Getting on the Podium is Not Out of the Question for These Stars

By Scott Bush

Surprise medal performances are one of the highlights of the Olympics and there are a number of Americans this year who could find their way onto the medal stand. Here are six athletes capable of a surprise top three finish.

Darrell Hill (shot put)

Hill, who trains with reigning world champion Joe Kovacs in southern California, surprised American shot put fans by grabbing the third spot on Team USA for Rio. However, Hill’s 21.63m effort in Eugene ranks him fourth best in the world this year and the Pennsylvania native has two other top 22 performances this season, with 21.24m and 21.16m marks. Hill will enter ranked behind Kovacs, Ryan Crouser, Tomas Walsh and David Storl, but another personal best performance could put Hill on the medal stand.

Molly Huddle (10,000m)

After her heartbreaking fourth place finish at last year’s World Championships in Beijing, Huddle eyes her first international medal in Rio. She enters with the sixth-fastest PR in the field, but has shown she’s in arguably the best shape of her life entering the Olympics. Huddle won the 5k/10k double at the Olympic Trials and has shown tremendous closing speed. She scratched out of the 5000m to only focus on Friday's 10,000m event, meaning she's all in and ready to roll.

Ameer Webb (200m)

Between Usain Bolt, Justin Gatlin and LaShawn Merritt, Webb will of course get overlooked by general fans and media, but the 25-year old is having a terrific year and is more than capable of earning a medal. Webb is the only sprinter to go 20.00 or faster four times this season, ranks third in the world in 2016 with a 19.85 best and has big wins in Doha and Rome Diamond League action – all signs that point to challenging the big three for a medal.

Phyllis Francis (400m)

One of the more surprising results at the Olympic Trials came in the women’s 400m. While Allyson Felix cruised to a win, it’s what happened behind her that shocked those in Eugene. Francis sprinted down the homestretch to finish a surprise second, running a new personal best of 49.94 and marking the 24-year olds first time under the 50 second barrier. Her seasonal best puts her as the third fastest in the field in Rio and her consistency this season bodes well for her making the final and giving a true run to a top three finish.

Jeff Henderson (long jump)

When the long jump gets underway on day one of track and field competition, keep an eye on Henderson. While Henderson won the Olympic Trials in one of the greatest showcases of talent American fans have ever witnessed, Henderson still enters as an underdog in Rio. His 8.59m winning leap in Eugene was wind-aided and his top legal jump of the year is 8.19m back in mid-April, which ranks him #18 in the world this year. However, Henderson threw down the top three performances in 2015, so he’s fully capable of coming up with big-time jumps.

Nia Ali (100m hurdles)

Ali owns the third fastest time of the season among those athletes competing in Rio, with her 12.55 third place finish at the Trials. However, Ali tends to get overlooked, with Brianna Rollins, Kristi Castlin and other top Americans simply tearing up the track time and time again outdoors. Ali is a two-time gold medalist indoors in the 60m hurdles, but competing outdoors, she’s an Olympic rookie. Yes, the Americans are looking for a 1-2-3 sweep in Rio and Ali will need to tap into her big indoor meet experience to come up big in an Olympic final.