2024 Paris Olympics: Athletes to watch | Britannica

A two-time gold medalist in the 100-meter dash, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is considered one of the world’s best female sprinters. Known as the “Pocket Rocket”—she is 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 meters) tall—she won gold medals in the 100-meter race at both the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2012 London Games. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she earned a silver medal in the event. Fraser-Pryce has announced that the 2024 Paris Games will be her last competition.

• Country: Jamaica

• Birth date: December 27, 1986

• Olympic medals: 3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze

Another outstanding sprinter is Sha’Carri Richardson. She was considered a medal contender for the 2020 Olympics but was unable to compete after testing positive for marijuana. She overcame that setback, and at the 2023 world championships she won a gold medal in the 100-meter dash, finishing with the fifth fastest time ever for a woman. With her speed as well as a bold signature style, Richardson will likely earn more fans during the Paris Games.

Widely considered the world’s greatest marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge has won 15 of the 18 marathons in which he has raced. In addition to two Olympic gold medals, he has won the Chicago (2014), Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023), and London (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019) marathons. In addition, in 2019 he broke the two-hour mark in an unsanctioned marathon, finishing in 1 hr 59 min 40 sec. However, the time was not officially recognized, since the event did not follow competition rules.

• Country: Kenya

• Birth date: November 5, 1984

• Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze

In 2023 American sprinter Noah Lyles became known as “the fastest man in the world” after winning a trio of gold medals—in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, and the 4 × 100-meter relay—at the world championships. That title will be on the line at the Paris Games, where he hopes to win his first Olympic gold medals. In addition to his performance on the track, Lyles will likely draw attention for his sense of style.

Neeraj Chopra is one of the leading competitors in the javelin throw. He began making a name for himself in 2016, and at the 2020 Tokyo Games he became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win Olympic gold. With that victory, Chopra also became the second Indian, after marksman Abhinav Bindra (2008), to win an individual Olympic gold medal.

Carissa Moore is considered one of the greatest female surfers of all time. She is a five-time world champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2021) and the winner of the first Olympic gold medal in women’s surfing, at the 2020 Tokyo Games. In 2024 Moore announced that she will step away from surfing after competing in the Paris Olympics.

Katie Ledecky is one of the sport’s dominant freestylers, especially known for her performances in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters. At the age of 15 she made her Olympic debut, winning a gold medal at the 2012 London Games. Ledecky currently has 12 Olympic medals, 8 of which are gold, and her 26 world championship medals are a record for female swimmers.

• Country: United States

• Birth date: March 17, 1997

• Olympic medals: 8 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus burst onto the international swim scene in 2018 when she won three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. The freestyle specialist continued to make waves at the 2020 Tokyo Games, capturing gold medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle.

• Country: Australia

• Birth date: September 7, 2000

• Olympic medals: 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze

Caeleb Dressel is a sprint specialist in the pool, known for his performances in the 50 meters and 100 meters. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, he became just the fifth swimmer to win five gold medals at a single Olympics. Many compare him to swimming legend Michael Phelps. With his numerous tattoos, Dressel is an instantly recognizable figure.

Emma McKeon is the most successful Australian athlete in Olympic history, the winner of 12 medals. At the 2020 Games in Tokyo she made history by becoming the first female swimmer and the first Australian to win seven medals at a single Olympics. McKeon had earlier won four medals at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. She specializes in freestyle and butterfly races of 200 meters or less.

LeBron James is one of basketball’s greatest all-around players. He won NBA championships with the Miami Heat (2012 and 2013), the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2020). In 2023 James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, breaking the record (38,387) previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Paris Games will be his fourth Olympics.

• Country: United States

• Birth date: December 30, 1984

• Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 bronze

American basketball player Stephen Curry is one of the game’s leading point guards, especially known for his three-point shot. He guided the Golden State Warriors to NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022 and to the best regular-season record in league history (73–9) in 2015–16. He will make his Olympic debut at the Paris Games.

Anthony Edwards is a rising star in the NBA, considered by some to be the future face of the league. The charismatic shooting guard is known for his theatrical dunks, accurate shooting, and resilience. In 2024 Edwards helped the Minnesota Timberwolves reach the conference finals for the first time in 20 years.

Kevin Durant is considered one of his generation’s best basketball players. In the 2013–14 season he was named the NBA’s MVP, and he later helped the Golden State Warriors win two NBA titles (2017, 2018). Durant also led the U.S. team to victory at the 2012 London Games, the first of three consecutive gold medal wins.

NBA star Joel Embiid is a dominating center for the Philadelphia 76ers, known for his scoring, ballhandling, and defensive play. Born in Cameroon, he is the first international player to lead the NBA in scoring (2021–22), and he was named the league’s MVP in 2023. A citizen of both the United States, Cameroon, and France, he opted to play for the U.S. team at the Paris Games.

• Country: United States (born in Cameroon)

• Birth date: March 16, 1994

• Olympic medals: 0

As a member of the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum has become one of basketball’s leading forwards. Although a gifted all-around player, he is especially known for his offense; in a 2021 game he scored 60 points. Three years later he guided the Celtics to a record-setting 18th NBA championship. The Paris Games will mark his Olympic debut.

One of the most dominant big men in the NBA, Anthony Davis is noted for both his stifling defense and prolific scoring. After winning an NCAA championship with the University of Kentucky in 2012, he was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) with the number one overall pick. He later was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he helped the team win an NBA title in 2020.

After making his NBA debut in 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo emerged as one of the league’s outstanding all-around players. He is a two-time winner of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award (2019, 2020), and in 2021 he led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship. Antetokounmpo was also named MVP of the finals, averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game for the series.

French basketball player Victor Wembanyama is known for his graceful style of play and extraordinary height (7 feet 4 inches [2.23 meters]). He was widely considered to be the most promising prospect of his generation when he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first pick of the 2023 NBA draft. In 2024 Wembanyama was named Rookie of the Year.

Basketball player Sabrina Ionescu is a standout guard, known for her all-around play. She first gained widespread recognition during her record-breaking career at the University of Oregon and then became a star in the WNBA. As a member of the league’s New York Liberty, she continued to set records and became known for her three-point shooting.

Jimmer Fredette was a scoring sensation while playing on BYU’s basketball team and was later a journeyman in the NBA. He experienced a career resurgence after transitioning to 3×3 basketball in 2022. The following year he helped the U.S. team qualify for the Paris Games and was scheduled to make his Olympic debut there.

With the retirement of Serena Williams in 2022, Coco Gauff has emerged as the leading U.S. player in women’s tennis. In 2023, at age 19, she became just the third American teenager to win the U.S. Open women’s title. That victory marked the culmination of Gauff’s steady rise to prominence, which began when she beat Venus Williams, one of her childhood idols, at the Wimbledon Championships in 2019, when she was just 15 years old. Gauff will be making her Olympic debut at the Paris Games.

Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest men’s players in the history of tennis. His 24 Grand Slam singles titles—which includes an unprecedented 10 Australian Open championships—is a record for men. Djokovic is considered one of the game’s best returners, and he is also known for his backhand shot as well as his physical endurance. He will be making his fifth Olympic appearance at the Paris Games. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won a bronze in the singles event.

• Country: Serbia

• Birth date: May 22, 1987

• Olympic medals: 1 bronze

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal emerged in the early 21st century as one of the game’s greatest competitors, especially noted for his performance on clay. He won a record 14 career French Open championships and was the first player to win 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles. In the early 2020s Nadal suffered a series of injuries, and he has announced that following the Paris Olympics, he will make a decision about his future in tennis.

• Country: Spain

• Birth date: June 3, 1986

• Olympic medals: 2 gold

Naomi Osaka has made news on and off the court. At the 2018 U.S. Open she became the first player from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles title. The following year she became the first Asian player to ascend to the top of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings. Osaka has used her celebrity to raise awareness of social causes, notably supporting Black Lives Matter protests, and has been open about mental health issues.

In the 2010s Andy Murray who was one of the premier players in tennis, the winner of three Grand Slam titles and two men’s singles Olympic gold medals. In July 2013 he beat Novak Djokovic to became the first British winner of the men’s singles title at Wimbledon since Fred Perry 77 years earlier. Injuries later limited Murray’s play, and he will be retiring after the Paris Games.

• Country: United Kingdom (Scotland)

• Birth date: May 15, 1987

• Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 silver