Why the USA should be excited for the Paris Olympics: Simone Biles, Noah Lyles, USWNT’s fresh start… and Snoop Dogg!
The Olympic flame will ignite once again on Friday as the all the greatest athletes on Earth will unite in Paris for the 2024 Olympics Games.
To commemorate the moment, and also shine the spotlight on some of the world’s best and brightest American sports stars, DailyMail.com has gathered a complete list of athletes from all corners of the country to watch before this summer’s spectacle.
It includes athletes who had little-to-no trouble in securing their places in Paris, as well as those who took the longer road to get there.
Some athletes are already well-known worldwide. For others, it will be the first time their names are said on a global broadcast before they become the talk of the world during the Paris Olympics
Often known as the best gymnast in the world, Biles still has room to make history in her sport, believe it or not.
With just one more medal, the 27-year-old will become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympics history, overtaking surpassing Shannon Miller who won seven medals between Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996.
Biles also has a shot at climbing as high as second on the list of leaders of Olympic medal leaders in women’s gymnastics.
However, it’s nearly impossible that she can match the Soviet great Laris Latynina, who won 18 medals across three games (1956, 1960, 1964) but with five events in Paris, which she can all certainly win, Biles can bring her Olympic medal tally to 12.
Paris also marks Biles’ Olympic return following her Tokyo ‘twisties’ which she suffered during the pandemic-delayed games in 2021.
Katie Ledecky
Considering that she already has seven Olympic gold medals to her name, many would think that Katie Ledecky has nothing left to accomplish.
But, the 27-year-old has an incredible shot at leaving Paris as the most decorated female Olympic swimmer in history – a fitting record to pursue for someone with little-to-no records to beat.
The Bethesda, Maryland native has been the leading icon of women’s swimming since she made her Olympic debut at London 2012 at just 15 years old.
Still in her prime, Ledecky is expected to compete in nearly all distance freestyle events at the Paris Games, and is still a favorite to win multiple gold medals.
But, the 27-year-old has an incredible shot at leaving Paris as the most decorated female Olympic swimmer in history – a fitting record to pursue for someone with little-to-no records to beat.
The Bethesda, Maryland native has been the leading icon of women’s swimming since she made her Olympic debut at London 2012 at just 15 years old.
Still in her prime, Ledecky is expected to compete in nearly all distance freestyle events at the Paris Games, and is still a favorite to win multiple gold medals.
Team USA set to take breaking’s debut by storm
Victor Montalvo is heading to the Paris Games as the men’s gold medal favorite in the Olympics’ newest sport of breaking.
The 29-year-old, whose father was a successful b-boy in Mexico, won gold at the 2023 World Championships to secure his spot in Paris.
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Breaking found its beginnings on the streets of New York City in the 1970s but has evolved into a proper dance sport, with a fixed set of rules for fair competition.
While breakdancing is now ready to make the leap to the grand stage of the Olympics, Montalvo hopes the sport remembers its origins and that the IOC brings the cultural elements of hip hop – the emceeing, the DJing, the graffiti, the breaking – to the Parisian block party.
At the Games, the athletes will compete in individual male and female events with the breakers going head to head in spectacular solo battles to impress the judges with each breaker taking two or three alternate turns – or ‘throw downs.’
LeBron James
Selected as the one of the flag bearers for Team USA at the opening ceremony on July 26, the 39-year-old LeBron James hasn’t played for the Star and Stripes at the Olympics since London 2012.
But, over the last few NBA seasons, he’s reportedly been working behind the scenes to recruit other top American stars to commit to the Olympics for what will probably be the last international competition of his career.
James already has two Olympic gold medals (and a 2004 bronze) to brag about with his four NBA championships and NBA MVP Awards.
Coming off his 21st NBA season, the LA Lakers forward continues to prove that age is just a number after averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game in the last 12 months.