The 2016 Olympic Games officially begin in Rio this evening — and we're ready to cheer on the seven Huddersfield athletes that are part of Team GB.

From show-jumping to cycling, badminton to diving and the triathlon, Huddersfield's sporting talent is ready to go for gold in Rio.

Keep an eye out for these seven competitors — we wish them the best of luck in their events!

John Whitaker

John Whitaker was born in 1955 in Huddersfield and began his Olympic adventure at the Alternative Olympics in Rotterdam in 1980.

The US-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics meant Whitaker would only start his Olympic career in 1984, when he helped his show jumping team to silver in Los Angeles.

The 60-year-old has claimed 24 Olympic, World and European Championship medals over his illustrious career and he has been selected to represent Great Britain in his sixth Olympics - making him Great Britain's joint second most appearing Olympian in the Games' history, after team-mate Nick Skelton.

John will be riding inexperienced yet talented mare Ornellaia in Rio, having ruled his top horse Argento out of competing in South America earlier in the year.

John Whitaker of Britain, riding his horse Argento, celebrates after winning the Longines Grand Prix as part of the Hong Kong Masters equestrian international jumping competition in Hong Kong Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Should Whitaker win the ultimate prize in Rio, he would become the third oldest gold medal winner in Olympic history behind Oscar Swahn, who won gold for shooting at the 1912 Games, and Galen Carter Spencer, who finished first in archery. Both men were 64.

The Huddersfield-born show-jumper would have to compete in the 2028 Olympics if he is to beat Swahn's record as being the oldest man to ever compete an Olympics - the Swede was 72 years, 281 days old when he took part in the 1920 Olympics.

The Scandinavian shooter also qualified for the 1924 Olympics, but withdrew before competing.

Michael Whitaker

Michael was born in Huddersfield five years after his brother and began competing on ponies at the tender age of seven.

By 16, Michael had made his debut in international competitions and in 1980 he became the second youngest show jumper to win the Hickstead Derby - at just 20 years old.

His brother, John, was the top-ranked international show jumper in the early 1990s, but Michael took over the mantle in September 1993.

The 56-year-old will be riding Cassionato in his sixth Olympics in Rio, but his warm-up to the Games has not gone particularly smoothly.

Michael Whitaker

Just two weeks before the Olympics kicked off, Michael's horse spooked at something and lost his footing, with the rider beingjarred between the horse and a railing.

Michael said: "Luckily the railing gave way, or I'd have been in a right mess.

"I've cracked one rib and there's bruising and it's pretty painful. But I'll definitely be back riding at Hickstead on Saturday. It's just not very good timing!"

Between them the Whitakers have won two Olympic silver medals, four World Championship bronze medlas, three World Championship silver medals, and 25 European Championship medals - eight of which were gold.

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Ed Clancy

Track cyclist Ed Clancy will be searching for his third Olympic gold in Rio this month, having claimed the top prize in the team pursuit in London and in Beijing four years before.

With five European Elite Championship gold medals and five World Championship gold medals, Clancy is tipped to bag more medals in Brazil and has previously featured in a number of world record team pursuits.

In Rio he will be competing both against his team-mates as well as with them, as the team takes five riders with only four being able to represent Great Britain in the final - should they get there.

The other four riders included in the men's team pursuit squad are Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Owain Doull and Steven Burke.

Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Ed Clancy.

Clancy is a Huddersfield Town fan and was announced as the first patron of the Huddersfield Town Foundation in November 2012.

Although a decorated athlete, Clancy's career was almost cut short last September - by a suitcase.

When picking up the empty case, the cyclist suffered a prolapsed disc in his back.

The two-time Olympic champion underwent surgery and 12 weeks of intense rehabilitation to bring him back to fitness, with his cycling career very much in doubt.

Thankfully, the surgery and rehab were a success and Huddersfield has another Olympian to cheer on in Rio.

Marcus Ellis

A newcomer to the Olympic scene, Marcus Ellis' rise to the top of world badminton has been a rapid one.

Two years ago, the Huddersfield-born badminton star teamed up with men's doubles partner Chris Langridge and the duo have gone from strength to strength.

The pair won the Italian International within months of joining forces, which was followed less than a year later by the Welsh International.

This year the pair have won their second English National Championship and the Austrian Open, and are now ranked 20th in the world.

Marcus Ellis of Huddersfield
Marcus Ellis of Huddersfield

When he was selected for this year's Games, Ellis said: "I can't really describe it [the feeling] to be honest. I could never have predicted how difficult – both physically and mentally - qualification was going to be.

"We had to put everything on hold. It feels like we've been abroad for three quarters of the year.

"It's been a rollercoaster of emotions at times. It's been tough but I'm sat here now absolutely delighted and I wouldn't change a thing."

Lois Toulson

At 16 years old, Lois Toulson is one of the youngest athletes selected to represent Team GB in Rio this year.

Toulson will be competing in the women's synchronised 10m platform alongside Tonia Couch, with the pair aiming to end Britain's 56-year wait for a women's Olympic diving medal.

After winning medals throughout her time in the junior championships, Toulson made the jump to the senior competitions in 2014, winning 10m platform silver and 10m synchronised gold at the season-opening British Gas National Cup in Southend.

A year later, she won gold in the 10m platform event at the British Championships before also coming out on top at the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Tonia Couch and Lois Toulson compete in the Women's 10m Synchro finals during day one of the British Diving Championships 2016 at Ponds Forge on June 10, 2016 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Daniel Smith/Getty Images)

Toulson teamed up with Couch for the 10m synchronised dive at the World Series this year and the duo are ranked third in the world in the event by the International Swimming Federation, known as FINA.

Only the Chinese and Canadian teams are ranked higher than Britain, and the City of Leeds club member will be hoping to better that in Rio and bring back an Olympic gold to Huddersfield.

Alistair Brownlee

Alistair Brownlee is currently ranked 11th in the world in triathlon by the World Triathlon Series (WTS) and has won 21 of the 32 WTS races he has started, finishing on the podium another four times.

Brownlee won three gold medals, two silver and one bronze at the highest level of junior competitions before turning his attention to the senior championships in 2008.

Alistair finished 12th at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was Britain's highest-finishing competitor.

From then on, Brownlee's triathlon career took off. He claimed a silver medal in the 2009 European Triathlon Championships in 2009, before winning the same competition in 2010, 2011 and 2014.

England's Alistair Brownlee with flags from the crowd as he enters the final straight before winning the Mixed Team Relay at Strathclyde Country Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games near Glasgow. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday July 26, 2014. See PA story COMMONWEALTH Triathlon. Photo credit should read: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use. No video emulation.

The ITU Triathlon World Championships have also been dominated by Brownlee, who claimed gold in the elite event in 2009, gold in the elite and team events in 2011 - as well as bronze in the sprint event - anf another gold in the team event in 2014.

Most memorably however was Brownlee's victory at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where he won gold eleven seconds in front of the second-placed competitor.

Alistair went on to win gold at the Commonwealth Games Triathlon in 2014, along with the mixed triathlon team relay in the same competition.

Jonathan Brownlee

Jonathan Brownlee is Alistair's younger and equally talented brother who will also be competing in the triathlon in Rio this summer.

Jonathan set his first record in 2000 in the A&W 9-10 year-old-boys two length backstroke at Aireborough Swimming club - a record he still holds today.

After a successful spell competing in the junior competitions, Jonathan went on to win silver in the 2011 ETU Triathlon European Championships, as well as silver in the 2011 and 2013 ITU Triathlon World Rankings.

In addition to the podium finishes, Jonathan won gold in the sprint event at the 2010 ITU World Championships, the team and sprint events at the same competition in 2011, the elite and team events in 2012, as well as in the team event in the 2014 edition of the competition.

Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee cycles during the Vitality World Triathlon in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday May 31, 2015. See PA Story SPORT Triathlon. Photo credit should read: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire.

Jonathan also finished third in the 2012 Olympics, despite a being caught with a 15 second penalty for cycling too early in the transitionary zone at the event.

The podium finish in London was then underpinned by silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games men's race and gold in the mixed team relay at the same competition.

Jonathan is ranked third in the world by the WTS and has finished on the podium 26 times in 35 races, which includes 10 wins.