Athletes from all over the world are getting ready to leave their mark on one of the most prominent athletic stages in the world as the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics approach. Expectations are high for an incredible display of athleticism, creativity, and historical moments as Paris prepares to host the Games for the first time since 1924. The possibility of record-breaking performances by athletes, either individually or in teams, will be one of the most exciting features of the Paris Olympics. Let’s examine a few athletes whose performances in Paris have the potential to change the course of history.
1. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – Swimming
The name Caeleb Dressel has already come to represent Olympic achievement. Dressel proved his mettle in the pool by winning seven gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, making him one of the most accomplished American swimmers in history. If Dressel continues to achieve at the same level of performance, he may probably surpass Michael Phelps’ record of 23 gold medals in Paris 2024. Dressel is a serious candidate to shatter his own world records because of his speed and adaptability in the freestyle, butterfly, and relay events, particularly in the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Fans are excited to see if he can further cement his reputation as one of the best swimmers of all time, and his potential for greatness in Paris is evident.
2. Simone Biles (USA) – Gymnastics
Simone Biles has already established herself as one of the greatest gymnasts in Olympic history, but she has the potential to set even more records in Paris 2024. With a groundbreaking approach to gymnastics, four Olympic golds, and an incredible 25 World Championship medals, Biles has pushed the limits of what is conceivable in her sport. Biles will want to set new records in the individual apparatus and all-around competition events in Paris. She also hopes to become the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history. Her performance in Paris will be eagerly watched as her inventive routines, which include skills named after her, are anticipated to push the boundaries of gymnastics.
3. Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) – Track and Field
Over the past few years, Elaine Thompson-Herah has emerged as one of the most dominant sprinters in the women’s 100- and 200-meter competitions. The 100-meter world record of 10.49 seconds, set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988, could be broken in Paris by Thompson-Herah, who won double gold in both events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. With a 2021 time of 10.54 seconds, Thompson-Herah has already nearly reached that milestone, and with her exceptional speed and motivation, she may be set for yet another record-breaking showing. One of the greatest accomplishments in track and field history would be if Thompson-Herah were to win gold in both the 100 and 200 meters once more and set a new world record.
4. Noah Lyles (USA) – Track and Field
In the 200- and 400-meter competitions, Noah Lyles has emerged as one of the top talents. Lyles has already won several World Championship championships thanks to his incredible speed and consistency, and he is on track to surpass Michael Johnson’s 200-meter world record (19.32 seconds) at the 2024 Olympics. Lyles has continuously improved his speed and technique, and his 200-meter performances have showed a lot of potential. Lyles might exceed Johnson’s legendary mark in front of a worldwide audience and become one of the fastest men in Olympic history, with Paris providing the ideal platform for him to display his skills.
5. Armand Duplantis (Sweden) – Pole Vault
With his constant establishing of new world records, Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has taken the pole vaulting world by storm. Most recently, in 2022, the Swedish pole vaulter cleared 6.21 meters, breaking his personal record several times. Duplantis is the clear favorite to maintain his supremacy at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris thanks to his amazing form and technical accuracy. He is a strong contender to surpass Sergei Bubka’s 1992 Olympic pole vaulting record of 6.14 meters due to his consistency and capacity to push past physical boundaries. At the Olympics, Duplantis has the chance to surpass his own world record, solidifying his status as one of the best pole vaulters of all time.
6. Katie Ledecky (USA) – Swimming
An Olympic legend, Katie Ledecky holds numerous gold medals and world records. Ledecky, one of the greatest distance swimmers in history, has raised the standard for upcoming athletes with his 800- and 1500-meter freestyle achievements. Ledecky will be hoping to break her own world records and add more medals to her collection in Paris. She has the potential to break the 2018 1500-meter freestyle record of 15:20.48 if she can maintain her peak performance. Ledecky’s supremacy in the water is unrivaled, and Paris 2024 will present her with yet another chance to solidify her reputation as one of the greatest swimmers of all time.
7. Sunisa Lee (USA) – Gymnastics
Sunisa Lee has cemented her status as one of the world’s best gymnasts after taking home the all-around gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Lee, who is only 21 years old, has the ability to improve on her prior achievements and contend for gold in Paris once more. Being one of the few gymnasts to win back-to-back Olympic medals in the bars and beam event, Lee might set a new record by taking home multiple golds in Paris and possibly winning the all-around title once more.