The 2016 Olympic Games start, the 206 National Olympic Committees (NOC) fills with joy and life the Maracaná stadium, famous for being a venue for a handful of sporting games. Puerto Rico come to be a shinning star at the Olympics with these athletes, to fill themselves with blood, sweat and tears representing their country. The country sent 16 athletes to represent Puerto Rico. They're the hope of the island and will wave their flag high.

Here are some of the standout athletes:

Monica Puig

- Tennis player

- Highest singles ranking (33) currently 37

- 1 WTA title - Internationaux de Strasbourg 2014

- 6 ITF Women's Circuit Singles Titles

Idols growing up: Monica Seles & Jennifer Capriati

Javier Culson

- Athletics, 400 metre hurdle races

- In 2010, he was named "Puerto Rico's Athlete Of The Year"

- 2012 London Summer Olympics (Bronze)

- Two-time silver medalist at the International Association of Athletics Federations's (IAAF) World Championships

- Personal best: 47.72 in Ponce, Puerto Rico during the IV Ponce Grand Prix

Jamie Yusept Espinal

- Freestyle wrestler

- Dominican-Puerto Rican

- Former backup dancer

- 2012 Olympic Medalist (Silver)

- 2015 Pan American Games (Bronze)

- The island's 2016 Rio flag bearer

Adriana Diaz

- Table tennis player

- 2015 Pan American Games (Bronze)

- Made history in 2016 by being the first female Puerto Rican table tennis player to qualify for the Olympic Games

- Youngest female in Olympic history, previous was Ai Fakuhara of Japan

Women's National Volleyball Team

- Made history by qualifying for their first Olympic tournament

- Won the last ticket by defeating Kenya in 3-0 straight-sets (25-8, 25-23, 25-15)

- Fifth Puerto Rican sports team to classify in an Olympics (Men's Basketball & Baseball, Women's Softball, Beach Volleyball)

- There's 4 players currently playing in Europe (Stephanie Enright, Áurea Cruz, Yarimar Rosa, Daly Santana)