An estimated 10,500 athletes will be heading to Paris in hope of Olympic glory. But who are the main athletes to keep an eye out for at the Paris Olympics?
Sha’Carri Richardson (USA): 100m/200m
The fastest women in the world this year, Sha’Carri Richardson is making her Olympic debut after missing out on the Tokyo games due to a positive cannabis test. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will provide stiff competition, but Richardson will be the favourite.
Noah Lyles (USA): 100m/200m
At the World Championships in 2023, Lyles won a historic treble of 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold. Lyles has the fastest 200m time this year (19.53), but not the fastest 100m time: that belongs to Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson (9.77). Lyles has announced an ambitious plan to go for four golds in Paris, adding the 4x400m relay to his repertoire.
Armand Duplantis (Sweden): Pole Vault
One of the undoubtable superstars of modern athletics, Duplantis is the greatest Pole Vaulter of all-time. The current world record holder, Duplantis will be desperate to retain his Tokyo gold and is one of the great hopes to break his own world record (6.24m) in Paris.
Neeraj Chopra (India): Javelin
Chopra became India’s first ever track and field Gold Medallist in Tokyo, when he came through tough competition with a throw of 87.58m. Retaining gold will be an even tougher challenge for Chopra, who will likely have to break 90m this year to beat Max Dehning or Jakub Vadlejch.
Max Dehning (Germany): Javelin
A mouth-watering clash awaits us in the men’s javelin between the aforementioned Chopra and 19-year-old Max Dehning who became the youngest ever man to break 90m with a javelin.
Keely Hodgkinson (UK): 800m
One of the UK’s best hopes for a gold lies with Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m. The 22-year-old has the fastest time this year (1.54.61), and looks to be in excellent form heading to Paris. Hodgkinson won silver at only 19 in the last games, and will be boosted by the absence of defending champion Athing Mu.
Miltiadis Tentoglou (Greece): Long Jump
You can’t have the Olympics without a Greek Champion, and Miltiadis Tentoglou is Greece’s best chance at a track and field Gold. The champion in Tokyo backed up his Olympic Gold with a world title in 2023 and will be the favourite in Paris.
Faith Kipyegon (Kenya): 1500m
Kipyegon has won six of seven global track finals in her exemplary career. Having already claimed two Olympic golds at Rio and Tokyo, Kipyegon has proven she is still as good as ever by beating her own world record earlier in July (3:49.04). With this immense form, it will be a tough ask for Britain’s Laura Muir or Georgia Bell to claim gold in the 1500m.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA): 400m Hurdles
One of the great Olympic showdowns awaits us in the women’s 400m hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone is the world record holder and defending champion, but as we well know, stiff competition breeds excellence. Her fiercest rival will be Femke Bol (Netherlands); the pair have run 17 of the 20 fastest times in history. McLaughlin-Levrone improved her world record time in June to 50.65, but Bol has also broken the indoor record this year. It promises to be an exhilarating encounter.
Matthew Hudson-Smith (UK): 400m
Another one of Britain’s great hopes for track and field gold, Hudson-Smith broke the European record for the 400m earlier this month and is touted by many experts as the champion elect. Hudson-Smith’s time of 43.74 was not just a European record but also the fastest time in the world this year. Can he convert this into Olympic Gold?
Mykolas Alekna (Lithuania): Discus
Destined to be one of the superstars of the games, 21-year-old Mykolas Alekna broke a nearly 40-year world record in April of this year. The distance of 74.35m is a 30cm improvement on Jurgen Schult’s 1986 record, he’ll hope to throw even further in Paris.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway): 1500m
Another exciting clash awaits us in the 1500m. Jakob Ingebrigtsen has the fastest time this year (3:26.73), but there is hope that Britain’s Josh Kerr will be able to upset the Norwegian. Kerr has the fastest mile time this year (3:45.34) and the pair have shared words in the build up to Paris, it should be memorable.
Karsten Warholm (Norway): 400m Hurdles
Without doubt one of the most extraordinary races of all time occurred in Tokyo three years ago when Karsten Warholm smashed his own World record time and finished the race in 45.94. What made the race even more extraordinary is that the second and third place finishers Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos also ran world record times. The trio will likely clash again in Paris, in what promises to be one of the races of the games.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (UK): Heptathlon
One of UK athletics’ shining lights over the last few years, the Olympics, however, have unfortunately provided nothing but heartbreak for Johnson-Thompson. Injury in Tokyo dashed her gold medal hopes, but with two World titles to her name, including Budapest last year, Johnson-Thompson knows she has the ability to win Olympic Gold. Belgium’s two-time Olympic Champion Nafissatou Thiam has the highest mark this year, and will be the athlete to beat.
Djamel Sedjati (Algeria): 800m
One of the most daunting world records in world athletics is David Rudisha’s 800m time of 1:40.91, but is that time about to be broken? Well, Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati has been in scintillating form en route to Paris. The Algerian ran the 3rd fastest time in history in early July (1:41.56) and then ran faster (1:41.46) just five days later. Beating Rudisha’s record will be some effort, but Sedjati is confident of accomplishing this feat.
Leon Marchand (France): Swimming
The undoubtable poster-boy of France’s Olympic campaign is their swimming superstar Leon Marchand. Marchand holds the world record in the men’s 400m individual medley, and is a five-time world champion, he also happens to be coached by Michael Phelps’ former trainer. He will be hoping to end France’s 12-year gold medal drought in the pool.
Ariarne Titmus (Australia): Swimming
Another exciting swimmer to watch our for is Ariarne Titmus and her fiery rivalry with Katie Ledecky. The pair’s clash in Tokyo was one of the highlights of the games, with Titmus claiming a then world record while narrowly claiming victory in the 200m and 400m freestyle. Titmus will look to defend both her titles in Paris and will have stiff competition from Ledecky once more.
Emma Finucane (UK): Cycling
In the world of Olympic cycling, there can be very little praise higher than that from Dame Laura Trott, who believes that the UK’s Emma Finucane is capable of winning not one but three gold medals in Paris. Finucane won a sensational treble at the Track Nations Cup back in March, can she convert this into a golden treble?
Shi Yu Qi (China): Badminton
The men’s badminton has never been harder to call, with experts touting up to ten potential champions. However, the player in the best form is China’s Shi Yu Qi, who pipped Tokyo Champion Viktor Axelsen to world no 1 spot by claiming four titles from five finals. Shi Yu Qi will also be confident having claimed the French Open title at the Paris venue earlier this year.
An Se-young (South Korea): Badminton
An Se-young is the world no 1 heading into the Olympics and much like with the men, will be part of a whole host of women trying to displace Chen Yufei as Olympic Champion. Se-young has been a pioneer for the sport in South Korea and will be hoping to improve on her bronze from Tokyo.
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain): Tennis
The undeniable face of men’s tennis, fresh from his Wimbledon victory, will be hopeful of becoming champion at Roland Garros again, but this time with an Olympic gold as the prize. Alcaraz will be hoping to replicate Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal’s success at the games. Veteran Novak Djokovic will be hoping to collect the only accolade to avoid his grasp.
Iga Swiatek (Poland): Tennis
Nothing is ever certain in tennis, but Iga Swiatek winning at Roland Garros is as close as you get. No such dominance has been seen on the surface since Rafael Nadal, and it will be a huge ask for any other player to claim gold in Paris.
Sun Yingsha (China): Table Tennis
China has never lost the women’s table tennis at the olympics, and Sun Yingsha will be desperate to continue this monumental record. The world number 1 and world champion looks to add Olympic gold to her growing trophy cabinet, and will also hope to add another gold in the team event.
Ma Long (China): Table Tennis
Roundly considered the greatest table tennis player of all time, Ma Long will likely be participating in his last Olympics in Paris. With 5 gold medals from three Olympics, Ma Long will be hopeful of increasing his own record of being the most decorated male player in table tennis history.
Sam Watson (USA): Sport Climbing
For anyone interested in niche sports, sport climbing is guaranteed to be one of the most popular at the Olympics, and Sam Watson is its undeniable superstar. The American holds the world record of 4.79 and a head-to-head against Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo will be one of the events of the games, if it happens.
Clarisse Agbegnenou (France): Judo
Likely to be one of the faces of the games, Clarisse Agbegnenou is an absolute titan of women’s judo. Participating in the sub 63kg category, Agbegnenou is already a double champion in Tokyo. Victory at her home Olympics will further extend her already exemplary legacy.
Nikola Jokic (Serbia): Basketball
A lot of focus is on the US basketball team this year, with a number of hall of fame players representing the USA, including LeBron James and Steph Curry. But three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic will be hoping to lead Serbia to a monumental upset in Paris.
Hashimoto Daiki (Japan): Gymnastics
One of the most dominant male gymnasts of all time, Hashimoto Daiki enters the Paris Olympics as a two-time gold medalist in Tokyo, and four-time world champion. The all-round and high bar competitions will be his forte and everyone will be chasing the Japanese great.
Simone Biles (USA): Gymnastics
One of the most recognisable faces in world sport, Simone Biles needs just one more medal to become the most decorated gymnast in US history. There will be 5 medals up for grabs for Biles, and despite being in the twilight of her career, she will be competitive for all of them.
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