The Golden Girls of Rio

The summer Olympic games in Rio were groundbreaking for so many American women athletes.The US gymnastics team completely dominated, led by fierce little Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time. Katie Ledecky shattered long-held swimming records and left competitors in her wake—if they were even close enough. Michelle Carter, in high style, changed the perception of strong women, and was the first American woman to win gold in the shot put. And Simone Manuel, the first African American woman to win an individual gold in swimming, has inspired a whole new generation of swimmers.

The Golden Girls of Rio is the story of how a group of very different little sporty girls—from around the country and from varying backgrounds—became the premier women athletes of today. And how these gold medalists—Golden Girls—and their teammates captured the world’s attention by their miraculous athletic achievements at the Rio Olympics.

Nikkolas Smith is a native of Houston, Texas, and is a master of architecture recipient from Hampton University and current theme park designer at Walt Disney Imagineering. He also creates freelance concept art, activist art paintings, and Hollywood movie posters. After hours, Nikkolas leads youth mentoring on Saturdays, with the kids of Compton and Watts, California, giving lessons in digital painting and life skills for success.