2016 Rio Olympics Team USA: Michigan Athletes Named So Far

With only about three weeks remaining before the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, 10 Michiganders have qualified so far, pending approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The full Team USA that will compete in the Aug. 5-21 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, won’t be confirmed until July 18. So far, 479 of approximately 550 athletes have been selected.

The Michigan athletes include NBA Golden State Warriors' star forward Draymond Green, a former All-American from Michigan State University who was reportedly arrested on assault allegations in East Lansing last weekend.

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Michigan is heavily represented on the 41-member rowing team with four athletes: Grace Latz, of Jackson; Ellen Tomek, of Flushing; and Grace Luczak and Adrienne Martelli, both of Ann Arbor.

Here are the qualifiers so far:

Men’s Basketball: Draymond Green, Saginaw

Boxing: Claressa Shields, Flint

Cycling: Brent Bookwalter, Grand Rapids

Rowing: Grace Latz, Jackson; Grace Luczak, Ann Arbor: Adrienne Martelli, Ann Arbor: Ellen Tomek, Flushing

Sailing: Bora Gulari, Detroit

Swimming: Allison Schmitt, Canton

Track and Field: Andrew Evans, Portage

Zika Concerns

Some athletes have bowed out of the Rio Olympics because of the Zika virus, which has been linked to serious birth defects born to mothers who were infected with the virus either before and while they were pregnant.

The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus a “global health emergency” and advised pregnant or about-to-become pregnant women against traveling to Zika-infected countries. Within three months of detection of the first Zika case in Brazil in May 2015, nearly 26,000 cases had been reported.

The virus is carried by mosquitoes, and can be transmitted through sexual contact, which makes it so dangerous for women who are or are planning to have babies.

In a statement, top-ranked Australian golfer Jason Day said concern for his wife and family were behind his withdrawal from the Games. Several other golfers have also said they won’t attend because of the Zika scare, including Irish golfer Rory McIlroy and several others.

American cyclist Tejay van Garderen has also withdrawn over concern over Zika, as has the NBA’s Pau Gasol. Tennis star Serena Williams also withdrew.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green’s teammate on the Golden State Warriors, also is skipping the Olympics. However, he didn’t cite Zika concerns as the reason.

Some athletes and coaches are taking extraordinary precautions, including U.S. men’s indoor volleyball coach John Speraw, who is preparing for the possibility that he might become infected with the virus with plans to have his sperm frozen for future use, according to the Atlantic.

Some athletes will wear “Zika-proof” uniforms that are pre-treated with mosquito repellant.

For other athletes, the chance to compete for gold is worth the risk.

“I mean, there should be some level of concern for everybody going and any health risk there is,” Sean Ryan, a member of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team who just finished his master’s degree at the University of Michigan and swam with the Club Wolverine elite team in Ann Arbor, told The Detroit News.

“I don’t need to be worrying about that kind of noise,” he said.