Honoring Arizona’s Olympians: Rio 2016

As the 2016 Rio Olympics come to a close, and the prominent athletes return to their home countries, we at CC Sunscreens wanted to take the time to honor some of the talented and hard-working Arizonians who proudly represented our 49th state as part of team USA this year in Rio. Arizona was represented in multiple sports at the 2016 summer games – including basketball, wrestling, swimming, and even pistol shooting. As an Arizona business for over 20 years, we could not be more proud of each of these (and all the other) Olympians from our Grand Canyon State.

Naddour is an artistic gymnast who was born in Gilbert, Arizona in 1991. He currently trains at USA Youth Fitness Center in Gilbert and is the first gymnast to ever make an Olympic team while training at an Arizona gym. Although Alex was an alternate on the 2012 USA Men’s Gymnastics team, Rio was his first taste of true Olympic action. In what is considered to be his strongest event, the pommel horse, Alex took home a bronze medal earlier this month. He is the first American man to earn an Olympic medal on the pommel horse since 1984. Team USA earned fifth place in the overall team competition category.

Although Maroulis was born in Maryland, she is a current Arizona resident, living and training in Tempe. After a devastating loss in Olympic qualifiers for the 2012 games – Maroulis refused to give up. Before competing in Rio, she had already made a name for herself on the mat. She’s a six-time national champion and reigning gold medalist of the 2015 World Championships. It was her Olympic performance in Rio, however, that is being nick-named the “miracle on the mat”. The miracle occurred when Helen Maroulis took down fellow champion –Saori Yoshida of Japan – touted as the greatest female wrestler of all time. Her takedown is even more impressive, as she is the first female American wrestler to ever bring home Olympic gold.

Will Claye is a talented track and field athlete who was born in Phoenix in 1991 and attended Mountain Pointe High School – where his track career began. Claye’s first Olympic debut was at the 2012 London games, where he earned a bronze medal in the long jump and a silver in the triple jump. Already a decorated athlete – winning multiple national and world competition events, Claye earned even more accolade during the Rio Olympics. Claye not only took home another silver medal in the triple jump (his third Olympic medal) but he also took home a new fiancée from the games! Immediately after clinching the silver, Will took one last leap – this time into the stands where he immediately asked his then girlfriend and fellow track and field athlete – Queen Harrison – to marry him. It’s both Olympic rings and wedding rings for these two!

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is a talented tennis athlete who currently resides and trains in sunny Phoenix. She has won two Grand-Slam titles in her career: one in singles and one in women’s doubles competition. In 2015, she won both the French and the Australian Opens, and was the runner-up at the US Open that same year. At age 31, Mattek-Sands made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio games where she took home a gold medal in mixed doubles with her partner Jack Sock. Mattek-Sands is currently ranked 3rd in the world for mixed doubles competition.

There were many other notable athletes who made Arizona proud in Rio this summer. Some of these athletes are Sam Dorman – diving, Brady Ellison – archery, and of course, our very own Arizona State University Swim & Dive coach – Michael Phelps.

Arizona is a great place to live with 330 days of sunshine, which is probably why many of these Olympians have chosen to make our state their home. Enjoy the sun while protecting your family and possessions from harsh UV rays by installing protective sun screens or patio shades from CC Sunscreens.