It’s hard to believe the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics concluded almost a month ago. And it’s one to go down in the history books after many historical performances and viral sensations.
The city of Paris certainly embraced it, going all out for the opening ceremony. From live performances by Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Aya Nakamura to witnessing some of the city’s famous historical landmarks, like the Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Further included were acts and performances representing the culture of France and its history.
Athletes who entered the opening ceremony by traveling on boat down the Seine River, those in attendance and those watching on television witnessed a unique opening ceremony, incomparable to previous Olympics. It was safe to say the summer Olympics were finally back to “normal.”
With everything back to “normal,” fans around the world could expect an even bigger, brighter and bolder drive for athletes to compete in their respective fields and take home a medal or two. To no one’s shock, except possibly the athletes themselves, this feat was accomplished more times than you can count. The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics were certainly one in the making and will now certainly be one to reflect on. Here are some of the most memorable moments.
Americans dominate in swimming, of course
The rivalry between the American swimming team and the Australian swimming team is intense and competitive. After the Australians won more gold medals at the 2023 World Championships, Australian swimmer Cate Campbell referred to the Americans as “such, such sore losers” saying that she has “never wanted to punch someone more.”
However, American swimmers were quick to turn her comment into their own momentum. Turns out, Campbell did not even make the Olympic team after losing in the qualifying rounds. The Americans ended up earning 28 medals, eight of those gold to Australia’s seven gold medals.
It was a young French swimmer, Léon Marchand, who captured the attention and hearts of everybody, but especially the French. Born in the south of France, Marchand won four gold medals and a bronze, tying the second-most total medal record and breaking four Olympic records. Safe to say that Marchand has a long Olympic career ahead of him, being only 22 years old. And who knows, maybe he will become America’s next biggest individual rival.
US women’s rugby team achieves historical win
As relative newcomers to the game of rugby, the United States women’s team more than likely didn’t expect to earn a medal, having never medaled in the sport before. However, in the bronze medal game against Australia, America’s Alex ‘Spiff” Sedrick evaded tackles and raced all the way back down the field to tie with Australia in the last moments of the match. Her post-score kick was successful, allowing the American woman to beat Australia 14-12 and claim America’s first medal in rugby seven–bronze. In an interview with TODAY, Sedrick said “I knew that they’d be coming for me. This was our last opportunity to medal, and just like Australia wanted it, I knew that they were going to be chasing me down, so I was just trying to get over the whitewash.”
US men’s basketball breeze through competition
The United States men’s basketball team had the gold medal win in the bag. Though starting off a little shaky against Serbia, they quickly found their rhythm, with an experienced roster that included LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Steph Curry, among others. Although these games marked Curry’s Olympic debut, he rose to the occasion, especially in the gold medal match against France, where he made four three-pointers in the few remaining minutes.
Curry scored 60 points in the semi-finals and finals combined, shooting 17 three-pointers. His ‘night-night’ gesture was also common throughout the games. Their historic win over France and Victor Wembanyama in the finals marked the eighth consecutive gold medal win for the US. The United States women’s basketball team also earned their eighth consecutive win beating France in the finals.
Expectant individual gold medal wins
It was a treat for professional tennis players to be back in Paris. The venue for the Paris Olympics is also the site of the Grand Slam Tournament, Roland-Garros/French Open. Novak Djokovic entered the tournament as the number one seed and as a fan favorite. He quickly made it through the first, second and third rounds. In the quarterfinals, he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas from Greece and Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the semi-finals.
His true test came in the finals against the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. During their last meeting in the Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz beat Djokovic pretty handily. However, Djokovic got the better of Alcaraz during the Olympic finals, beating him in two sets, each going to a tie-break. Safe to say the 37-year-old Serbian is still going strong with an exciting future ahead, far from retiring.
American golfer Scottie Scheffler also has an exciting future ahead. Entering as a clear favorite, as well as a fan favorite, Scheffler came into the field with the best of the best. Ranked as number one in the world, he quickly made his way up to the leaderboard during the final round, climbing up to first place. That’s not to say it didn’t get close, however. Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood was right behind Scheffler. However, on the 18 hole, his chip was short, allowing Scheffler to win the gold medal.
Track and field, or as everybody else knows it: athletics
Besides swimming, Americans excel in track and field. With the return of Noah Lyles, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Tara Davis-Woodhall among others, viewers also saw some newcomers, like Sha’Carri Richardson and Yared Nuguse. Winning 34 medals, Team USA dominated. Lyles is officially the new fastest man alive, edging out Kishane Thompson by five-thousands of a second, earning the gold medal in the 100-meter. Lyles’s win marks the first time an American man has won this race in 20 years.
Richardson was also looking to make history after her spot on the 2021 Olympic team was stripped because of a positive test for cannabis use. Though she was the favorite to win the 100-meter race, in a shocking turn of events, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred overtook Richardson to win the gold. However, Richardson still shone brightly during the women’s 4×100-meter relay, breezing right past the other competitors.
McLaughlin-Levrone left her competitors in the wind, bringing home two gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles and the women’s 4×400-meter relay. Ryan Crouse also made his mark by bringing the Olympic gold for shot put home for the third time.
Also, in an unbelievable twist in the men’s 1500-meter race, American Cole Hocker beat out Norway’s Jakob Ingebigsten, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr and fellow American Yared Nuguse to claim the gold medal. Nuguse ended up placing third, marking the first time in 112 years that two Americans won an Olympic medal in the 1500-meter race.
Quincy Wilson made his Olympic debut as the youngest American track and field male athlete in history to compete for Team USA. As a part of the men’s 4×400 relay pool, 16-year-old Wilson made history, taking an Olympic gold medal with him back home to Virginia.
Other notable races included the mixed 4×400-meter relay team, who earned silver, Gabrielle Thomas winning a gold medal in the 200-meter race and Quincy Hall’s comeback gold medal race in the 400-meter.
A bit of controversy…?
Imane Khelif of Algeria defeated China’s Liu Wang to earn the gold medal in boxing.
However, in a strange turn of events, the leader of a Russian boxing federation that is no longer recognized, challenged her gender. Russian sports minister Umar Kremlev, who runs the International Boxing Association (IBA), and other IBA officials said the tests showed women have XY chromosomes, suggesting they hold a testosterone-based advantage over other women, who typically have XX chromosomes. The IBA, however, did not produce proof of the test results. Regardless, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended the two women.
Criticism once again rose, when Khelif faced Italian boxer Angela Carini, who quit the match after only two minutes, when she took a blow to her face. Viewers across the globe chimed in with criticism. Khelif, however, remained composed, saying “I am a woman. I was born a woman and was raised a woman, and I compete as a woman.” Once she received her gold medal and whisked away to the interview area, she said her gold medal was her answer “to the whole world that was against me,” kissing it as she walked out.
US men and women shine in gymnastics
Among some of the many Olympic events to watch on television, gymnastics is the majority’s top choice. With many individual and team competitions, viewers get to see the sophistication and incredulous execution of some routines. This year was no exception.
On the men’s side of competition for the United States were Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik and Frederick Richard, all making their Olympic debut in Paris. While it was truly a team effort on all parts, Nedoroscik sealed the men’s bronze medal win, posting a team-high score of 14.86 points on the pommel horse. Nedoroscik ended up individually winning bronze in pommel horse. In actuality, he is no stranger to this event, as he became the first American man to win a gold medal at the 2021 World Championships on the pommel horse.
On the women’s side of the competition for the United States were Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Hezley Rivera. Being the youngest on the team at only 16, Rivera was also the youngest athlete to compete for the United States in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The team claimed the gold medal, while Biles, Carey and Lee claimed individual medals of their own. What captured the headlines, though, was the debate about whether Chiles should keep her bronze medal in the floor exercise.
When Team USA requested an inquiry for Chiles’s initial score, her score increased and she suddenly out-placed Romania’s Ana Bărbosu, coming third. While Chiles was elated at the change in score, Romania was not, “filing a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that Chiles’ request for an inquiry came after the one-minute deadline.”
The court then decided for Chiles’ original score to be reinstated. On August 11, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ordered the medal to be returned and given back to Bărbosu. USA Gymnastics then filed an appeal that Chiles’ inquiry had been filed within the correct time, and they had video evidence to support the claim. However, the Court declined their appeal. While this comes as a loss to Chiles and the rest of the team, they once again proved their ability and capability to the rest of the world.
Viral moments we can’t forget
After Norwegian Olympic swimmer Henrik Christiansen posted a video on TikTok raving about the chocolate muffins found at the bakery in the Olympic Village, other athletes and people around the world quickly picked up on the American-inspired breakfast treat. Giving it an “insane 11/10 review,” his video went viral across social media.
Newly dubbed as the “muffin man,” he later said he ate “seven or eight” muffins throughout the games. The muffin craze is still prevalent, with people back home in the States and around the world attempting to recreate the viral sensation.
Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec also took the internet by storm. Compared to other competing shooters, Dikec used no equipment or additional accessories, like eyepieces, gloves or a jacket, to help. Shooting with two eyes open and a hand in his pocket, he quickly became an internet sensation for his cool and composed demeanor.
At 51, he competed in his fifth Olympics, where he won his first medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event–a silver. Reflecting on his approach and mentality, he already has his eyes on the next Summer Olympic games, saying, “My shooting technique is one of the rare shooting techniques in the world. I shoot with both eyes open. Even the referees are surprised by this. My partner and I will get the gold at Los Angeles 2028.”
Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn also attracted the attention of people across social media for her viral performances. Gunn, also known as B-Girl Raygun, lost all three of her round-robin battles, losing 54-0 in total. Concerns and questions were raised against the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on why Gunn was selected to compete. The AOC was quick to defend Gunn, however. She responded to the criticism saying, “I really appreciate the positivity, and I’m glad I was able to [put] some joy in your lives. That’s what I hoped. I didn’t realize that would open the door to so much hate, which is frankly, been pretty devastating.”
End of the beginning
While the Paris Olympics have sadly ended, the Winter Olympics are just around the corner in 2026 at Milano Cortina. The world also has an eager wait to see the 2028 Summer Olympics make its return to the United States, in Los Angeles.
While the LA 2028 Olympics could learn a thing or two from the 2024 Paris Olympics, it will surely be another fantastic and memorable Olympics to go down in history. 2028, here we come.
