Paris Olympics, 2024: Athletes to watch

The Paris Olympics will officially begin on July 26, 2024. In addition, over the following two weeks, 329 events will feature about 10,500 participants. Furthermore, along with the whole roster of elite athletes, there will be several breakout stars during the Games. So, who should you be aiming for? To find out more, see our list of athletes to watch in Paris by reading on.

Athletes to watch in Paris: Gymnastics

Simone Biles

One of the finest gymnasts in history, Simone Biles, wants to make an impression in Paris. If, indeed, she makes the U.S. squad (delayed until 2021 owing to the COVID-19 outbreak), she will compete in her third Olympics after, notably, making waves in the 2020 Games in Tokyo. There, she raised awareness of mental health issues and, consequently, the challenges experienced by athletes after having to withdraw from multiple contests due to “twisties,” a mental block that, as a result, causes gymnasts to become disoriented during aerial routines.

Quick facts

Nation: United States
Date of birth: March 14, 1997
medals from the Olympics: 4 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze

Suni Lee

Overshadowed by her teammate Simone Biles on occasion, Suni Lee, nevertheless, capitalised on Biles’s withdrawals from many events during the 2020 Olympic Games. As a result, Lee went on to win a gold medal in the all-around competition and a bronze in the uneven bars competition. Furthermore, she also helped the American team earn a silver medal in the team competition. Despite fighting a kidney-related illness for the past two years, Lee is, therefore, expected to participate in the Olympics in Paris.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: March 9, 2003
Olympic medals: 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze

Athletes to watch in Paris: Track and field

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

One of the best female sprinters in the world, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, won two gold medals in the 100-meter dash. Specifically, gold medals in the 100-meter race were won by the 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 meters) tall “Pocket Rocket” at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and, furthermore, at the 2012 London Games. However, she took home a silver medal from the competition in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, Fraser-Pryce announced that the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris would be her last competition.

Quick facts

Nation: Jamaica
Date of birth: December 27, 1986
Olympic medals: 4 silver, 1 bronze, 3 gold

Sha’Carri Richardson

Sha’Carri Richardson is a sprinter of greater caliber. Initially, she was declared a medal contender for the 2020 Olympics after testing positive for marijuana; however, she was unable to compete. Nevertheless, she overcame her disappointment to place fifth in the history of women’s 100-meter dash times and, subsequently, win a gold medal in the 2023 World Championships. Consequently, Richardson’s speed and distinctive style will likely win her more admirers during the Paris Games.

Quick facts

Nation: Venezuela
Date of birth: October 21, 1995
Two Olympic medals: one gold and one silver

Eliud Kipchoge

In his eighteen races, Eliud Kipchoge, who is considered the greatest runner in history, has won fifteen. Furthermore, along with two Olympic gold medals, he has won marathons in Chicago (2014), Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023), and London (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019). Additionally, he also finished ahead of schedule in an unofficial 2019 marathon, clocking in at one hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds. However, the timing was not officially recognised because the event did not follow the rules of the competition.

Quick facts

Nation: Kenya
Date of birth: November 5, 1984
Olympics: two gold, one silver, and one bronze

Noah Lyles

American sprinter Noah Lyles became known as “the fastest man in the world” in 2023 after winning three gold medals in the 200, 100, and 4 × 100-meter relay events at the world championships. However, that title is up for grabs in the Olympics in Paris, where he hopes to win his first gold medal. Furthermore, in addition to his skill on the track, Lyles will likely draw attention to his sense of style.

Quick facts

Country: United States
Birth date: July 18, 1997
Olympic medals: 1 bronze

Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra is among the best javelin throwers in the world. He first rose to prominence in 2016 and went on to become the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in 2020. With her victory, Chopra became the second Indian woman to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics, after marksman Abhinav Bindra (2008).

Quick facts

Nation: India
Date of birth: December 24, 1997
One gold Olympic medal

Skateboarding

Rayssa Leal

Rayssa Leal’s profession has been her moniker, the “Skate Fairy,” since she was seven years old. She began placing strongly in international contests at the age of eleven. She participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and took home a silver medal in street skating. 13-year-old Leal became one of the youngest medallists in Games history and the youngest Brazilian Olympic medallist with his triumph.

Quick facts

Nation: Brazil
Date of birth: January 4, 2008
One silver Olympic medal

Yuto Horigome

Yuto Horigome, who began skating when he was a toddler, became the first Japanese athlete to win a Street League Skateboarding title in 2018. Horigome’s accomplishment was aided by his unparalleled control and talent. When he took home the gold in the men’s street skating competition at the Tokyo Games in 2020, he created even more history.

Quick facts

Nation: Japan
Date of birth: January 7, 1999
One gold Olympic medal

Sport climbing

Natalia Grossman

Natalia Grossman is a multidisciplinary sport climber and one of the top boulderers. At the age of 20, she won her first world title in 2021, which catapulted her into the spotlight as a young fighter. She created history in 1995 as the first American woman to win the world climbing title. Nine more gold medals from the World Cup have been won by Grossman. She is expected to compete in her first Olympics this summer in Paris.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: June 22, 2001
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Piper Kelly

Piper Kelly is a rising star in the world of speed climbing. Due to recurring shoulder problems, she underwent surgery in 2020. However, in 2023, she created history by putting on an incredible show at the Pan American Games. There she achieved a new personal record for competition time (7.52 seconds) and earned a gold medal. Kelly’s victory guaranteed her a spot in her first Olympics, the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: October 3, 1999
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Swimming and surfing

Carissa Moore

One of the greatest female surfers of all time is thought to be Carissa Moore. She has won the gold medal in women’s surfing five times (in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2021), making her the first female Olympic surfer. Moore announced in 2024 that she would give up surfing after competing in the Olympics in Paris.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: August 27, 1992
One gold Olympic medal

Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky, one of the top freestylers in the sport, is especially well-known for her 800 and 1,500 metre times. At the age of 15, she participated in her first Olympics and won a gold medal in the London Games in 2012. Ledecky holds the record for the most female swimmers in history with her 26 medals from world championship competitions. Ten Olympic medals in all, seven of them gold, are now held by her.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: March 17, 1997
Olympic medals: 3 silver, 7 gold

Ariarne Titmus

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus gained international attention in 2018 after taking home three gold medals from the Commonwealth Games. The freestyle pro caused ripples at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she took home gold in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle competitions. Titmus is largely expected to take home more medals from the Paris Games.

Quick facts

Nation: Australia
Date of birth: September 7, 2000
Olympics: two gold, one silver, and one bronze

Caeleb Dressel

Sprint expert Caeleb Dressel is well-known for his 50- and 100-meter swim times. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he became just the fifth swimmer to capture five gold medals in one go. He is frequently compared to the renowned swimmer Michael Phelps. Because to his numerous tattoos, Dressel is a figure that is easily identifiable.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: August 16, 1996
Seven gold medals at the Olympics

Emma McKeon

Emma McKeon is the most successful Australian athlete in Olympic history, having won eleven medals. In 2020, she made Olympic history by becoming the first Australian woman and swimmer to win seven medals in the same tournament in Tokyo. McKeon participated in the Rio de Janeiro Games in the past and took home four medals. Her specialities include butterfly competitions and freestyle events lasting 200 meters or less.

Quick facts

Nation: Australia
Date of birth: May 24, 1994
Olympic medals: 2 silver, 4 bronze, 5 gold

Badminton

P.V. Sindhu

The well-known badminton player P.V. Sindhu has had an amazing career. Not only did she become the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Badminton World Federation Championships in 2019, but she also became the first to win two Olympic medals, one at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and one in Tokyo in 2020. She is also among the highest-paid female athletes according to lists.

Quick facts

Nation: India
Date of birth: July 5, 1995
2 Olympic medals: 1 bronze and 1 silver

Saina Nehwal

Being up in a family of professional badminton players, Saina Nehwal began playing the game at an early age. In 2004, she received recognition as a junior champion on a national scale. She went on to win nearly 20 titles in international competitions with remarkable success. As the first badminton player from India to win an Olympic medal, Nehwal made history in the women’s singles category at the 2012 London Olympics, taking home the bronze medal.

Quick facts

Nation: India
Date of birth: March 17, 1990
One bronze medal from the Olympics

Basketball

LeBron James

“LeBron James is among the top all-around basketball players. In particular, he won three NBA titles with the Miami Heat (in 2012 and 2013), the Cleveland Cavaliers (in 2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (in 2020). James also broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 38,387 points in 2023 to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. As so, he will be competing in his fourth Olympics in Paris.”

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: December 30, 1984
Olympic medals: one bronze, two gold

Stephen Curry

“American basketball star Stephen Curry, who is especially well-known for his three-point shooting, is one of the best point guards in the game. Moreover, he assisted the Golden State Warriors in winning NBA titles in 2017, 2018, and 2022, in addition to guiding them to the best regular-season record in league history (73–9) in 2015–16. In addition, he will participate in his first Olympics at the Paris Games.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: March 14, 1988
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Anthony Edwards

“There are others who think Anthony Edwards, an NBA emerging star, will represent the league in the future. The explosive shooting guard is well known for his tenacity, accuracy, and impressive dunks. Additionally, Edwards helped the Minnesota Timberwolves reach the conference finals in 2024 for the first time in twenty years.”

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: August 5, 2001
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is among the greatest basketball players of his generation. Having won the NBA MVP award in 2013–14, he went on to help the Golden State Warriors win two more NBA titles in 2017 and 2018. In addition, Durant led the American team to their first of three consecutive gold medal wins at the London Olympics in 2012.”

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: September 29, 1988
Three gold medals from the Olympics

Joel Embiid

“For the Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid, an NBA player known for his scoring, ball handling, and defensive skills, is undoubtedly a powerful centre. In addition to being a Cameroonian by birth, he made NBA history in 2021–2022 by being the first foreign player to lead the league in scoring. He went on to win the MVP prize in 2023. In addition, despite being a citizen of Cameroon, France, and the United States, he decided to compete for the American team at the Paris Games.”

Quick facts

Nationality: US (born in Cameroon)
Date of birth: March 16, 1994
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Jayson Tatum

Playing with the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum has grown into one of the league’s top forwards. Furthermore, he is best known for his offensive skills even if he is a gifted player overall; in a 2021 game, he scored 60 points. Three years later, he also guided the Celtics to an NBA title that set a record, their 18th overall. In the end, he’ll go to Paris to compete in his first Olympics.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: March 3, 1998
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Anthony Davis

One of the NBA’s most dangerous big men, Anthony Davis, is well-known for both his fierce defence and his incredible scoring abilities. He was chosen first overall by the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) in the 2012 NBA Draft, which coincided with his team, the University of Kentucky, winning the NCAA championship. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he helped the team win the NBA title in 2020.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: March 11, 1993
One gold Olympic medal

Sabrina Ionescu

Basketball player Sabrina Ionescu is a gifted guard known for her versatile skill set. She won multiple records while attending the University of Oregon before becoming well-known in the WNBA. She continued to break records after that while playing for the league’s New York Liberty, where she became well-known for her three-point shooting.

Quick facts

Nation: USA
Date of birth: December 6, 1997
Medals at the Olympics: 0

Jimmer Fredette

Jimmer Fredette was an amazing scorer for the BYU basketball team in his day. He then continued on to play in the NBA as a journeyman. In addition, he saw a career comeback in 2022 when he converted to 3×3 basketball. As a result, he helped the American team qualify for the Olympics in Paris the following year, where he was anticipated to make his Olympic debut.