St Mary's High School and ASU
Birthplace: USA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Escobedo was among the 10 finalists for the 2014 Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award by the Amatur Softball Association of America. She was named Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year.
Check out her full bio here.
Chelsea Gonzalez, Mexico Softball
Arizona Connection: ASU
Birthplace: La Habra, CA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Gonzalez played for the Cleveland Comets, a National Pro Fastpitch team in 2019. While attending ASU she was named to the All-Pac 12 Conference First Team in 2017.
Check out her full bio here.
Giulia Koutsoyanopulos, Italy Softball
Arizona Connection: U of A
Birthplace: Mission Viejo, CA
Next Competition in Tokyo Olympics: Finished
Koutsoyanopulos enjoys going to the beach and playing tennis. Although she plays softball she wanted to play baseball like her older brothers.
Check out her full bio here.