Biles, LeBron, Medina and More: Meet the Big Stars at the Paris Olympics | Olympic Games

Sports stars will gather in Paris for the Olympic Games starting July 26. Celebrities from across the sports spectrum are vying for a podium spot and a place in the Olympic Hall of Legends alongside names like Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and Nadia Comaneci. American gymnast Simone Biles leads the pack to be the biggest star of the 2024 Games, and there are Brazilians in the running. Oh ge Lists the most decorated athletes who will participate in France.

• nation: we
• age: 27 years
• Method: Artistic gymnastics
• main achievements: Seven Olympic medals (four gold) and 30 World Cup medals (23 gold)
• In Paris: A candidate for five medals, with the possibility of six podium finishes.

Once again, Simone Biles arrives at the Olympics as the competition’s biggest star. Her mental health at the Tokyo Games prevented her from repeating her performance at Rio 2016, when she still shared the spotlight with Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. The American took time off to marry American footballer Jonathan Owens, and returned to the top of the podium at the last World Cup, when she won four golds and one silver. In Paris, the greatest world champion in artistic gymnastics history managed to achieve the best performance at a single edition of the Games – Czech Vera Časlavská won four golds and two silvers in 1968.

• nation: Serbia
• age: 37 years
• Method: Tennis
• main achievements: 24 Grand Slam titles, seven-time ATP Finals champion, Olympic bronze medal
• In Paris: Podium candidate in the individual category

Novak Djokovic, the greatest Grand Slam champion in tennis history, will compete at the Olympics for the fifth – and possibly final – time, seeking the title that has eluded him in his career. A bronze medal in his debut at Beijing 2008 was his best result at the Games. The former world number one underwent surgery on his right knee in early June, and as a result, he leaves his position as the favourite to win the title to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the current Roland Garros champion, on the same court as the Paris Olympics. Wimbledon.

• nation: we
• age: 39 years old
• Method: Basketball
• main achievements: Four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, three Olympic medalists (two gold) and a World Cup bronze.
• In Paris: Leading your favorite dream team to gold

LeBron James, one of the biggest names in basketball history, returns to the Games for his fourth and final Olympics. The NBA’s all-time scoring record holder led the American Dream Team to gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, but missed the last two Olympics and is back in search of a triple-double. The United States, which is set to win its fifth consecutive title, has James as the star man in a constellation that includes Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant.

• nation: Brazil
• age: 38 years
• Method: soccer
• main achievements: He was named the World Player of the Year six times, the best player and top scorer at the 2007 World Cup, and has won two Olympic silver medals and one World Cup silver.
• In Paris: Seeking to return Brazil to the podium

Marta holds the record for most titles as the world’s best player, is participating in her sixth Olympic Games and is looking for her third medal – she was runner-up in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. The ace’s experience is that of a Brazilian team that is betting on a return to the podium, despite still being in the first stage of the 2023 World Cup. In 12 matches before Orlando Pride in the MLS this year, the attacking midfielder has scored four goals and provided one assist. Spain and France are the favourites, but Marta’s Brazil are in contention for the medal.

• nation: France
• age: 35 years
• Method: Judo
• main achievements: Five Olympic medals (three gold) and 14 World Cup medals (12 gold)
• In Paris: Trio favourite in singles and podium favourite in teams

Teddy Riner, the record holder for world titles, is a judo legend and the biggest name in host France. Born in Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean island, the judoka is unbeaten in over a year (34 fights) and could equal Japan’s Tadahiro Nomura’s record of three individual Olympic titles. He is also aiming to guide the French to the doubles, although current world champions Japan are favourites. Riner is passionate about Rio de Janeiro, owns an apartment in Copacabana and was part of the Flamengo preparations for Paris.

• nation: we
• age: 27 years
• Method: swimming
• main achievements: Ten Olympic medals (seven gold), 26 World Cup medals (21 gold) and four world records.
• In Paris: Two gold medal favourite with potential to reach five medals

Katie Ledecky, the current world record holder in the 800m and 1500m freestyle (long and short pool), is the big name in long pool swimming. In Paris she has everything she needs to maintain her dominance and win the 800m four and 1500m two. She is also a candidate for the podium in the 400m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay – and has not confirmed whether she will compete in the 200m freestyle, her event of greatest competition. Often compared to Michael Phelps as a podium machine, Ledecky could become France’s greatest ever Olympic medalist in women’s swimming, a position currently held by American Jenny Thompson (eight golds, three silvers and one bronze).

• nation: Sweden
• age: 24 years
• Method: Athletics
• main achievements: Olympic champion, three World Cup medalists (two golds), two World Cup indoor golds and world record holder, always in pole vault.
• In Paris: Favorite pole vault double

Armand Duplantis was born and raised in the United States, but has always defended Sweden, his mother’s country. From an early age, he has emerged as a pole vault phenomenon and has already broken the world record for the event eight times. Mondo, as he is known, has a wide-ranging dominance of the event, is undefeated this year and has a 24cm advantage over second place in the world rankings, the same distance as the runner-up in 27th place. In addition to the two in Paris, he is looking for the Olympic record, which is still held by Brazil’s Thiago Braz, with a distance of 6.03m from Rio 2016.

• nation: Brazil
• age: 16 years
• Method: skateboard
• main achievements: Olympic runner-up, three World Cup medalists (one gold), four Street League Finals medalists (two golds) and two-time X-Games champion, always on the street.
• In Paris: Favorite platform on the street

Risa Leal became the youngest Brazilian to win an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games when she took silver in the street at the age of 13 years and 203 days. Fadinha, as she is also known, has since grown into a star in the skateboarding scene, competing against Japan’s Chloe Covel and Australia’s Chloe Covel. The Brazilian is among the favourites to win the street podium and won the pre-Olympic race in Shanghai in May.

• nation: Brazil
• age: 30 years
• Method: browse
• main achievements: Three-time WSL World Champion and five-time ISA World Championship medalist (three golds)
• In Teahupo: Favorite on the platform

Gabriel Medina is the most famous surfer registered in the Olympics, and is the current ISA (International Surfing Association) World Champion. Although not in the rankings area for the WSL (World Surfing League) Finals, she is among the favorites for the Games due to her history in Teahupoo, a surfing destination because there is no sea in Paris. She has won two stages of the WSL in Tahiti and since 2014 has reached at least the semi-finals.

• nation: Italy
• age: 25 years
• Method: volleyball
• main achievements: Two World Cup medals, two-time Nations League champion, twice voted Nations League Player of the Year.
• In Paris: Leading Italy in Quest for Unprecedented Olympic Medal

Paola Egonu is one of the biggest stars of women’s volleyball at the moment, having been voted the best player of the UNC Nations League and leading Italy to their second title in June. The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, the Italian has often faced racism and homophobia in her career, even announcing that she would no longer represent Italy after the bronze medal at the 2022 World Cup, tired of racist attacks. But the opposite has prevailed and is a key part of an unprecedented Olympic medal for Italian women’s volleyball.

More stars to watch in Paris

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) – Athletics

Ma Long (China) – Table Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) – Tennis

Megan Lopez (Cuba) – Wrestling

Skye Brown (GB) – Skateboard