On July 26, 2024, the Paris Olympics will officially begin. Over the course of the next two weeks, some 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 events. The Games will feature a full roster of star athletes, and there will undoubtedly be a number of breakout stars. Who should be on your radar? Read on for our list of athletes who are likely to make news in Paris.

　　Gymnastics Simone Biles One of the greatest gymnasts in the history of the sport, Simone Biles is hoping to add to her legacy in Paris. If she qualifies for the U.S. team, she will return for her third Olympics after making headlines at the 2020 Games in Tokyo (delayed until 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic). There she raised awareness of mental health issues and the pressures placed on athletes after she withdrew from a number of events due to the “twisties,” a mental block in which gymnasts lose their spatial orientation during aerial moves.

　　Quick factsCountry: United StatesBirth date: March 14, 1997Olympic medals: 4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze Suni Lee

　　Suni Lee on the balance beam at the 2020 Tokyo OlympicsLee is the first Hmong American to compete and medal in the Olympic Games.(more)Sometimes overshadowed by her teammate Simone Biles, Suni Lee seized the moment at the 2020 Olympic Games, after Biles withdrew from a number of events. Lee went on to win a gold medal in the all-around event and a bronze in the uneven bars. She also helped the U.S. team capture a silver in the team event. For the past two years, Lee has been dealing with a kidney-related health issue but is expected to compete in Paris.

　　Quick factsCountry: United StatesBirth date: March 9, 2003Olympic medals: 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze Track and field Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

　　Shelly-Ann Fraser-PryceShelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce after winning gold in the 100-meter event at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, 2022. (more)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.

　　Quick factsCountry: JamaicaBirth date: December 27, 1986Olympic medals: 3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze Sha’Carri Richardson

　　2023 world championSha'Carri Richardson of the United States after winning the gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the world championships in Budapest, 2023.(more)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.

　　Quick factsCountry: United StatesBirth date: March 25, 2000 Yulimar Rojas

　　Yulimar RojasYulimar Rojas competing in the triple jump at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were held in 2021; she won a gold medal in the event.(more)Known as the “Queen of the Triple Jump,” Yulimar Rojas is one of the sport’s leading athletes. In 2022 she set the world record for women, jumping 15.74 meters (51.64 feet). In addition, at the 2020 Tokyo Games she became the first female Venezuelan to win an Olympic gold medal. Rojas has said that her goal in Paris is to jump 16 meters (52.49 feet).

　　Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now Quick factsCountry: VenezuelaBirth date: October 21, 1995Olympic medals: 1 gold, 1 silver Eliud Kipchoge

　　Eliud Kipchoge: 2022 Berlin MarathonEliud Kipchoge after winning the Berlin Marathon, 2022.(more)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.

　　Quick factsCountry: KenyaBirth date: November 5, 1984Olympic medals: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze Swimming and surfing Carissa Moore

　　Carissa MooreCarissa Moore competing at the 2021 World Surf League finals in San Clemente, California. She earned her fifth world championship at the tournament. The yellow jersey indicates the highest-ranked surfer in the competition.(more)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.

　　Quick factsCountry: United StatesBirth date: August 27, 1992Olympic medals: 1 gold Katie Ledecky

　　Katie LedeckyKatie Ledecky holding her gold medal and world-record trophy after winning the 800-meter freestyle at the 2015 swimming world championships.(more) 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 10 Olympic medals, 7 of which are gold, and her 26 world championship medals are a record for female swimmers.

　　Quick factsCountry: United StatesBirth date: March 17, 1997Olympic medals: 7 gold, 3 silver Emma McKeon

　　Australia's most-decorated OlympianEmma McKeon posing with the four gold medals she won at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021.(more)Emma McKeon is the most successful Australian athlete in Olympic history, the winner of 11 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.

　　Quick factsCountry: AustraliaBirth date: May 24, 1994Olympic medals: 5 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze