Girl power is alive and well, especially at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. Whether they’re competing individually or as part of a team, sisters are definitely doing their part to up the ante and show the rest of the world what the U.S. has to offer in sports. Here are a few of the women we think will represent us well in Beijing. Don’t forget to check out the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Olympic Games on August 8th on NBC.


Sanya Richards is on the list as one of the all-time fastest runners in the world. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when she was 12-years-old so Richards could better train for her track career. Her mom and dad even converted the garage into a gym to give their daughter a competitive edge. Those efforts paid off, especially when Richards made her Olympic debut at the 2004 games in Athens where she won a gold medal in the 4x400m relay. That same year, she turned pro and signed a deal with Nike. Besides going for the gold in Beijing, Richards is also planning a wedding with her fiancé, New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross, which is expected to take place in 2009.

If Kim Glass wasn’t a volleyball player, chances are she’d be walking the runways of Paris as a fashion model. The first-time Olympian tried out for the reality show, American’s Next Top Model, five times. While modeling may not be in the cards for Glass, it’s clear that she’s got skills on the volleyball court. In college she was a three-time All-American and is her school’s career leader in kills and aces. After college she played volleyball professionally for two years in Puerto Rico. To prepare for games, Glass likes to meditate, visualize and pray. Hopefully her prayers will be answered with a gold medal in Beijing.

Natasha Watley could very well be the fastest player in softball which is quite remarkable considering she was on a respirator for the first two weeks of her life and suffered from asthma as a child. Watley started playing softball at the age of five, and has steadily improved over the years. With speed as her number one asset, it takes her just 2.5 seconds to run from home plate to first base. That speed came in handy when Watley first competed in the Olympics in 2004, earning her a gold medal. In 2006 she added another gold to her collection at the World Championship with 12 runs scored and three stolen bases. It seems Watley isn’t the only star athlete in her family. NBA Hall of Famer Willis Reed is her second cousin.

If Wilma Rudolph were alive today, she might be rooting for Hyleas Fountain in the 2008 Olympics. Fountain is one of the top U.S. contenders in the heptathlon, and her performance in Beijing will be her first Olympic effort. Fountain has come a long way since being introduced to the sport by her mother when she was just seven-years-old. Back then, Jackie Joyner-Kersee was her athletic idol and the subject of school papers along with Wilma Rudolph. Years later Fountain started competing while in college, and came close to qualifying for the 2004 games. Even though she didn’t make it to Athens, the following year she won her first U. S. Outdoor Championship. We think Jackie and Wilma would be proud.

Danielle Scott-Adurra eats a piece of chocolate before every volleyball game for good luck, and judging by her record, the ritual seems to be working as the competition in Beijing will be her fourth visit to the Olympics. Scott-Adurra is called one of the best middle blockers in the world, and was the U.S.’s leader blocker at the games in Athens and Sydney. In college Scott-Adurra made waves in volleyball, track and basketball. She even tried her hand at the WNBA, but was cut by the Los Angeles Sparks and the Portland Fire. After her failed WNBA attempts, she became dedicated to volleyball and played professionally in Italy.

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