Top 10 Biggest Athletes to watch out at Paris Olympics 2024

The Paris Olympics are just around the corner, and it has got the world’s best athletes all geared up to present themselves in front of the global fraternity. From track to swimming, gymnastics to tennis.

These sports stars have won over the hearts and minds of the masses encouraging millions. Here are 10 athletes to watch at the 2024 Olympiad, in Paris.

Let’s take a look at 10 athletes poised to dazzle at the 33rd Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Athletes to Watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

1. Armand “Mondo” Duplantis

• Born: 1999 (age 24 years), Lafayette, LA
• Height: 5′ 11″
• Education: Lafayette High School, Louisiana State University
• Parents: Helena Duplantis, Greg Duplantis
• Siblings: Antoine Duplantis, Johanna Duplantis
• Club: Upsala IF
• Coached by: Greg Duplantis & Helena Duplantis

Medals & Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Gold (2020), World Championship Golds (2022, 2023)
• Specialty: Pole Vault
• Notable Achievements: Cleared 6.24m at the Diamond League in April 2024, breaking his own world record.

It’s hard to comprehend setting a world record once in your life, yet Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has broken Renaud Lavillenie’s 6.16m mark eight times since February of the previous year. Duplantis has broken the record many times and most recently jumped 6.24m in April 2024.

During the Diamond League Little more than a year after snaring his first Olympic gold, the 21-year-old Swede was on top of the world yet again at two World Championships in ’22 and here. Duplantis is now 24 years old and, in Paris, will seek his second Olympic gold while aiming to establish a new world record

2. Noah Lyles

• Born: July 18, 1997 (age 27 years), Gainesville, FL
• Height: 5′ 11″
• Weight: 154 lbs
• Education: Alexandria City High School
• Parents: Kevin Lyles, Keisha Caine
• Siblings: Josephus Lyles
• Club: PURE Athletics

Medals & Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Bronze (2020), World Championship Golds (2023)
• Specialty: 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay
• Notable Achievements: Broke Michael Johnson’s American 200m record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Noah Lyles is aiming for four gold medals on the track in Paris, hoping to replicate his 2023 World Championship form in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Since winning bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics.

Lyles has excelled, breaking Michael Johnson’s American 200m record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. While the 200m remains his favorite event, Lyles also dreams of winning Olympic gold in the 4x400m relay.

3. Katie Ledecky

• Born: March 17, 1997 (age 27 years), Washington, D.C.
• Height: 6′ 0″
• Medals: Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women’s 1500 metre freestyle, MORE
• Education: Stanford University (BA)
• Parents: David Ledecky, Mary Gen Ledecky
• Siblings: Michael Ledecky
• Club: Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP); University of Florida

Medals & Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: 7 Olympic Golds, 21 World Titles
• Specialty: Long-Distance Swimming (800m, 1500m Freestyle)
• Notable Achievements: Won her first Olympic gold at age 15 in the 800m freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics.

Katie Ledecky, a legend in long-distance swimming, has an impressive record with seven Olympic golds and 21 World titles. She won her first Olympic gold at the age of 15 in the 800m freestyle at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Since then, she has added nine more Olympic medals to her tally. In Paris, Ledecky

Aims to surpass Jenny Thompson for most Olympic golds by a female swimmer and also become the most decorated female Olympian in the pool. If her performance matches her success in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events at the Tokyo Olympics, Ledecky is very likely to achieve these goals.

4. Simone Biles

• Born: March 14, 1997 (age 27 years), Columbus, OH
• Height: 4′ 8″
• Spouse: Jonathan Owens (m. 2023)
• Parents: Nellie Biles, Shannon Biles, Kelvin Clemons, Ronald Biles
• Weight: 104 lbs
• Siblings: Adria Biles, Ashley Biles Thomas, Adam Biles

Medals & Achievements

• Athlete Medals: 4 Olympic Golds, 1 Bronze (2016)
• Specialty: Gymnastics (Vault, All-Around)
• Notable Achievements: Won her sixth all-around title at the 2023 World Championships.

Long-distance swimmer and legend Katie Ledecky, who has seven Olympic golds and 21 World titles. Her first Olympic gold was in the 800m freestyle at the London Games when she was only 15 years old. Since then, she has added another nine Olympic medals.

Ledecky could break Jenny Thompson’s record for most Olympic golds by a female swimmer and also become the winningest woman ever in aquatics. Given her history in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events at the Tokyo Olympics, it’ll be very difficult for Ledecky not to reach these marks.

Paris Olympics 2024🔥 All Eyes On Gymnastics Superstar Simone Biles

5. Tom Daley

• Born: 1994 (age 30 years), Plymouth, United Kingdom
• Spouse: Dustin Lance Black (m. 2017)
• Children: 2
• Height: 5′ 10″
• Parents: Robert Daley, Debbie Daley
• Club: Plymouth Diving Club; London High Performance Centre
• Event(s): 3 m, 3 m synchro, 10 m, 10 m synchro

Key Achievements

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Gold (2020), Bronze (2012)
• Specialty: Diving (10m Platform, Synchronized 10m Platform)
• Notable Achievements: Youngest British diver in Olympic history at age 14.

Tom Daley, and 14-year-old who becomes the youngest British diver in Olympic history The London Games have proven the making of him, with his first medal. A bronze in the 10m platform individual event. Triggering an upward ascent that has seen Qiu establish himself among diving’s elite.

Daley went from strength to strength, winning World Championship medals and Olympic gold in the synchronized 10m platform event at Tokyo. The Paris Olympics will provide him an additional chance to add to his sporting legacy.

6. Ma Long

• Born: 1988 (age 35 years), Anshan, China
• Spouse: Xia Lu (m. 2017)
• Height: 5′ 9″
• Weight: 154 lbs
• Parents: Ma Yujun
• Club: Shandong Luneng

Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: 2 Olympic Singles Golds, Multiple Team Golds
• Specialty: Table Tennis
• Notable Achievements: 14-time World Champion, aiming for a sixth Olympic gold in the team event.

Ma Long is commonly known as “The Dragon” and considered to be one of the best players in table tennis history. And he became the first man to win two Olympic golds in singles ANSARA/AFP via Getty Images Fourteen-time world champion Ma.

Who has been a part of every previous gold-winning team and also claimed back-to-back men’s singles titles in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He will not be challenging for a third straight singles crown, but rather, as he seeks a sixth Olympic gold comes the team event in Paris. You also check out the Paris Olympics 2024 Medals Tally Gold, Silver, Bronze Winner, and Table List.

7. Rafael Nadal

• Born: June 3, 1986 (age 38 years), Manacor, Spain
• Spouse: Maria Francisca Perello (m. 2019)
• Grand slams won (singles): 22
• Height: 6′ 1″
• Parents: Sebastián Nadal, Ana María Parera
• Siblings: María Isabel Nadal

Key Achievements

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Singles Gold (2008), Doubles Gold (2016)
• Specialty: Tennis
• Notable Achievements: Teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz for doubles in Paris.

The Olympic legacy was forever changed when iconic Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal entered the mix. Athlete Ysuf-Erol said: “I participated in the Olympics for the first time at Athens 2004, won a gold medal in singles and still participate regularly. Nadal, despite injuries: doubles gold in Rio 2016.

Nadal, who we know had been in style to skip the Video games right here however is as an alternative making ready for a singles title protection in Tokyo subsequent month solely amongst his attainable extra medals on Monday with Carlos Alcaraz within the doubles.

8. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

• Born: 1999 (age 24 years), New Brunswick, NJ
• Spouse: Andre Levrone (m. 2022)
• Height: 5′ 9″
• Parents: Willie McLaughlin, Mary McLaughlin
• Weight: 132 lbs
• Education: Union Catholic High School, University of Kentucky

Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Gold (2021)
• Specialty: 400m Hurdles
• Notable Achievements: Set a world record at the United States Olympic trials.

Competing for the first time at an Olympic Games in 2016, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won gold competing in the women’s individual 400m hurdles final and broke a world record during this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

More recently, she has stayed on top as evidenced by her performance at the United States Olympic trials which also saw a new world record. Now 24, McLaughlin-Levrone is poised to once again light up Paris.

9. Viktor Axelsen

Born: 1994 (age 30 years), Odense, DenmarkHeight: 6′ 4″
Parents: Gitte Axelsen, Henrik Axelsen
Career record: 544 wins, 154 losses
Current ranking: 2 (16 July 2024)
Handedness: Right

Achievements:

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Gold (2020), Bronze (2016)
• Specialty: Badminton (Men’s Singles)
• Notable Achievements: Aiming to improve his world ranking and add to his medal tally in Paris.

For the 2016 Rio Olympics, Viktor Axelsen won a bronze in men’s singles badminton and at Tokyo he secured gold. His goal for Paris is to increase his number of career medals and improve on what has truly been a successful career so far, one with the world at his feet still.

10. Kim Woo-jin

• Born: 1997 (age 27 years), Bucheon-si, South Korea
• Music group: Stray Kids (2017 – 2019)
• Movies: 3.5th Period
• Record labels: JYP Entertainment, 10x 엔터테인먼트, Kustomade
• Height: 5′ 9″
• Full name: Kim Woo Jin

Achievements

• Athlete Medals: Olympic Team Golds (2016, 2020)
• Specialty: Archery
• Notable Achievements: Set a world record in the ranking round of the men’s individual archery event at the 2016 Rio Games.

In Rio, he set a world record in the ranking round of men’s individual archery and was part of his team for gold. A hiccup in the individual event aside, he secured another team gold at Tokyo. Woo-jin will shoot for his third Olympic team gold in Paris and try to bring back an individual medal.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will finally be here, and of course, many are also already looking forward to the incredible athletes that have yet to compete.

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