Excitement and anticipation are being felt by people all around the world, as we gear up for the Olympic games to kick off in just a few weeks from now. Here in Fort Collins, we are especially pumped to get to watch a talented athlete from Colorado State University compete for the gold, thousands of miles away in Rio.

Twenty-two year old, Ben Pinkelman of Colorado, has been selected to play for the USA Olympic Rugby team, along with 11 other men from around the country. Pinkelman, an all-American forward and captain for the CSU Rams, is the youngest member of Team USA's rugby squad. Pinkelman has been playing rugby since he was just 13-years old, but earned recognition for his outstanding performance during the HSBC World Series in early 2016.

This is the first time rugby will be included in the Olympics since 1924, although back then, the team format was a bit different than what it will be in 2016 games. That being said, the upcoming Olympics actually marks the debut of rugby sevens – a faster and shorter adaptation of the action-packed sport. The competition is scheduled to run August 6-11, in Rio's temporary Deodoro Stadium. We can't wait to tune in and cheer on Pinkelman, along with the rest of Team USA!

More From K99