Tokyo Olympics: Six amazing medallists you might have missed

athletes wearing medals on podium.Image source, Reuters

With Great Britain winning 44 medals you may be forgiven for missing some of the other superstars in the Tokyo Olympics.

There has been some amazing stories so far with world records being smashed, young stars emerging and unlikely heroes taking centre stage.

Here are six Olympic stories you need to know about.

Karsten Warholm

Image source, Reuters

Norway athlete Karsten Warholm cemented his place as the Lionel Messi of hurdling.

He won the men's 400m hurdles gold AND set a new world record doing it.

Warholm ran 45.94 seconds to smash his own existing record and win a final described as "truly unbelievable" by former British hurdler Colin Jackson. Before Warholm's incredible 2021 season, the record had been held by Kevin Young since 1992! The Norweigan runner has now broken the record twice in a few weeks.

His performance was so good that some experts called it the greatest track and field race in history afterwards.

The race was so fast that the man who came in second place - Rai Benjamin - also broke the world record.. only to see his rival set a new record in front of him!

Sydney McLaughlin

Image source, Getty Images

Well there must be something about the 400m hurdles, because USA's Sydney McLaughlin also smashed her own world record and took gold in the women's 400m hurdle event.

McLaughlin, 21, had an exceptional run and sprinted to the finish line in 51.46 seconds.

She said, "I can't really get it [the world record] straight in my head yet. I'm sure I'll process it and celebrate later."

"I am absolutely delighted. What a great race."

Hidilyn Diaz

Image source, Reuters

Hidilyn Diaz made history for earning the Philippines first-ever Olympic gold medal in any sport after winning the women's 55-kg weightlifting event.

Diaz, who has been exiled in Malaysia due to the pandemic, defeated her rival Liao Qiuyun, from China, who took home a silver.

The victory wins the Air Force servicewoman £470,000 and a house from the government.

Anna Kiesenhofer

Image source, Reuters

Austrian Anna Kiesenhofer caused one of the biggest shocks in Olympic road racing history in Tokyo.

Kiesenhofer was an Olympic debutant who doesn't even ride for a pro team, and she beat Dutch favourite, Annemiek Van Vleuten, to take the title.

In doing so became the first Austrian cyclist to claim Olympic gold since Adolf Schmal won the 12-hour track race at the 1896 Athens Games.

In her day job, Kiesenhofer is a mathmatician, and once she's finished celebrating her gold medal, she's expected back at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology to carry on her day job!

Momiji Nishiya

Image source, Reuters

13-year-old Momiji Nishiya made history by winning gold in the first ever women's street skateboarding competition. But she realised in the post-event press conference that she might still have a busy summer ahead of her: "I don't know if I have any homework to do over the summer break," she told journalists.

Her gold medal made the Japanese skater the second youngest champion in summer Olympics history.

It was a great event for young people, as another 13-year-old, Brazil's Rayssa Leal, won silver and 16-year-old Japanese skater Funa Nakayama won bronze.

Sifan Hassan

Image source, Reuters

Sifan Hassan won the women's 5,000 metres gold to seal the first part of her attempt at a never seen before Olympic treble.

If she pulls it off, she will be the first ever woman to be champion in the 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres.

If that didn't sound like enough of a challenge... she managed to slip over in her 1,500 metre heat. It looked like she was out of the race and her hat-trick dream was over.

Except, you don't try for a gold-medal hat-trick unless you are willing to carry on when all seems lost. So, Sifan got back on her feet and carried on. She went on to WIN the race!

Who have been your favourite medal-winners? Or maybe someone who didn't finish in the top three caught your eye? Let us know your favourite Tokyo 202 moments in the comments.