The Summer Olympics

Cami, 9, Michigan at her gymnastics meet!

The first Olympic Games was in Athens in 1896, but women were not allowed to participate in the events back then. It would not be until a few years later, 1900, that women were able to take part in the sports. Although women were finally taken into consideration they still had restrictions to what activities they could join.

It is now 2012 and the summer Olympics will be starting up this month! It is exciting to see how far we have come from those early games that consisted of so many limitations. We now have star female athletes that shine in a variety of sports from tennis to hockey.

There are a lot of really cool women athletes who will be included in the London Olympics this summer. Each one has her own story and skill that contributes to her many accomplishments.

Here are a few to look out for:

Diana Lopez is a Taekwondo athlete who won a bronze medal in Beijing. Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, kind of like karate! It will be exciting to see how she does alongside her brother who is also competing!
At the young age of 16, Gabby Douglas was participating with the gymnastics team in the Olympics. She helped to bring a gold medal back by showing the world her talent at the uneven bars.
Kara Patterson is a track and field role model who takes part in throwing in women’s javelin. Javelin is a unique sport, it involves the throwing of a lightweight spear as far as possible. It’s unbelievable to think that it wasn’t until 1928 that women were even accepted to compete in the Olympics track and field!
With a handful of medals to her name, Dana Vollmer is an exceptional swimmer. She helped her team win the gold medal for the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team during the 2004 summer Olympics. Along with that, she has won a total of twenty-seven medals in international competitions for swimming! It will be interesting to see what she does next!
Lila, 12, Hong Kong wrote an article on Reed Kessler, a new addition to the 2012 Equestrian team and the youngest ever to be a part of it!

There so many strong women and girls who are working hard to achieve any goal that they set their mind on. Because of the Olympics, the world can see the amazing girls and women who are top athletes in their sports. After years of being told, “No,” we now shine alongside our fellow male athletes. That in itself is a huge accomplishment made by all women.

“This is me with my friend Jackie. We are at a swim meet and having a lot of fun!!!!” -Kirby, 12, Ohio

Do you have a favorite sport that you like to watch during the Olympics? New Moon Girls tell us why they love the Olympics Games and who their favorite athletes are!

Lizzie, 12, Colorado wrote a story about how inspiring she finds Olympic figure skating.
This poem by Sage, 13, British Columbia expresses the sense of community that the Olympics create.
Posie Rosie, 14, Maryland wrote about Venus Williams, amazing tennis skills and how she got to where she is today.
Anna, 10, Arizona wrote about the importance of following your heart in her story Olympic Adelaide Speaking Up.

Will you be watching the Olympics? Upload your stories, poems, pictures, and videos about everything from your favorite events and athletes to the sports you love to your My Stuff, and email it to us at submissions@newmoon.com. We’ll feature girls’ content about it on our special Olympics page on NewMoon.com – coming soon!