Who and What to Watch for at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics have finally arrived, with the promise of a newly cleaned Seine river and high-tech cardboard beds for all the athletes. There’s a lot to look forward to during the games themselves, which run from July 26 through Aug. 11 in both Paris and other French cities. But with 329 events taking place across 32 sports, including the newly added break dancing competition, it can be hard to know when to tune in.

A lot of big names are returning to the Olympics this year, from Simone Biles to Katie Ledecky to Noah Lyles, with many attempting to redeem their performances in Tokyo in 2021. The games also promise to be exceptionally photogenic thanks to their French setting: beach volleyball will be played under the Eiffel Tower, while fencing and taekwondo will take place inside the Grand Palais.

There are also a few possible scandals (besides the cardboard beds, which are rumored to prevent sex between the athletes). Russia and Belarus were not officially invited to participate in the Olympics due to the ongoing war, so any athletes from both countries could only compete as “independent, neutral athletes.” British equestrian athlete Charlotte Dujardin was forced to pull out of the games before the Olympics even started after a video emerged of her whipping a horse. There is also added pressure on Israeli athletes due to the war with Gaza, with French MP Thomas Portes declaring, “The Israeli delegation is not welcome in Paris.”

But behind the drama and fervor, hard-working athletes may also score gold, an emotional moment that is really what the Olympics are all about. As the games get underway this weekend, here are eight things to look for during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Simone Biles Goes for the Gold

There was a lot of pressure on Simone Biles during the Tokyo Olympics. The popular, record-breaking gymnast faltered during the vault event and subsequently withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team final due to mental health concerns. Biles spoke about the mental stress in her new four-part Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, which chronicles her return to the Olympics this year. Biles is scheduled to compete in numerous gymnastic events, including the vault, promising to add to her impressive collection of 37 medals, which she’s earned at both the Olympics and world championships. “I knew I wasn’t done after the performances in Tokyo,” Biles told press at the recent U.S. Olympic trials, where she won the all-around. “This is definitely our redemption tour. I feel like we all have more to give.”

Sha’Carri Richardson Redeems Herself

U.S. track and field athlete Sha’Carri Richardson lost her spot during the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for THC despite an impressive qualifying performance. She later explained she had consumed the drug legally in Oregon after learning of her mother’s death from a reporter. Now, Richardson is ready for round two in the 100-meter sprint event. She won the Olympic trials in 10.71 seconds, the best time in the world this year, and she has newly-minted BFF Cardi B on her side for added support. In a recent promotion for the games on NBC, Richardson appeared alongside the rapper, confirming, “I have no plans of letting life, adversity, any obstacles stop me from being in Paris.”

The Paris Olympics will mark the swan song of British tennis star Andy Murray, who recently had to pull out of the Wimbledon singles tournament due to a spinal surgery. He’s previously won big at the Olympics, including in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016, and this year will mark his fifth attempt at gold in the doubles event alongside Dan Evans. Murray confirmed his plans for retirement, adding that Paris is his “last ever tennis tournament.” “I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time.” Murray was initially scheduled to compete in the singles events, however he withdrew a few days ahead of the games, citing his desire to “concentrate on the doubles with Dan.”

Katie Ledecky Proves Her Prowess

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky is one of the most anticipated athletes at the Summer Olympics. Rated as one of the top swimmers of all time, Ledecky will be up against Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and Canada’s Summer McIntosh in a literal race for the gold, with each attempting to prove their greatness. Ledecky already boasts seven gold medals, including from the 400-meter freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and she looks to be ready to add to her collection. “It will be a really fast field, and I’m looking forward to it,” Ledecky told Reuters of her competition. Watch for Ledecky in numerous swimming events, including the women’s 1500 freestyle and 400 freestyle.

Nikki Hiltz Breaks Barriers

Transgender athletes are a frequent topic of debate in global sports, including the Olympic games. In 2021, Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics, joining the New Zealand women’s weightlifting team in Tokyo. This year, Nikki Hiltz, who is transgender and non-binary, will compete as part of the U.S. track and field team. Hiltz is a highly-qualified runner and earned the second-fastest time ever recorded by an American in the women’s 1500-meter race at the Olympic trials. This could be a big moment for Hiltz, who broke the American mile record at the Monaco Diamond League last year. Celebrating their win on Instagram, Hiltz wrote, “How cool is it that in a country who seems to be fixated on hurting trans people, a very out, very proud trans non-binary athlete now holds their mile record?”

Noah Lyles Enjoys the Spotlight

Noah Lyles is an incredible athlete, but the track and field sprinter is also a self-made star. He currently holds the title of the fastest man in the world after winning the 100 and 200 meters at last year’s World Championships, and he holds a total of six world titles. In Tokyo, he placed third, taking home the bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint, but he says he has much bigger plans for Paris. Lyles has been vocal about his goal to win four gold medals, a.k.a. the 4×4, in Paris. “Why stop at three when you can have more?” Lyles told the BBC. “Nobody’s going to let me win a race… I’ve gotta prove my mark just like everybody else, but I’m very confident in my abilities.”

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Takes Her Final Sprint

Jamaican athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will bid her Olympic dreams farewell after Paris. The sprinter is a five-time world 100-meter champion and the third-fastest woman in history, and she has confirmed that this will be her final Olympic games. She’s earned five gold medals so far and will certainly be looking to cap off her career with more in the coming weeks. Fraser-Pryce, who is also notable for her age, explained her decision, saying, “My son needs me. My husband and I have been together since before I won in 2008. He has sacrificed for me. We’re a partnership, a team. And it’s because of that support that I’m able to do the things that I have been doing for all these years. And I think I now owe it to them to do something else.”

Breaking Makes Its Debut

The Olympics include a lot of different sports, some of which, like skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing, have only been part of the games for a few years. The newest addition to the summer games is breaking, also known as break dancing. There will be two medal events, one for women (B-Girls) and one for men (B-Boys), with 16 athletes competing in each event, to be held at Place de la Concorde. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) are hoping the sport, along with skateboarding and surfing, can attract a younger audience. “With this program, we are making the Olympic Games Paris 2024 fit for the post-corona world,” IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement. “There is also a strong focus on youth.”