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12 Massachusetts Olympians To Watch In Rio

The Olympic rings in front of the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The brand new complex of residential towers are where nearly 11,000 athletes and some 6,000 coaches and other handlers will sleep, eat and train during the games. (Leo Correa/AP)
The Olympic rings in front of the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The brand new complex of residential towers are where nearly 11,000 athletes and some 6,000 coaches and other handlers will sleep, eat and train during the games. (Leo Correa/AP)

The Summer Olympic Games kick off in Rio de Janeiro Friday, Aug. 5. For two weeks, all eyes will be on the world’s best athletes — via NBC of course. (Here's their guide on how to watch.)

The U.S. Olympic team has 554 members heading to Brazil. That number includes 189 returning Olympians and 106 Olympic medalists, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee. While many of these athletes have gone to school, lived or trained in Massachusetts, 12 call the state home.

1. Aly Raisman | Artistic Gymnastics

Aly Raisman (right) stands with teammate Simone Biles (left) after they won the silver and gold medals, respectively, for the women's gymnastics individual all-around at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)
Aly Raisman (right) stands with teammate Simone Biles (left) after they won the silver and gold medals, respectively, for the women's gymnastics individual all-around at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Raised in Needham, attended Needham High School.

Age: 22

Info: Aly Raisman broke into the spotlight during her first Olympic Games in London four years ago, medaling three times with the team dubbed the "Fierce Five." She won gold for the team exercise as well as her floor routine and a bronze on the balance beam. She was the first American woman to win gold in the floor exercise. The U.S women's team have only won gold twice — in 2012 and back in 1996.

Events:

  • Women's Floor Exercise -- Won a silver medal with a score of 15.500
  • Women's Vault — Did not rank in qualification round
  • Women's Uneven Bars — Did not rank in qualification round
  • Women's Balance Beam -- Did not medal in the final
  • Women's Individual All-Around -- Raisman was awarded a silver medal with a score of 60.098
  • Women's Team — The U.S. team was awarded a gold medal with a score of 184.897

2. Shalane Flanagan | Track and Field

Shalane Flanagan crosses the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 20, 2015. (Elise Amendola/AP)
Shalane Flanagan crosses the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 20, 2015. (Elise Amendola/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Born in Marblehead, went to Marblehead High School.

Age: 35

Info: Runner Shalane Flanagan is headed to her fourth Olympic Games. In 2008, she won bronze in the 10,000m in Beijing. In 2012, she came in 10th in the marathon in London. She sat out the Boston Marathon this year after qualifying for the Olympic team in the LA Marathon, but she has finished Boston in the top 10 twice.

Event: Women's Marathon — Came in sixth with a time of 2:25:26

3. Abbey D’Agostino | Track and Field

Abbey D'Agostino, right, in a round one heat of the women’s 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing on Aug. 27, 2015. (David J. Phillip/AP)
Abbey D'Agostino, right, in a round one heat of the women’s 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing on Aug. 27, 2015. (David J. Phillip/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Grew up in Topsfield, went to Masconomet Regional High in Boxford.

Age: 24

Info: Abbey D’Agostino qualified for her first Olympic Games this year. At Dartmouth, she won the NCAA championships seven times and is the most decorated athlete in Ivy League history. She came in fifth in the 3,000m in the World Championships earlier this year.

EventWomen's 5000m — Officials granted her a spot in the finals after D'Agostino and New Zealand's Nikki Hamblin collided during the qualifying race. D'Agostino urged both of them to finish the race regardless. She tore ligaments in her knee and wasn't able to compete in the final, but the IOC awarded her an Olympic Fair Play award.

4. Sean Furey | Track and Field

Sean Furey throws a javelin at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on July 4, 2016 in Eugene Oregon. (Matt Slocum/AP)
Sean Furey throws a javelin at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on July 4, 2016 in Eugene Oregon. (Matt Slocum/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Grew up in Methuen and attended Methuen High School.

Age: 33

Info: Sean Furey is a javelin thrower heading to his second Olympic Games. He came in 37th in London four years ago. Furey is a mechanical engineer with the U.S. Navy.

EventMen's Javelin Throw — Did not qualify for finals

5. Michael Hixon | Diving

Silver medalist Michael Hixon bites his medal while looking at supporters after the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Rio. (Wong Maye-E/AP)
Silver medalist Michael Hixon bites his medal while looking at supporters after the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Rio. (Wong Maye-E/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Grew up in Amherst.

Age: 22

Info: Michael Hixon qualified for his first Olympic Games this year. He won bronze in the 1-meter dive in the 2015 World Championships. He'll be competing with Sam Dorman in the 3-meter synchronized dive.

Events:

  • Diving Men's 3-meter Springboard -- Came in 10th place with a score of 431.56
  • Diving Men's Synchronized 3-meter Springboard — Michael Hixon and Sam Dorman won silver medals with a score of 450.21

6. Eli Dershwitz | Fencing

Eli Dershwitz after he defeated Canada's Joseph Polossifakis in the gold medal match of the men's sabre individual fencing competition at the Pan Am Games in Toronto on July 20, 2015. (Felipe Dana/AP)
Eli Dershwitz after he defeated Canada's Joseph Polossifakis in the gold medal match of the men's sabre individual fencing competition at the Pan Am Games in Toronto on July 20, 2015. (Felipe Dana/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: From Sherborn, went to Dover-Sherborn High School. Currently a student at Harvard.

Age: 20

Info: Eli Dershwitz is a sabre fencer heading to his first Olympic Games. He's currently ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 10 in the world.

EventFencing Men's Sabre Individual -- Eli Derschwitz lost to Belgium's Seppe Van Holsbeke 12-15

7. Genevra (Gevvie) Stone | Rowing

Genevra Stone rows in the Women's Single Sculls competition during the 2012 Olympics. (Armando Franca/AP)
Genevra Stone rows in the Women's Single Sculls competition during the 2012 Olympics. (Armando Franca/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Raised in Newton, went to the Winsor School. Received her medical degree from Tufts.

Age: 31

Info: Gevvie Stone came in seventh in London four years ago. She is currently a research assistant at Massachusetts General Hospital's Department of Biomedical Engineering and plans to practice medicine after retiring from rowing.

EventRowing Women's Single Sculls -- Won a silver medal with a time of 7:22:92

8. Mike DiSanto | Rowing

Mike DiSanto will be rowing in the Mens Eight in Rio. (Courtesy US Rowing)
Mike DiSanto will be rowing in the Mens Eight in Rio. (Courtesy US Rowing)

Massachusetts Connection: From Boston, went to Belmont Hill School, then Harvard.

Age: 26

Info: Mike DiSanto qualified for his first Olympic Games this year and will be rowing in the men's eight event.

EventRowing Men's Eight -- Team came in fourth place with a time of 5:40:16

9. Victoria Folayan | Rugby Sevens

Victoria Folayan, in the red, white and blue uniform, jumps through the tackle of Australia's Sharni Williams, left, in a women's Sevens World Series rugby game at Kennesaw State University in 2014. (Jason Getz/AP)
Victoria Folayan, in the red, white and blue uniform, jumps through the tackle of Australia's Sharni Williams, left, in a women's Sevens World Series rugby game at Kennesaw State University in 2014. (Jason Getz/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Raised in Boston.

Age: 31

Info: Victoria Folayan is part of the first U.S. rugby sevens team heading to the Olympics. Though a 15-athlete version of rugby was played during the Olympics in the early 20th century, this year marks the debut of rugby sevens.

EventThe U.S. women's team claimed fifth place

10. Madison Hughes | Rugby Sevens

Madison Hughes poses at the 2016 Team USA Media Summit on March 7, 2016, in Beverly Hills. (Jae C. Hong/AP)
Madison Hughes poses at the 2016 Team USA Media Summit on March 7, 2016, in Beverly Hills. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Mother is from Boston.

Age: 23

Info: Though he grew up in England, Madison Hughes has dual citizenship because his mother is from the Boston area. He attended Dartmouth College and chose to represent the U.S. team for the debut of rugby sevens in the Summer Games.

EventU.S. men's team ended in ninth place

11. Sarah Scherer | Shooting

Sarah Scherer shoots during the women's 10-meter air rifle final at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)
Sarah Scherer shoots during the women's 10-meter air rifle final at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Grew up in Woburn.

Age: 25

Info: Sarah Scherer is headed to her second Olympic Games. She came in seventh in London four years ago. Her late brother Stephen had represented Team USA at the Olympic Games in 2008, also in rifle shooting.

Events

  • Shooting 10m air rifle women — Came in eight place in the final with a result of 78.6
  • Shooting 50m rifle 3 positions women -- Ended in 33rd place (out of 37) with a result of 570-24x

12. Elena Pirozhkova | Wrestling

Elena Pirozhkova celebrates after winning 63 kg women's final match at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials on April 9, 2016, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Elena Pirozhkova celebrates after winning 63 kg women's final match at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials on April 9, 2016, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

Massachusetts Connection: Raised in Greenfield.

Age: 29

Info: Elena Piroshkova was a wrestling World Champion in 2012 and represented the U.S. in London.

Event: Women's wrestling freestyle 63 kg -- Tied for fifth place


This post has been updated with the outcomes of the athletes competitions.

This article was originally published on August 03, 2016.

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Amy Gorel Senior Editor
Amy Gorel is a senior editor of digital news at WBUR.

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