Olympic Athletes: Where Are They Now? Making it to the is a feat that countless athletes dream of their entire lives. After years of blood, sweat and tears, participating in the most prestigious athletic event in the world is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Some athletes compete one time in the Olympic Games and hang up their hats, stepping gracefully into retirement. Some, however, spend their days training to return to the competition. And others, of course, split their time between athletic passion and real-life responsibilities. Alpine skier Ted Ligety , for example, competed in four consecutive Winter Olympic Games. But the athlete does not only dedicate time and energy to the sport; he also has a family. "My wife and I have been together for eight-ish years, give or take now, and she has been traveling with me now for the last bunch of years, so that's really good," he , prior to competing in the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. "I'm traveling so much that it would be impossible to have a relationship when you're that far away for that many years and it's good." Ligety and his wife, Mia Pascoe , have also learned to balance. "Having [son Jax is] a new adventure," he noted. "My life has changed a lot in the last couple years." Swimmer Nathan Adrian , for his part, was forced to step away from his sport when he was. "After a few tests and visits with a specialist, I unfortunately learned that I have Testicular Cancer," he announced via Instagram in January 2019. "On the bright side, we caught it early, I have already started treatment and the prognosis is good." The eight-time Olympic medalist assured fans that he would fight the illness and still had his "sights fully set on Tokyo," where the 2020 Games were set to be held. Adrian underwent two operations, avoiding chemotherapy amid his recovery. He did not qualify for the 2020 Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. "As long as I have your attention and people are listening, my message is this: find your passion and pursue it with your heart, mind, and soul. No matter the outcome, it is worth it and you will be closer to the person you want to be on the other side," he wrote via in June 2021. "Go USA! Keep scrolling to see the progress of more Olympians throughout the years! Caitlyn Jenner: Then In 1976, Jenner took home gold at the Montreal Games in the decathlon, which consists of 10 separate track and field events, including high jump, pole vault and hurdles. Following her success at the Games, Jenner - dubbed the "World's Greatest Athlete" - appeared on her own Wheaties cereal box. Caitlyn Jenner: Now After being plagued by rumors for more than a year, the former athlete came out as a transgender woman during a special with Diane Sawyer in April 2015. Five minutes into the program, Jenner revealed, "For all intents and purposes, I am a woman." Jenner later introduced her new self, Caitlyn Jenner, on the cover of Vanity Fair 's July 2015 issue. She later starred on her own E! reality series, I Am Cait , which documented her life following her transition. In April 2021, Jenner for California Governor, which she lost that September. Lindsey Vonn: Then Skier Vonn, who made her Olympic debut in 2002 at age 17, was the first American woman to nab a gold medal in the downhill event at the 2010 Winter Olympics. (She also took home a bronze in 2010's Super-G race.) Lindsey Vonn: Now The skier in 2013. The pair were together for nearly three years before they split in May 2015. Vonn was later linked to P.K. Subban. The duo split in December 2020, Professionally, Vonn sat out the 2014 Winter Olympics after injuring her knee, but competed at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. She tied for sixth in the Women's Super-G and got a bronze medal in women's downhill. The athlete retired from competition in February 2019 after she came in third at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Sweden. Gabby Douglas: Then "I Googled 'Gabby Douglas,' and all these things popped up! Like, 'Gabby Douglas makes history,' and, 'She's the champion! Douglas admitted to Us after she and her Fierce Five teammates - McKayla Maroney Kyla Ross and - took home gold in the Women's All-Around gymnastics final in 2012. "It was an amazing feeling." Gabby Douglas: Now Since winning gold at the 2012 Olympics, the gymnast has continued to dominate in her sport. She won several medals in various competitions in 2015, and two more gold medals in 2016. She competed again at the 2018 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she helped the U.S.A. win its second consecutive gold medal in the team event. In November 2017, Douglas bravely came forward about her experience with former U.S.A. Gymnastics national team doctor, Larry Nassar , who has been. In January 2018, he was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. Douglas competed on the first season of and was declared the winner in 2020. Ryan Lochte: Then The New York-born swimmer - known for his catchphrase, "Jeah" - went to his first Olympic Games in 2004 and took home his first individual gold in the men's 400-meter individual medley at the London Games in 2012. Ryan Lochte: Now Lochte briefly starred on his own E! reality series, What Would Ryan Locate Do? which followed his journey to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. The athlete helped teammates Michael Phelps Conor Dwyer and Townley Haas bring home a gold medal in the 4200-meter freestyle relay, and came in fifth in 200-meter individual medley. He made headlines during the Games after he and teammate Jimmy Feigen falsely stated that they were. The former reality star later admitted that he "over-exaggerated that story," which later became known as Lochtegate. U.S.A. Swimming suspended Lochte from domestic and international competitions for 14 months as a result. The former Dancing With the Stars contestant during a February 2019 episode of Celebrity Big Brother Although Lochte's professional journey has been filled with struggles, his personal life has flourished. He and model Kayla Reid in June 2017, and the coupled tied the knot in a civil ceremony seven months later. In November 2018, they announced they were , a little girl. They , Liv Rae, in June 2019. Michael Phelps: Then Phelps started breaking world records in 2001, when he set the record for the 200-meter butterfly at just 15 years and 9 months. At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, he broke his own record for the 200-meter with a time of 1:53.93. In August 2012, he swam the 4100-meter medley relay at the London Games, which was to be his final competitive race, and won, bringing his total of Olympic medals to 22. Michael Phelps: Now The most decorated Olympian of all time initially announced his retirement in 2012, but changed his mind and came back for the 2016 Olympic Games, where he won five golds and one silver. He announced his second retirement in August 2016. Phelps secretly married former pageant contestant Nicole Johnson in June 2016, but their wedding was not revealed for four months. The pair share three sons: Boomer, born in 2016, Beckett, born in 2018, and Maverick, born in 2019. Phelps has also been open about his struggles with depression and is an Hope Solo: Then Soccer goalie Hope Solo made multiple saves during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, helping Team U.S.A. beat Brazil to take the gold. After finishing fourth on Dancing With the Stars in 2011, she tested positive for a banned prescription medication and was warned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency before the 2012 Summer Games. Hope Solo: Now The Solo: A Memoir of Hope author married former NFL star Jerramy Stevens in November 2012 after leading her team to a second Olympic gold medal at the London Games. The following year, she helped the U.S. team win the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and received the Golden Glove trophy for being the best goalie. She considered sitting out the 2016 Summer Games due to concerns about the Zika virus, but ultimately decided to try for a third gold medal. The U.S.A. lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals, however, and Solo's response made waves. Following the match, the athlete called the Swedish team "a bunch of cowards" for their style of play. She was subsequently and her national team contract was terminated. In April 2020, Solo after previously having a miscarriage. Shawn Johnson: Then Iowa native Johnson - who trained under the elite Liang Chow - won her first gold medal at age 16 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. By the end of the Beijing Games, Johnson also earned three silver medals for the team, individual all-around and floor exercise competitions. Shawn Johnson: Now Johnson announced her retirement from competitive gymnastics in June 2012 after a knee injury that stopped her from competing for a spot at the London Olympics. She was 20 years old. "My body is to the point where I need to rest and retire so I can be healthy for the rest of my life," she told the Associated Press at the time. The gold medalist married football player , with whom she shares a successful YouTube channel, in April 2016. The pair , but announced in April 2019 that they were. The pair welcomed daughter Drew in October 2019 and announced in March 2021 that Their son, Jett, was born in July 2021. Aly Raisman: Then Raisman took home a gold medal on the floor, a bronze medal on the balance beam and a gold for her team routine at the summer 2012 London Games. "I didn't realize how many people watched the Olympics!" Raisman told Us at the time. Aly Raisman: Now Following the 2012 Olympics, the gymnast competed on season 16 of Dancing With the Stars alongside partner. She came in fourth place. The Massachusetts native later decided to pursue a spot on the 2016 U.S.A. Olympic gymnastics team after a little encouragement from. Raisman noted, "I was like, 'I'm too old.' Tom said, 'No you're not.'" The DWTS alum reprised her role as the captain of the Olympic gymnastics team at the Rio Games. She helped the States take home the team all-around gold medal, and also won a silver one for exercise and in the individual all-around competition. In November 2017, Raisman and read a powerful statement at his sentencing two months later. The following month, Raisman filed a lawsuit against U.S.A. Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee, as they allegedly "knew or should have known" about the ongoing abuse. Simone Biles: Then Biles stormed the gymnastics scene when she won five medals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio: gold in the team event, the individual all-around competition, the vault and the floor exercise. She also took home the bronze in the balance beam final. The athlete set an American record for most gold medals won at a single Games. Simone Biles: Now Following her success at the Rio Games, Biles took a break from competitive gymnastics. She wrote an autobiography titled Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance , and competed on season 24 of Dancing With the Stars alongside. Biles started competing again in 2018, the same year she Biles dated Stacey Ervin Jr. for three years "It's hard being young and having that long of a relationship and then ending it," she explained to Vogue for their August 2020 cover story, noting that "it was for the best." She began dating Jonathan Owens in 2020. Biles returned to the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. She backed out of numerous events because of her mental health but ended up still winning a silver and a bronze medal. Greg Louganis: Then Regarded as one of the best in his sport, diver Louganis won gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and at the 1988 Seoul Games, during which he suffered a concussion. HIV positive since 1988, openly gay Louganis went public with his diagnosis in the mid-90s. His autobiography, Breaking the Surface , was adapted into a 1997 TV movie starring Greg Louganis: Now In March 2013, ABC tapped Louganis to serve as a trainer on their diving show, Splash , on which stars including Brandi Chastain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar competed. "Doing a celebrity diving show without Greg Louganis would be like producing a celebrity basketball show without Michael Jordan ," Splash 's JD Roth told The Hollywood Reporter Following his retirement from diving, Louganis began competing in dog agility competitions. He married partner Johnny Chaillot in October 2013. Louganis confirmed in June 2021 that they have ended their marriage. Kerri Walsh Jennings: Then Alongside beach volleyball partner Misty May-Treanor , Walsh took home gold medals at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Kerri Walsh: Now Walsh Jennings, who announced after the London Games that she was pregnant with her third child during the Olympics, welcomed daughter Scout in 2013. (She is also mom to sons Joseph and Sundance with fellow pro volleyball player Casey Jennings .) The athlete returned to the sand at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with new partner April Ross; the pair won a bronze medal. Walsh during the COVID-19 pandemic. She took to social media to call a trip to the store without a mask "a little exercise in being brave." Walsh apologized one day later via Instagram. Apolo Ohno: Then Ohno competed in his first Olympic Games in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he took home a silver and a gold medal. He returned to the Olympics at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, and won a bronze and two golds. He took a year-long hiatus from competitive speed skating after the Games and, prior to making a comeback at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he lost 20 pounds to increase his speed on the ice. His dedication worked, as he returned home with four additional medals. Apolo Ohno: Now After his success in 2010, Ohno became the most decorated American Winter Olympian of all time. He won season 4 of Dancing With the Stars with partner and returned for season 15, which featured celebrity all-stars. Ohno and his second partner, , were voted off during week nine of the dancing competition in 2012. The speed skater announced his retirement from skating the following year. Ohno has been linked to Bianca Stam since 2016. Ashley Wagner: Then The figure skater placed first at the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and went on to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. While at the Games, she made headlines when she slammed the Olympic judges after placing seventh in the ladies' individual competition. The athlete was particularly miffed that, despite finishing her two routines without any falls, she finished behind three athletes who each fell during their programs. "They need to get rid of anonymous judging," she said at the time. Ashley Wagner: Now Since the 2014 Olympics, Wagner became the first American woman since Michelle Kwan to qualify for three Grand Prix Finals in a row. She also won silver at the 2016 World Championships, which made her the first American woman to medal at the World Championships in more than a decade. She made a run for the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, but was named the first alternate. Wagner retired from skating in 2019. Wagner revealed in July 2019 that she was sexually assaulted when she was 17 by a fellow skater. McKayla Maroney: Then Though Maroney managed to earn gold with her Fierce Five teammates at the 2012 London Olympics, the California teen made news with her silver medal finish on the vault. Shown scowling after her second-place ranking, Maroney's "not impressed" face captured worldwide attention and resulted in an Internet meme. McKayla Maroney: Now Following the London Games, Maroney made her acting debut on The CW's Hart of Dixie and served as a judge for the 2013 Miss America pageant. The athlete announced her retirement in February 2016, admitting on the "GymCastic" podcast that she was "losing" her passion for the sport. In October 2017, Maroney accused Nassar of Maroney released her first single in March 2020. Gracie Gold: Then The figure skater placed first in the short program at the 2014 U.S. Championships and went on to earn a bronze medal with her team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She finished fourth in the ladies' single skating competition. Gracie Gold: Now Gold placed first at the U.S. Championships and the Team Challenge Cup in 2016, but withdrew from several competitions due to personal issues and changes among her coaching staff. After withdrawing from the 2019 U.S. Nationals, however, the skater revealed she was working toward the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Gus Kenworthy: Then The skier rocketed to fame at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but it wasn't just his silver medal in the slopestyle event that won him worldwide attention. The athlete helped bring notice to the plight of stray dogs in Sochi and stayed an extra month to help get four puppies and their mother adopted and brought to the U.S. Kenworthy himself adopted two of the animals. Gus Kentworthy: Now Kenworthy came out as gay in an October 2015 interview with ESPN magazine. Prior to competing in the men's slopestyle event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the Colorado native. The smooch quickly became an impactful moment for the LGBTQ community. Kenworthy gave up his skis when he competed on MTV's The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros in 2017. He later appeared in in 2019. After alum , it was confirmed that Kentworthy Kentworthy won his first gold medal in February 2020. Meryl Davis and Charlie White: Then The ice dancing duo - who have been a team since 1997 - won silver at the 2010 Olympics. The following year, they placed first at the 2011 World Championships in Russia, and went on to take the gold at the 2014 Games in Sochi. Meryl Davis and Charlie White: Now Following their big win at the Sochi Games, Davis and White hit the road for the Stars on Ice tour. They also both competed on season 18 of Dancing With the Stars. Davis, for her part, was paired with pro , with whom she won the Mirrorball Trophy. White, meanwhile, placed fifth with pro. In 2017, the Olympic champions confirmed that they would not return to competitive ice dancing. Adam Rippon: Then The figure skater stole hearts across the globe with his energetic personality and funny one-liners. But Rippon's charisma didn't earn him a spot on the 2018 Winter Olympic team - his hard work and dedication to figure skating sport did! The Pennsylvania native competed for the U.S.A. in Pyeongchang and won a bronze medal during the team event. Adam Rippon: Now Rippon returned from South Korea and quickly became a social media star. He joined the cast of Dancing With the Stars season 26 in 2018 and ended up winning the competition with Rippon appeared in 's "You Need to Calm Down" music video in 2019. The Olympian married Jussi-Pekka Kajaala in December 2021. Katie Ledecky: Then Ledecky made her Olympics debut at the 2012 Games in London when she was just 15 years old. The swimmer stunned viewers when she won the gold in the 800-meter freestyle by more than four seconds, an unprecedented amount of time for the sport. Ledecky returned to the Olympic Games in 2016 and continued her reign of success. She took four gold medals, one silver medal and set two world records at the event in Rio. Katie Ledecky: Now The athlete joined the Stanford University swim team as a freshman in 2016 and has since set several records. After the 2016-2017 season, Ledecky became the first freshman in 35 years to receive the Honda-Broderick Cup, an award given to top-level female collegiate athletes. Alex and Maia Shibutani: Then The brother-sister ice dancing duo have competed at two Olympic Games: Sochi in 2014 and 2018 in PyeongChang, where they won an individual and a team bronze medal. Alex and Maya Shibutani: Now The Shibutanis took a break from competitive ice dancing after the 2018 Olympics, and instead focused on their blossoming YouTube career. The pair post videos on their joint channel, ShibSibs, which has amassed more than 150,000 subscribers. Chloe Kim: Then Kim became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal when she won took home the top prize in the women's snowboard halfpipe event at the 2018 Olympics. She was 17 at the time. Prior to her success at the Olympics, the athlete dominated at the X Games and was the first American to win gold in snowboarding at the Winter Youth Olympic Games. Chloe Kim: Now The California native was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in February 2018 and on a box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, which was the fastest-selling in the company's history. Mattel also used her likeness to create a special Barbie. In July 2018, Kim won three ESPYs: Best Female Athlete, Best Female Olympian and Best Female Action Sports Athlete. The athlete was accepted to Princeton University, but chose to defer the offer for a year before announcing her plans to study science. Missy Franklin: Then Franklin did not qualify to swim in the 2008 Summer Olympics, but came back and qualified to swim in four individual events in 2012. The swimmer won bronze in her first event, the 4100-meter freestyle relay, and went on to win four golds in individual races. She also set two world records, two American records and one Olympic record at the London Games. Missy Franklin: Now Franklin returned to the Olympic stage at the 2016 Games, but failed to take home any medals. Two years later, she announced her retirement. Franklin married Hayes Johnson in September 2019. In March 2021, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. They welcomed daughter Sarah in August 2021. Nathan Adrian: Then The five-time Olympic champion won his first gold medal at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China. He proceeded to compete at the 2012 and 2016 Games, where he won two golds and a silver, and two golds and two bronzes, respectively. Nathan Adrian: Now In January 2019, Adrian announced via Instagram that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Four months after he got surgery to remove the cancer, the swimmer returned to the water at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Bloomington, Indiana, in May 2019. Adrian finished third in the 50-meter freestyle and later wrote on Instagram: "No, it wasn't first but it certainly beats sitting at home watching from the couch! #backinthewater #teamspeedo." Adrian married Hallie Ivester in September 2018. They welcomed daughter Parker in February 2021. Lolo Jones: Then Jones was favored to fin the gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Summer Olympics, but she stumbled toward the end of the race and ended up in seventh place. "You hit a hurdle about twice a year where it affects your race," she later said. "It's just a shame that it happened on the biggest race of my life." She continued training after her disappointing finish and earned a spot on the U.S. track and field team for the 2012 Games in London. However, she placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles final. Lolo Jones: Now The athlete pivoted to the sport of bobsledding after the 2012 Olympics and was named to the U.S. national bobsled team in October 2012. She served as a brakewoman on the Team-3 sled at the Sochi Games in 2014, where she and her teammates came in 11th place. Jones has appeared on and. Following her time on the MTV show, Jones drew backlash for in February 2021. Ted Ligety: Then The alpine ski racer won gold in 2006 and again in 2014. Ted Ligety: Now Ligety retired in February 2021. He now focuses his time on his company, Shred Optics, which produces ski gear. He also shares son Jax with wife Mia Pascoe. J.R. Celski: Then Celski is a three-time Olympic speed skating medalist, taking home the silver in the 5000-meter relay in 2014, and two bronzes in 2010. He also competed in three events at the 2018 Winter Games, but did not make the podium. J.R. Celski: Now The athlete announced his retirement from speed skating in November 2018, less than one year after the PyeongChang Games concluded. "To the future generation of speed skaters. I look forward to watching you reach new heights, break boundaries and set new records," he wrote on his website at the time. "The advancement of the sport is in your hands, and I know it's going to be great. Keep it fun and light, work harder than you thought you could, and learn how to sharpen your own damn blades." Author: Alexandra D'Aluisio