With more than 40 sports to watch over 19 full days, figuring out what to watch at the Olympics can be overwhelming. There are the obvious fan favorites, like swimming or gymnastics, plus some new sports to check out this year, like break-dancing and kitesurfing. But if you’ve found yourself recently getting into the WNBA, may I recommend another women’s team sport that’s incredibly fun to watch? Volleyball.
As a fan, volleyball is fast-paced and simple enough to enjoy without knowing every little rule. The sheer athleticism and moments of wild plays make it especially fun to watch. The sport is celebrating its 100th Olympic anniversary — it was first introduced in Paris in the 1924 Games — and has since grown to be one of the most popular American sports.
The U.S. women’s indoor volleyball team won its first gold medal in Tokyo, beating Brazil in the finals. This year, eight members from that gold-winning team are returning, including stars like Justine Wong-Orantes, Jordan Thompson, Jordyn Poulter, and Chiaka Ogbogu, and things are looking good: The U.S. Women’s team is competing for gold on August 11 at 7 a.m. ET. They recently won against Brazil and will now compete against Italy to defend their gold medal. Whether or not you’ve been keeping up, now the perfect time to tune in.
This post has been updated.
