Paris Olympics, 2024: Athletes to watch

The official start date of the Paris Olympics is July 26, 2024. About 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 events over the next two weeks. There will be a lot of breakout stars during the Games, along with the entire roster of elite athletes. Who ought to be in your sights? Continue reading to see our list of athletes who will probably be in the headlines in Paris.

Gymnastics

Simone Biles

Simone Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts in history, is looking to leave her mark in Paris. After making waves in the 2020 Games in Tokyo, she will compete in her third Olympics if she makes the U.S. squad (delayed until 2021 owing to the COVID-19 epidemic). There, she brought attention to the difficulties faced by athletes and mental health concerns after withdrawing from several competitions because of “twisties,” a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose their sense of direction during aerial routines.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 14, 1997
Olympic medals: 4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze

Suni Lee

Suni Lee, who was occasionally eclipsed by her teammate Simone Biles, took advantage of the situation at the 2020 Olympic Games when Biles withdrew from several events. Lee went on to earn a bronze in the uneven bars competition and a gold medal in the all-around competition. In the team event, she also assisted the American team in winning a silver medal. Although Lee has been battling a kidney-related medical condition for the last two years, she is anticipated to compete in the Paris Olympics.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 9, 2003
Olympic medals: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze

Track and field

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a two-time gold medallist in the 100-meter dash, is regarded as one of the top female sprinters in the world. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Games, the 5 feet 3 inch (1.6 metre) tall “Pocket Rocket” won gold medals in the 100-meter race. In the event, she won a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Fraser-Pryce declared that her final competition will be at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Fast facts

Country: Jamaica
Birth date: December 27, 1986
Olympic medals: 3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze

Sha’Carri Richardson

A more exceptional sprinter is Sha’Carri Richardson. She tested positive for marijuana and was deemed a medal possibility for the 2020 Olympics, but she was unable to compete. She overcame her disappointment to win a gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the 2023 World Championships, finishing with the fifth-fastest time ever recorded by a woman. Richardson will probably get more admirers during the Paris Games thanks to her quickness and her unique style.

Fast facts

Country: Venezuela
Birth date: October 21, 1995
Olympic medals: 1 gold, 1 silver

Eliud Kipchoge

Eliud Kipchoge, who is regarded as the greatest marathoner in history, has placed first in fifteen of his eighteen races. He has won marathons in Chicago (2014), Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023), and London (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019) in addition to two gold medals from the Olympics. In an unofficial marathon in 2019, he also surpassed the two-hour mark, completing in one hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds. However, because the event did not adhere to competition standards, the time was not officially recognized.

Fast facts

Country: Kenya
Birth date: November 5, 1984
Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze

Noah Lyles

American sprinter Noah Lyles gained notoriety as “the fastest man in the world” in 2023 after taking home three gold medals at the world championships: one each in the 200, 100, and 4 × 100-meter relay. At the Paris Olympics, where he aims to capture his first gold medal, that title will be up for grabs. Lyles will probably attract notice for his sense of style in addition to his prowess on the track.

Fast facts

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

Neeraj Chopra

One of the top athletes in the javelin throw is Neeraj Chopra. In 2020, he became the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, having first gained notoriety in 2016. Chopra’s triumph also made her the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal, following marksman Abhinav Bindra (2008).

Fast facts

Country: India
Birth date: December 24, 1997
Olympic medals: 1 gold

Skateboarding

Rayssa Leal

Since her seven-year-old nickname, the “Skate Fairy,” has been Rayssa Leal’s career. At the age of eleven, she started to place highly in international events. In 2020, she competed in the Olympics in Tokyo and won silver in street skating. With his victory, 13-year-old Leal became the youngest Olympic medalist from Brazil as well as one of the youngest medalists in Games history.

Fast facts

Country: Brazil
Birth date: January 4, 2008
Olympic medals: 1 silver

Yuto Horigome

In 2018, Yuto Horigome—who had started skating as a toddler—became the first athlete from Japan to win a Street League Skateboarding title. Horigome’s unmatched skill and control were contributing factors to his achievement. He made even more history in 2020 when he won the gold medal in the men’s street skating competition at the Tokyo Games.

Fast facts

Country: Japan
Birth date: January 7, 1999
Olympic medals: 1 gold

Sport climbing

Natalia Grossman

One of the best in bouldering is multi-discipline sport climber Natalia Grossman. Her first global title was won in 2021 at the age of 20, making her a famous competitor from a young age. After capturing the world climbing title in 1995, she made history as the first American woman to do it. Additional World Cup gold medals that Grossman has won are nine. This summer in the Paris Olympics, she is supposed to make her Olympic debut.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: June 22, 2001
Olympic medals: 0

Piper Kelly

In the world of speed climbing, Piper Kelly is one of the emerging stars. She had surgery in 2020 due to recurrent shoulder issues, but in 2023 she made history with a standout performance at the Pan American Games. She won a gold medal there and set a new personal best for competition time (7.52 seconds). Kelly’s triumph earned her a spot in her first Olympics, the 2024 Summer Paris Olympics.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: October 3, 1999
Olympic medals: 0

Swimming and surfing

Carissa Moore

Carissa Moore is regarded as one of the all-time great female surfers. She is the first Olympic gold medallist in women’s surfing, having won the title five times (in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2021). Moore declared in 2024 that she would give from surfing following her Olympic participation in Paris.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: August 27, 1992
Olympic medals: 1 gold

Katie Ledecky

One of the best freestylers in the sport, Katie Ledecky is particularly well-known for her times in the 800 and 1,500 metres. She competed in her first Olympics at the age of 15, taking home a gold medal from the 2012 London Games. With her 26 world championship medals, Ledecky holds the record for most female swimmers in history. She presently has 10 Olympic medals, seven of which are gold.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 17, 1997
Olympic medals: 7 gold, 3 silver

Ariarne Titmus

Ariarne Titmus, an Australian swimmer, shot to prominence in the world of swimming in 2018 after winning three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the freestyle expert made waves once again by winning gold in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events. It’s generally anticipated that Titmus will win more medals at the Paris Games.

Fast facts

Country: Australia
Birth date: September 7, 2000
Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze

Caeleb Dressel

In the pool, sprint specialist Caeleb Dressel is well-known for his times in the 50 and 100 metres. He became just the fifth swimmer to win five gold medals at an Olympics in one go in the 2020 Tokyo Games. Many people liken him to the legendary swimmer Michael Phelps. Dressel is a figure that is readily recognisable due to his various tattoos.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: August 16, 1996
Olympic medals: 7 gold

Emma McKeon

With eleven medals won, Emma McKeon is the most successful Australian athlete in Olympic history. She created history in 2020 when she became the first Australian and female swimmer to win seven medals in one Olympics in the same competition in Tokyo. McKeon has previously competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and won four medals. Her areas of expertise include 200-meter-or less freestyle and butterfly competitions.

Fast facts

Country: Australia

Birth date: May 24, 1994
Olympic medals: 5 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze

Badminton

P.V. Sindhu

P.V. Sindhu, a famous badminton player, has had an incredible career. In addition to becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Badminton World Federation Championships (2019), she is the first to earn two Olympic medals: a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games and a silver at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. She’s been listed as one of the highest-paid female athletes as well.

Fast facts

Country: India
Birth date: July 5, 1995
Olympic medals: 1 silver, 1 bronze

Saina Nehwal

Saina Nehwal took up badminton at a young age, having been born into a family of professional players. She was acknowledged as a junior champion at the national level in 2004. She went on to achieve great success in international tournaments, taking home over 20 titles. Nehwal won the bronze medal in the women’s singles competition at the 2012 London Olympics, making history as the first badminton player from India to win an Olympic medal.

Fast facts

Country: India
Birth date: March 17, 1990
Olympic medals: 1 bronze

Basketball

LeBron James

“One of the best all-around players in basketball is LeBron James. Specifically, with the Miami Heat (in 2012 and 2013), the Cleveland Cavaliers (in 2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (in 2020), he won three NBA championships. Furthermore, in 2023, James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 38,387 points to become the NBA’s all-time top scorer. Consequently, it will be his fourth Olympics at the Paris Games.”

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: December 30, 1984
Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 bronze

Stephen Curry

“One of the best point guards in the game is American basketball player Stephen Curry, who is particularly well-known for his three-point shooting. Furthermore, in addition to leading the Golden State Warriors to the best regular-season record in league history (73–9) in 2015–16, he helped them win NBA titles in 2017, 2018, and 2022. Moreover, at the Paris Games, he will compete in his first”Olympics.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 14, 1988
Olympic medals: 0

Anthony Edwards

“Some believe that Anthony Edwards, a rising star in the NBA, will represent the organisation going forward. Indeed, the dynamic shooting guard is renowned for his perseverance, precise shooting, and spectacular dunks. Furthermore, for the first time in twenty years, Edwards assisted the Minnesota Timberwolves in making it to the conference finals in 2024.”

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: August 5, 2001
Olympic medals: 0

Kevin Durant

“One of the best basketball players of his generation is Kevin Durant. Notably, he was crowned the NBA MVP in 2013–14, and subsequently, he went on to assist the Golden State Warriors in winning two NBA titles in 2017 and 2018. Furthermore, Durant guided the American squad to their first of three gold medal victories in a row in the 2012 London Olympics.”

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: September 29, 1988
Olympic medals: 3 gold

Joel Embiid

“NBA player Joel Embiid, who is renowned for his scoring, ball handling, and defensive abilities, is, indeed, a dominant centre for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was born in Cameroon; moreover, he became the first player from outside the country to lead the NBA in scoring in 2021–2022. Subsequently, he won the MVP award in 2023. Furthermore, he chose to compete for the American squad at the Paris Games despite being a citizen of the United States, Cameroon, and France.”

Fast facts

Country: United States (born in Cameroon)
Birth date: March 16, 1994
Olympic medals: 0

Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum has developed into one of the best forwards in basketball while playing for the Boston Celtics. Moreover, despite being a talented player all around, he is most recognized for his offensive ability; for instance, in a 2021 game, he scored 60 points. Furthermore, he led the Celtics to a record-tying 18th NBA championship three years later. Ultimately, he will compete in his first Olympics in Paris.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 3, 1998
Olympic medals: 0

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis, one of the most formidable big players in the NBA, is renowned for his prodigious scoring ability as well as his oppressive defense. The New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) selected him as the first overall choice in the 2012 NBA Draft, following his University of Kentucky team’s NCAA championship victory. After that, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he contributed to the 2020 NBA championship win.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: March 11, 1993
Olympic medals: 1 gold

Sabrina Ionescu

Sabrina Ionescu is a talented guard in basketball who is renowned for her all-around skill set. After breaking numerous records during her time at the University of Oregon, she first rose to fame in the WNBA. Subsequently, she kept setting records while playing for the New York Liberty of the league, where she gained notoriety for her three-point shooting.

Fast facts

Country: United States
Birth date: December 6, 1997
Olympic medals: 0

Jimmer Fredette

When Jimmer Fredette was a member of the BYU basketball team, he was an incredible scorer. Subsequently, he went on to play as a journeyman in the NBA. Moreover, a rebirth in his career was seen in 2022 when he switched to 3×3 basketball. Consequently, he assisted the United States squad in qualifying for the Paris Games the following year, and thus, he was expected to make his Olympic debut there.