Which Olympian Will Join the Season 30 ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Cast?
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Years of fangirling over the Dancing with the Stars cast announcement has led us to notice one major trend. Athletes who generate a ton of buzz at the Olympics are usually cast on the show that same year or the year after. With the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics winding down, will any of the athletes trade their tennis shoes for dancing shoes?
So many Olympic athletes have transitioned over to battling it out in the ballroom after going for the gold. It’s hard to forget when the show decided to cast Laurie Hernandez, one of the stars of the “Final Five” at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. After winning the silver medal on the balance beam, she won DWTS that same year. Simone Biles competed the following season.
Gymnast Shawn Johnson also took home four medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and dominated the ballroom with her Season 8 win on DWTS. Everyone from swimmer Ryan Lochte, to snowboarder Louie Vito has taken a turn on the hit ABC show. There is bound to be at least one Olympian on the cast list for Season 30, here are some of the athletes we hope to see.
Which Olympic Athletes Have a Chance of Joining the ‘DWTS’ Cast?
1. Caeleb Dressel
Purely for selfish reasons, Caeleb Dressel absolutely needs to be on DWTS. The swimmer won the 100-meter freestyle, his second gold medal of the Olympics last week. He is not only regarded as one of the best swimmers in the world, but is easy on the eyes. We actually wouldn’t mind seeing any of the U.S. men’s Olympic swim team compete in Season 30.
2. Pita Taufatofua
Tongan taekwondo athlete Pita Taufatofua has been the star of the opening ceremonies for the past three Olympic Games. He is one of the many athletes who also competes in winter for skiing. Does he have enough time in between training to be on DWTS? The sexy, shirtless hunk has been the talk of the internet as the flag-bearer once again this year. He would definitely be a favorite if he brought his oiled up abs to DWTS.
3. Jordan Chiles
Gymnast Jordan Chiles stepped in for Biles on the balance beam and uneven bars along with the vault and floor in the team final in Tokyo. Chiles trained alongside Biles in Texas ahead of her first Olympic Games and the U.S. team took home a silver medal. Obviously, gymnasts have always done well when it comes to competing on DWTS. Chiles would bring her charm and positive attitude to DWTS.
4. Sunisa Lee
Sunisa Lee took home the gold medal in the women’s individual all-around final. She has shown tremendous triumph, competing after her father was paralyzed in an accident. After sustaining an ankle injury, Lee made a major comeback for the Olympics. Even though she will be going to Auburn University in the fall, she is definitely one of the most talked-about athletes of the entire Olympics. It would be amazing if she could balance being a college student and a DWTS contestant.
5. Tom Daley
Olympic gold medallist Tom Daley is the star diver on Team Britain. He first competed at the 2012 Olympics when he was just 14 years old. The openly gay athlete has inspired so many people all over the world as a role model for LGBTQ+ youth. Daley has been diving for 20 years and is an expert in synchronization and being focused, two skills DWTS champions always embody.
6. Allyson Felix
Five-time Olympian Allyson Felix is the most decorated American female track-and-field Olympian of all time. The Tokyo Olympics is her first since giving birth to daughter Camryn prematurely. Felix is one of the athletes that has publicly called out Nike for not respecting pregnant athletes in their contracts. Felix is not only a badass on the field, but is an advocate for inequalities facing female athletes and pregnant women.
7. Sue Bird
Sue Bird is the oldest player in the WNBA, but is constantly proving age is just a number. She is an absolutely unstoppable force on the basketball court. Bird was selected as one of the flag-bearers for the Opening Ceremony this year. The five-time Olympian is also engaged to Olympic soccer star Megan Rapinoe. It would be absolutely amazing to see either one of these fierce athletes on DWTS.
8. Eddy Alvarez
Miami Marlins star Eddy Alvarez was chosen as the second flag-bearer for the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo. He is an integral part of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team. Alvarez competed in speed skating at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. Short track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno won Season 7 of DWTS so Alvarez would have some big shoes to fill. In Tokyo, Alvarez had two huge hits in the game against Israel that led to an 8-1 win for Team USA. He was one of the most talked about athletes coming into the games, and that is perfect for a potential DWTS contestant.
Season 30 of DWTS will premiere on September 20 on ABC, we can’t wait to see which stars will be competing this year!
