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• 2022 Beach Pro Tour – Elite 16 Paris

2022 Beach Pro Tour - Elite 16 Paris

September 28 - October 2, 2022

Paris, France

Beach Event, International Events, National Team Events

Men Evans/Benesh

Women Nuss/Kloth Sponcil/Cannon Flint/Cheng Stockman/Kraft

Qualification Round 1 Evans/Benesh def. Mermer/Urlu (TUR), 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 15-9)

Qualification Round 2 Carracher/Nicolaides (AUS) def. Evans/Benesh, 2-0 (21-16, 21-17)

Qualification Round 1 Stockman/Kraft def. Kociolek/Lodej (POL), 2-1 (20-22, 21-14, 16-14)

Qualification Round 2 Stockman/Kraft def. Elize Maia/Thamela (BRA), 2-0 (24-22, 26-24)

Pool B Stockman/Kraft def. Sponcil/Cannon, 2-0 (21-17, 21-17) Stam/Schoon (NED) def. Stockman/Kraft, 2-0 (21-14, 21-7) Barbara/Carol (BRA) def. Sponcil/Cannon, 2-0 (21-10, 21-18) Stam/Schoon (NED) def. Sponcil/Cannon, 2-0 (21-19, 21-19) Stockman/Kraft def. Barbara/Carol, 2-1 (21-15, 20-22, 15-5)

Pool C Flint/Cheng def. Lahti/Ahtiainen (FIN), 2-1 (16-21, 21-9, 15-6) Nuss/Kloth def. Bukovec/Brandie (CAN), 2-1 (21-17, 13-21, 15-13) Nuss/Kloth def. Lahti/Ahtiainen (FIN), 2-0 (21-14, 21-13) Flint/Cheng def. Bukovec/Brandie (CAN), 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) Flint/Cheng def. Nuss/Kloth, 2-1 (21-15, 18-21), 15-11)

Quarterfinals Flint/Cheng def. Barbara/Carol (BRA), 2-1 (21-14, 20-22, 15-9 Duda/Ana Patricia (BRA) def. Nuss/Kloth, 2-1 (21-17, 22-24, 15-12)

Semifinals Stam/Schoon (NED) def. Flint/Cheng, 2-0 (21-17, 21-17)

Bronze-Medal Match Duda/Ana Patrica (BRA) def. Flint/Cheng, 2-1 (21-12, 13-21, 15-8)

Standings Flint/Cheng: 4th Nuss/Kloth, T5th Stockman/Kraft, T9th Sponcil/Cannon, T13th

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Following the FIVB-CEV collaboration established in March 2018 in organising World Tour events in Europe the CEV takes over the organisation of all events in Europe within the Futures layer of the newly introduced Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. The new structure foresees 3 layers of events in total, aiming to showcase the best of beach volleyball action through engaging and vibrant events. These events are open to pairs from all over the world. Entry into the 16-team main draw or the preceding 16-team qualification tournament is based on the FIVB Entry Ranking and certain parameters such as host and organising country quota and wild card nominations.

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2022 edition

• 2023 edition

More than 15,000 spectators attended the 1st edition. Thank you all for this incredible enthusiasm around the Paris Beach Pro Tour. We knew that beach volleyball fans had been waiting for a major beach volleyball event in France for a very long time, and you responded.  A crazy atmosphere during the 4 days allowed the players to transcend themselves and to offer a very high quality tournament.

The men's tournament

Over the 4 days, continuous entertainment and the best pairs in the world. In the buttom, the final table of the 2022 edition:

In the men's tournament, Norwegians Anders Mol and Chirstian Sorum, world champions, Olympic champions and world number one, won against the Dutch pair Brouwer/Meeuwsen. Anders Mol was very happy with the victory: "As Norwegians, we also wanted to 'avenge' Casper Ruud, beaten in the final by Nadal. Norway won the French Open! We can't wait to come back here for the future editions". The appointment is made for the 2023 edition!

Focus on French men's pairs

The first edition of the Paris Beach Pro Tour was also the first tournament for the new French pair Lyneel/Bassereau. Former indoor volleyball players, the two southerners made great impression, catching the best teams including the finalist pair.  

The second French male pair of this edition was Krou/Gauthier-Rat. They came very close to qualifying for the quarter-finals with a win and a very close super tie-break loss to one of the best duos on the circuit: Cherif/Ahmed. Despite their elimination in Pool C, the French finished the season very well by winning the Elite 16 in Torquay, Australia, with high hopes for the second edition of the Paris Beach Pro Tour.

The women's tournament

In the women's tournament, the Dutch Raïsa Schoon and Katja Stam won the final 2-0 against the Latvian Samoilova/Graudina. Raïsa Schoon explains "It's crazy to win here. Of course we have alreadu played in big stadiums before, but never in such a mythical place of sport with all these big names. This victory in the final sounds like a revenge for the Dutch, beaten in the semi-finals of the last European Championship by Tina Graudina, this time in pair with Anastasija Kravcenoka.

On the French side, the pair Placette/Richard did not manage to reach the quarter finals despite their victory against the Italians in the 3rd and last match. But the French pair keeps on progressing. One month later, during the Elite 16 in Cape Town (South Africa), they reached the 4th place promising great things for the 2023 season and in particular for the Paris Beach Pro Tour in front of their public.

Elite16 - Tepic, MEX - 2024

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Borger-Ittinger, Grimalts win Beach Pro Tour gold in Xiamen, China

April 28, 2024

Karla Borger and Sandra Ittinger of Germany and Esteban and Marco Grimalt of Chile won the respective titles Sunday at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Xiamen, China.

The USA came up medal-less after Chase Budinger and Miles Evans lost in the men’s bronze-medal match.

Second-seeded Borger and Ittinger beat ninth-seeded Swiss Olympians Anouk Verge-Depre and Joana Mader 22-20, 21-14. In the match for third place, 10th-seeded Spainards Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno beat eighth-seeded Lithuanians Aine Raupelyte and Monike Paulikiene 21-16, 21-16.

The Grimalts, seeded 18th after getting through the qualifier, won 17-21, 21-18, 15-9 over 21st-seeded Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat of France in a final few would have predicted.

Second-seeded Lukas Pfretzschner and Sven Winter of Germany beat fourth-seeded Budinger and Evans 15-21, 21-15, 15-13.

The respective winners split $10,000 each. Budinger and Evans took home $6,000.

Two USA men’s pairs won twice to get through the qualifier, Hagen Smith and Logan Webber and Jordan Hoppe and James Shaw.

Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb were in the main draw as the No. 3 seed and went 1-1 in pool play before losing to seventh-seded Thomas Hodges and Zachery Schubert of Australia in the first round of single elimination.

Smith and Webber in turn knocked out Hoppe and Shaw in three before getting swept by Pretzschner and Winter.

Two USA women’s pairs got through the qualiifer, Kylie Deberg and Hailey Harward and Alaina Chacon and Mariah Whalen. Deberg and Harward went 2-0 in pool play before losing in the first round of single eliminated. Chacon and Whalen went 0-2 in pool play.

The next stop on the Beach Pro Tour is this week’s Elite16 in Brasilia, Brazil. USA entries include Budinger and Evans, Crabb and Brunner and Miles Partain and Andy Benesh on the men’s side; and on the women’s Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes and Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss.

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One USA pair — Budinger and Evans — remain in Xiamen Challenge beach tourney

April 27, 2024

Zana Muno: Rediscovering herself on a trip of a lifetime

April 24, 2024

Brunner-Huberli win “most intense” first gold medal at Tepic Elite16

April 22, 2024

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Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge Xiamen 2024 to kick off in Siming district

A press conference for the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge Xiamen 2024. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

From April 25 to 28, the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge Xiamen 2024 and the 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifying Tournament will kick off with a bang in Siming district, Xiamen.

The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge is an international A-level event organized by the FIVB and the highest-level international volleyball event currently hosted in China. It is considered one of the top three international events organized by the FIVB, second only to the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

Teams from 35 countries, including China, the United States, and Australia, will gather in Xiamen to offer up an exciting beach volleyball spectacle. The event is scheduled to take place at the Yefengzhai Beach in Siming district and will feature a total prize pool of $200,000.

The Island Ring Boulevard along Siming district is renowned for its "Golden Coast" reputation, boasting picturesque scenery and a pleasant climate, providing ideal natural conditions for beach volleyball activities.

From April 20 to May 7, a series of diverse cultural and sports activities will be held in celebration of the competition. The accompanying events will include a creative beach market, beach sports experiences, beach camping, and beach concerts.

Beach volleyball has become a well-known and distinctive sporting event in Siming district.

A past volleyball event in Xiamen. [Photo/Siming News]

In just 100 days, the Olympic flame will ignite once again as the world's greatest athletes descend upon Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. To commemorate the moment, and also to shine a spotlight on some of the brightest sports stars on Earth, NBC Olympics has assembled a comprehensive list of the top 100 athletes to watch ahead of this summer's spectacle in Paris.

The roster is a who's who of household names, rising stars and all-time greats that will chase gold in France and will likely give us many of the most memorable moments of the Games. It includes athletes who've already secured their places in Paris, as well as ones still with work to do or decisions to make to get there. Some names you'll already know. For others, you'll be glad you heard them here first, before they become the talk of the world during the Paris Olympics.

Jump to a sport: Archery | Artistic Swimming | Badminton | Basketball | Basketball 3x3 | Beach Volleyball | Boxing | Breaking | Canoeing | Cycling | Diving | Equestrian | Fencing | Field Hockey | Golf | Gymnastics | Handball | Judo | Modern Pentathlon | Rhythmic Gymnastics | Rowing | Rugby | Sailing | Shooting | Skateboarding | Soccer | Sport Climbing | Surfing | Swimming | Table Tennis | Taekwondo | Tennis | Track and Field | Trampoline | Triathlon | Volleyball | Water Polo | Weightlifting | Wrestling

Mete Gazoz Nationality: Turkey  |  Age: 24  |  Event: Men’s individual  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1g) At the Tokyo Olympics, then-21-year-old Mete Gazoz became the first Turkish archer to win   individual gold in Olympic history. Now 24, he heads to Paris as the favorite to reclaim his title. Gazoz is fresh off a strong 2023 in which he took home individual gold at the World Archery Championships and earned his third career title of Best Men's Recurve Archer of the Year from the World Archery Federation. — Leo Santos

Casey Kaufhold  Nationality: U.S.  | Age: 20  |  Event: Women’s individual  | Olympic experience: 2020  Lancaster, Pennsylvania native Casey Kaufhold is poised to give the U.S. its best chance of winning a medal in Olympic archery, and could be the first American woman to do so since the 1976 Montreal Games .  She made her Olympic debut at just 17 during the 2020 Tokyo Games. Kaufhold also finished second at the 2021 World Championships and fourth at the 2023 Worlds in the women’s individual event, beating Tokyo gold medalist An San of South Korea at both competitions. — Santos

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Bill May Nationality: United States |  Age: 45  |  Event: Team competition  | Olympic experience: None For the first time ever at the Olympics, men will be allowed to compete in artistic swimming at the Paris Games. That’s opened the door for 45-year-old Bill May, the greatest male artistic swimmer ever, to finally fulfill a lifelong dream of competing on the Olympic stage. May, a six-time world medalist, will compete as part of the eight-person U.S. team which qualified for an Olympics for the first time since 2008. — Eric Goodman

Viktor Axelsen Nationality: Denmark | Age: 30 |  Event: Men’s singles  |  Olympic experience: 2016 (1b), 2020   (1g)  Danish badminton disruptor and current world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen is looking to defend his title in Paris this summer. After defeating China's Chen Long in Rio in 2016 and taking home bronze, Axelsen returned to the Games in Tokyo and topped the defending champion. The 6-foot-4 30-year-old also holds two world championship titles. — Erin Maher

Stephen Curry Nationality: United States  | Age: 36 |  Event: Men's basketball  | Olympic experience: None USA Basketball will field a star-studded men's roster for the Paris Olympics, and one of the most exciting names on the list is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. At age 36, Curry is already a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, and the NBA's all-time three-point leader by a significant margin. But one thing he hasn't done yet is play at the Olympics. With Warriors head coach Steve Kerr taking charge of the U.S. men's team for Paris, Curry could finally add an Olympic gold medal to his legacy. — Shawn Smith

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Nationality: Canada  | Age: 25 |  Event: Men's basketball  | Olympic experience: None One of the NBA's most improved players in recent years, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also the face of a Canadian team that's stronger than ever before. Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada to a win over the United States and a bronze medal at last year's World Cup, and with a roster that's expected to contain several NBA players, Canada could very well contend for an Olympic medal this summer. Gilgeous-Alexander is one of just three players averaging more than 30 points per game this season in the NBA, and he's also second in the league in steals (2.0 per game). Were it not for the season Jokic is having, the man known as "SGA" would be considered a serious MVP candidate right now. — Smith

LeBron James Nationality: United States  | Age: 39 |  Event: Men's basketball  | Olympic experience: 2004 (1b), 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g) Lebron James hasn't played for the U.S. Olympic team since 2012, but he's been very vocal about his desire to play at the Paris Games. He's also reportedly been working behind the scenes to get other top American stars to commit to the Olympics. James already has two Olympic gold medals (and a 2004 bronze) to go with his four NBA titles and four NBA MVP awards. Playing in his 21st NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers forward continues to produce at an elite level (25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds per game) on the court. — Smith

Nikola Jokic Nationality: Serbia  | Age: 29 |  Event: Men's basketball  | Olympic experience: 2016 (1s) Nikola Jokic is having another incredible NBA season. He's averaging nearly a triple-double (26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists) per game, is favored to win his third MVP award, and has the Denver Nuggets in the mix for a second consecutive NBA title. Although his participation has not been confirmed yet, Jokic is expected to suit up for Serbia's Olympic team this summer. Jokic previously won a silver medal in 2016, the only other time that Serbia qualified for the men's Olympic tournament. For the Paris Games, Serbia was drawn into the same group as the United States, and the two teams will play each other to begin the group stage. — Smith

Breanna Stewart Nationality: United States | Age: 29  | Event: Women's basketball  |  Olympic experience: 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) Entering her third Olympic Games, Breanna Stewart — the tournament MVP at the Tokyo Olympics — has become one of the most important players for the U.S. women's basketball team. She joined the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2023 and had her best statistical season yet (23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 blocks, 1.5 steals per game) and set the league's single-season scoring record, resulting in her second league MVP award. — Smith  

Diana Taurasi Nationality: United States  | Age: 41 |  Event: Women's basketball  | Olympic experience: 2004 (1g), 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g), 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) Already a USA Basketball legend , Diana Taurasi has a chance to make history in Paris. The Phoenix Mercury guard has been to five Olympics and won gold at every single one. If she qualifies for the Olympic team again this summer, Taurasi could win her sixth gold medal, which would break a tie with Sue Bird and give her sole possession of most Olympic basketball golds ever. It would also make her the most decorated team sport athlete in Olympic history. — Smith

Victor Wembanyama Nationality: France  | Age: 20 |  Event: Men's basketball  | Olympic experience: None After being drafted No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs last summer, Victor Wembanyama has made an immediate impact in the NBA. The 7-foot-4 center is averaging a double-double (21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds per game) while leading the NBA in blocked shots (3.6 per game) by a wide margin. Now he has the opportunity to be one of the faces of the Olympics for the host nation, as he's expected to join Rudy Gobert on France's Olympic team in what would be an elite defensive frontcourt pairing. France upset the United States in group play and finished with silver at the last Olympics, so with Wembanyama now onboard, this team is a potential spoiler to watch out for. — Smith

3X3 BASKETBALL

Jimmer Fredette Nationality: United States | Age: 35  |  Event: Men's 3x3 Basketball  | Olympic experience: None "JimmerMania" is making its way to the Olympics. Back in 2011, BYU star Jimmer Fredette — a guard seemingly capable of hitting threes from anywhere on the court — captured the sports world's attention with one of the most memorable college basketball seasons ever. Although he was drafted as a lottery pick, his NBA career never really panned out, and Fredette spent several seasons playing overseas in China and Greece instead. But USA Basketball reached out to him a few years ago with a new opportunity: to join the 3x3 national team. With Fredette onboard, the U.S. finished as the runner-up at last year's World Cup. Now the U.S. men's team, which missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics altogether, suddenly has the look of a legitimate gold medal contender for Paris thanks in part to Fredette. — Smith

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Kelly Cheng Nationality: United States  |  Age: 28  |  Event: Women’s  | Olympic experience: 2020   

Sara Hughes Nationality: United States  |  Age: 29  |  Event: Women’s  | Olympic experience: None Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes dominated collegiate beach volleyball as teammates at the University of Southern California, winning back-to-back NCAA titles. In 2017, the California natives started pro careers together, but by 2018, they had split to pursue the Tokyo Olympics with different partners. Hughes failed to qualify for Tokyo, and Cheng failed to medal at the 2020 Games. In late 2022, the two reunited and only a year later became world champions . The former teammates will now pursue their first Olympic medal together in Paris. — Maher

Taryn Kloth Nationality: United States  |  Age: 26  |  Event: Women’s  | Olympic experience: None

Kristen Nuss Nationality: United States  |  Age: 26  |  Event: Women’s  | Olympic experience: None

Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss have already made U.S. Olympic beach volleyball history twice. They are the country's first volleyball team that doesn’t primarily train in California. At 5-foot-6, New Orleans native Nuss is almost a foot shorter than Kloth, her 6-4 teammate from South Dakota. They have the greatest height difference for a U.S. Olympic beach volleyball team. However, their differences don't seem to matter on the beach volleyball court, where the two took bronze home after a tough semifinal against countrywomen Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes at the 2023 World Championships. — Maher

Jahmal Harvey Nationality: United States  | Age: 21 |  Event: Men's Featherweight  | Olympic experience: None After a strong showing from the U.S. men in Tokyo (three boxing silver medals), USA Boxing will try to keep the momentum rolling into the Paris Games. One man to watch out for is Jahmal Harvey. The 21-year-old from Oxon Hill, Maryland, won a world title in 2021 and a Pan American Games gold medal in 2023. — Smith

Victor Montalvo  Nationality: United States  | Age: 29  |  Events: Breaking  | Olympic experience: None  Victor Montalvo enters the Paris Games as the men’s gold medal favorite in the Olympics’ newest sport of breaking. Montalvo, whose father was a successful b-boy in Mexico , won gold at the 2023 World Championships to clinch his spot in Paris. He’s also the two-time Red Bull BC One champion. — Sam Brief

Dominika Banevic  Nationality: Lithuania  |  Age: 16  |  Events: Breaking  | Olympic experience: None  Dominika Banevic will be just 17 in Paris, but shocked the field to win the 2023 world title, becoming the the youngest b-girl ever to win a world championship. The Lithuanian may just steal the show at the inaugural breaking event at the Olympic Games. — Brief

Nevin Harrison   Nationality: United States  | Age: 21  |  Events: C-1 200m  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) Nevin Harrison became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic canoeing gold in Tokyo, and she’ll defend that title in Paris. At just 21, she’s emerged as an international star, picking up two world titles and the Olympic gold. Harrison maintains she’s keeping an underdog mentality entering the Paris Games. — Brief  

Joe Clarke  Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 31  |  Events: K-1 Kayak Cross  | Olympic experience: 2016 (1g) After winning gold in the men’s K-1 at the Rio Olympics, Joe Clarke just missed out on the Tokyo Games. At his first Olympics in eight years, the 31-year-old will vie for gold not just in the K-1 but in the new kayak cross event, in which Clarke has won three consecutive world titles. — Brief

Hannah Roberts Nationality: United States  | Age: 22 |  Event: BMX Freestyle  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1s) With five world titles already under her belt, one of the only things missing from Hannah Roberts' resume is an Olympic gold medal. After finishing second at the Tokyo Games, she once again enters the Olympics as the favorite in women's BMX freestyle. Roberts has been pushing the boundaries of her sport for years, such as in 2019 when she became the first woman to land a 360 tailwhip in competition. — Smith

Jennifer Valente Nationality: United States  | Age: 29 |  Event: Track Cycling  | Olympic experience: 2016 (1s), 2020 (1g, 1b) The lone member of the U.S. cycling team to win a gold medal in Tokyo, Jennifer Valente could very well repeat her success in Paris. The San Diego native won gold in women's omnium at the last Olympics and was dominant in that same event at the 2023 World Championships. It remains to be seen what other events she might compete in at the Paris Games, but she also helped the U.S. win medals in women's team pursuit at each of the last two Olympics. — Smith

Tom Daley Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 29 |  Events: Platform (individual/synchro)  |  Olympic experience: 2008, 2012 (1b), 2016 (1b), 2020 (1g, 1b) Remarkably, at just 29 years old, Paris will represent a fifth Olympics for British diver Tom Daley. In Tokyo, Daley finally captured his first Olympic gold medal alongside partner Matty Lee in the men’s synchronized 10m platform event, becoming the first British diver to win four Olympic medals. Daley, known to pass the time between dives by knitting, remains a podium threat in Paris. — Goodman

Quan Hongchan Nationality: China |  Age: 17  |  Events: Platform (individual/synchro)  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) The latest phenom in the renowned tradition of Chinese diving, Quan Hongchan electrified the diving well in Tokyo, winning individual 10m platform gold and doing it in style. Of her five final-round dives, three earned perfect scores. Not to mention, she was just 14 years old at the time. Now, with world championship experience (and five world titles) under her belt, Quan is on track to add to her growing teenage legacy in Paris. — Goodman

Ben Maher   Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 41  |  Events: Team/Individual Jumping | Olympic experience: 2008, 2012 (1g), 2016, 2020 (1g) Maher, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, hopes to make his fifth Olympic appearance in Paris. Maher won the team jumping gold at the London Olympics, helping Great Britain win its first gold medal in the event in 60 years, and grabbed the individual jumping gold in Tokyo. Maher suffered a serious shoulder injury in 2023 but has since rebounded to win the first Grand Prix of the year at the Winter Equestrian Festival and currently ranks second in the Longines Rankings. — Ashlee Buhler

Lee Kiefer Nationality: United States |  Age: 29  |  Events: Foil (individual/team)  | Olympic experience: 2012, 2016, 2020 (1g) In one of the highlight moments of the Tokyo Games for the United States, Kentucky-native Lee Kiefer became the first American to win individual foil gold when she defeated defending Olympic champion Inna Deriglazova, 15-13, in the gold medal bout. Now, as the FIE’s No. 1-ranked women’s foil fencer, she heads to Paris arguably in the strongest position of her career. In what is likely to be a final Olympic run for both, Kiefer will once again compete alongside husband and fellow U.S. foil star Gerek Meinhardt   in Paris as both look to add more hardware to the family trophy case. — Goodman

Nick Itkin Nationality: United States |  Age: 24  |  Events: Foil (individual/team)  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1b) Three years ago, Nick Itkin was the youngest American fencer in Tokyo when he helped the U.S. men’s foil team secure a bronze medal finish. In the time since, though, Itkin not only leapfrogged his American teammates in the FIE’s world foil ranking, he leapfrogged everyone . The world No. 1 is now the favorite to win individual men’s foil gold in France, the spiritual home of fencing. The Notre Dame grad could also be the X-factor in the United States’ continued quest for an elusive foil team gold medal. — Goodman

FIELD HOCKEY

Harmanpreet Singh Nationality: India  |  Age: 28  |  Events: Field Hockey  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1b)  Often regarded as one of the best drag flickers in the world, Harmanpreet Singh helped lead India to its first Olympic field hockey medal since 1980 at the Tokyo Olympics. Singh was named the FIH Player of the Year for 2020-2021 and was instrumental to India’s third place finish in the 2021-22 FIH Pro League, where he was the top-scorer with 18 goals. Singh could be key to India’s chances of leaving Paris with another Olympic medal. — Buhler

Nelly Korda Nationality: United States  |  Age: 25 | Event: Women’s golf  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) Nelly, the middle child of the uber-athletic Korda family, heads to Paris looking to defend the gold medal that she won by a single stroke in Tokyo. Though the 2022 and 2023 seasons were a struggle by Korda’s lofty standards, she’s been on an absolute tear so far in 2024, winning four of her first five tournaments of the season on the LPGA Tour. She’s once again the No. 1-ranked women’s golfer in the world and the favorite to repeat as Olympic champion in Paris. — Goodman

Rory McIlroy Nationality: Ireland  |  Age: 34 | Event: Men’s golf  |  Olympic experience: 2020 Though he hails from the U.K. region of Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy proudly represents the Emerald Isle when it comes to Olympic competition. The four-time major champion skipped golf’s Olympic re-debut (after a 94-year absence) at Rio 2016, and narrowly missed out on the podium in Tokyo as part of a wild seven-man playoff for the bronze medal, won by C. T. Pan . Much has been made about McIlroy’s near-decade-long drought in major championships, though the 34-year-old remains among the very best golfers in the world, and is a threat to win any time he tees it up. — Goodman

Xander Schauffele Nationality: United States  |  Age: 30 | Event: Men’s golf  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) Though Xander Schauffele is widely considered the best active men’s golfer without a major championship victory, he does hold something arguably just as significant: an Olympic gold medal from the Tokyo Games. The “X-Man” is currently up to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking after a top-10 finish in April’s Masters Tournament and appears to be a lock to once again earn one of just four coveted spots on the U.S. Olympic men’s golf roster. A successful defense of his Olympic title is certainly within reach. — Goodman

Scottie Scheffler Nationality: United States  |  Age: 27 | Event: Men’s golf  |  Olympic experience: None Not since Tiger Woods’ prime has men’s golf seen a more dominant stretch than the roll Scottie Scheffler has been on in recent months. The current world No. 1 recently won his second career Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, where his victory seemed almost inevitable from the opening tee shot. Scheffler has already guaranteed himself a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and will likely make his Olympic Games debut at Le Golf National’s Albatros Course in France. — Goodman   

Lilia Vu Nationality: United States  |  Age: 26 | Event: Women’s golf  |  Olympic experience: None No women’s golfer enjoyed a better 2023 season than Orange County, California native Lilia Vu. Vu won four times on the LPGA Tour last season, including two major championships, and ended the year with the No. 1 world ranking. Vu has yet to top the leaderboard in 2024 but will be one of the medal favorites when she tees off in France. — Goodman

Rebeca Andrade   Nationality: Brazil  |  Age: 24  | Events: Women's all-around | Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1g, 1s)  Expect to hear Rebeca Andrade’s name a lot in Paris. The Brazilian star made her Olympic debut in front of a home crowd in Rio, but really rose to stardom in Tokyo when she won two historic medals for her country with a silver in the all-around and a gold on vault. At the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships, Andrade proved to be Simone Biles closest rival, standing next to the American on four individual medal podiums – including vault, where Andrade edged out Biles for the gold medal. — Buhler  

Simone Biles   Nationality: United States  |  Age: 27  | Events: Women's all-around | Olympic experience: 2016 (4g, 1b), 2020 (1s, 1 b)   She is often referred to as the ‘GOAT,’ but believe it or not, there is still room for Simone Biles to make history in her sport. With just one more medal, Biles will become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history, surpassing Shannon Miller who won seven medals between Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996. Biles also has an opportunity to climb as high as second on the list of Olympic medal leaders in women’s gymnastics. Mathematically, she cannot catch the Soviet great Larisa Latynina, who won 18 medals across three Games (1956, 1960, 1964), but with five medals in Paris – which she is certainly capable of – Biles can bring her Olympic medal haul to 12. — Buhler  

Hashimoto Daiki Nationality: Japan  |  Age: 22  |  Events: All-Around  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (2g, 1s)  Time and time again, Hashimoto Daiki proves he is the best of the best. He not only enters Paris as the defending Olympic all-around and high bar champion, but as a four-time world champion – three of those titles coming from 2023. Hashimoto will be the one everyone is chasing in Paris. — Buhler  

Shilese Jones   Nationality: United States |  Age: 21  | Events: Women's all-around | Olympic experience: None  Shilese Jones has been on an upward trajectory since being left off the United States’ team for Tokyo, winning six world medals between the last two world championships – including all-around bronze behind Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade in 2023. Jones is a two-time national champion on the uneven bars, in addition to winning the all-around silver in back-to-back years and has tremendous potential to bring home some hardware in Paris. — Buhler  

Kaylia Nemour  Nationality: Algeria  |  Age: 17  |  Events: Women's all-around  |  Olympic experience: None  Keep your eyes on Kaylia Nemour. The 17-year-old started her career representing her home country of France, but after a national team doctor refused to clear her to compete, she began representing Algeria (where she has dual citizenship through her father). Heading into Paris, Nemour has solidified herself as one to watch on the uneven bars, where she won a silver medal at last year's Worlds. At the 2024 Cottbus World Cup, Nemour won gold with a massive 7.0 difficulty score – one of the most difficult routines being done in the world on any event – positioning her as the front-runner on the event for Paris. — Buhler  

Fred Richard Nationality: United States  |  Age: 19  |  Events: Men's all-around | Olympic experience: None  The United States didn’t win any Olympic medals in men’s gymnastics in Tokyo, but Fred Richard just may be its best shot at getting back on the podium in Paris. At the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships, Richard posted the highest score of the day to clinch the team bronze – the first team world medal for the U.S. men in nine years. Richard also won a bronze medal in the all-around, making him just the fourth all-around world medalist for the American men in history. — Buhler

Nikola Karabatic Nationality: France |  Age: 40  | Events: Handball  |  Olympic experience: 2004, 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g), 2016 (1s), 2020 (1g) Widely regarded as one of the best players in handball, three-time Olympic champion Nikola Karabatic is seeking a record-breaking fourth gold medal. This summer will be his last chance to make history as Karabatic has already announced he will retire after his home Olympics. The 40-year-old center back currently plays at the club level for Paris Saint-Germain's handball team. — Santos  

Teddy Riner Nationality: France  | Age: 35  |  Event: Men's 100+kg  |  Olympic experience: 2008 (1b), 2012 (1g), 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g, 1b) With Paris hosting the Olympic Games, no judoka will have a bigger spotlight on them than France's own Teddy Riner. The judo legend, who recently won his record-extending 11th world title, is tied for the all-time lead with five Olympic judo medals (three gold, two bronze). Between the men's heavyweight tournament and the mixed team event, Riner should have two opportunities to add to his total and break the record. — Smith  

MODERN PENTATHLON

Joe Choong  Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 28 |  Events: Modern Pentathlon  | Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1g) Englishman Joe Choong won Olympic gold in Tokyo and will defend that title in Paris. He’s riding a hot streak, having won back-to-back world titles in 2022 and 2023, and will look to become just the third athlete ever to win two individual Olympic modern pentathlon gold medals. — Brief  

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS 

Darja Varfolomeev  Nationality: Germany |  Age: 17 |  Events: All-around | Olympic experience: None Daria Varfolomeev was unstoppable last summer in Spain, winning five individual gold medals at the 2023 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships – a complete sweep of the event. Varfolomeev is the first German rhythmic gymnast to win a world gold medal since 1975 and only the second in history to sweep all of the individual medals, serving as a reminder to the rest of the field that she’s poised to be a real threat in Paris. — Buhler

Oliver Zeidler  Nationality: Germany  |  Age: 27 |  Events: Single sculls  | Olympic experience: None  The grandson and nephew of Olympic rowing medalist Hans-Johann Farber and Judith Zeidler, the 27-year-old Oliver Zeidler is carving his own path. He has never competed in an Olympic Games but has won three consecutive world titles and won all three World Cups in 2023 in the single sculls. Zeidler enters Paris primed for domination on the water. — Brief  

Kara Kohler  Nationality: U.S.  | Age: 33  |  Events: Single sculls  | Olympic experience: 2012 (1b), 2020  Kara Kohler has long been a force in U.S. rowing. She won bronze at the London Olympics in the quadruple sculls event but has since shifted to single sculls. In 2023, she took third place at World Cup II and placed fourth at 2023 Worlds. She’ll aim to help lift the U.S. rowing team after a disappointing Tokyo Games without a single medal. — Brief

Ilona Maher Nationality: United States  |  Age: 27  |  Events: Men's rugby  |  Olympic experience: 2020 Social media sensation Ilona Maher is a key factor for the U.S. being medal favorites at the Paris Games. The team is filled with veteran players but is highlighted by the TikTok star – who has 1.1 million followers on the platform. After winning the 2023 Pan American Games title, Maher and the U.S. are heading into the games with some much-needed momentum. — Santos

Perry Baker Nationality: U.S. |  Age: 37  |  Events: Men's rugby  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 Nicknamed “Speedstick,” Perry Baker will be playing his last Olympic Games after announcing that he’s set to retire . The former Philadelphia Eagle leads a younger U.S. rugby team compared to previous Olympic tournaments, and although the Americans are not medal favorites, Baker believes the team is capable of surprises. He’s the all-time leading try scorer for the U.S. and was the first player to earn consecutive World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year awards – leading to him being widely regarded as one of the best rugby sevens players of all time. — Santos

Eleanor Aldridge Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 27  | Event: Kite | Olympic experience: None With many British sailing greats retiring after Tokyo, the door is open for a new star to emerge. Ellie Aldridge fits the bill as one of the world's leading formula kite athletes. Aldridge won silver medals in the formula kite – an event that will make its Olympic debut in Paris – at the Olympic test event in July and again at the world championships a month later. She capped off her year with a gold at the 2023 Formula Kite European Championships, cementing herself as one to watch heading into Paris. — Buhler

Vincent Hancock Nationality: United States |  Age: 35  | Events: Men’s skeet, mixed team skeet |  Olympic experience: 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g), 2016, 2020 (1g) Vincent Hancock will look to make Olympic history for the U.S. in Paris, where he could become one of six American shooters with at least four gold medals in the sport. Hancock has already won gold in men’s skeet at the Beijing, London and Tokyo Games. With mixed team skeet making its debut in Paris, he could have two more chances to add to his collection. — Santos

SKATEBOARDING 

Gavin Bottger Nationality: United States  | Age: 17  |  Event: Park  | Olympic experience: None At just 17 years old, Gavin Bottger is a rising star in men's park. In the past few years, he's announced his arrival on the contest scene by winning Dew Tour and collecting several X Games medals. He's also the reigning world champion in men's park and currently ranked No. 1 in the discipline. — Smith

Sky Brown Nationality: Great Britain  | Age: 15  |  Event: Park  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1b) Women's skateboarding has seen a massive influx of teenage talent in recent years, and Sky Brown — who earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games when she was 13 — has been one of the young shredders at the forefront of it all. The two-time X Games champion won her first world title in February 2023 and remains a gold medal threat in women's park, as well as one of the most popular skateboarders in the world. — Smith

Jagger Eaton Nationality: United States  | Age: 23  |  Event: Street, park  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1b) Currently in position to qualify for the Paris Games in both street and park, Jagger Eaton has become skateboarding's premier dual threat. He earned a bronze medal in men's street at the Tokyo Olympics (despite a broken ankle) but has been more successful in park competitions since then. Over the past 18 months, Eaton has won X Games and world titles in men's park and currently sits No. 2 in the world rankings behind teammate Bottger. — Smith

Nyjah Huston Nationality: United States  | Age: 29  |  Event: Street  |  Olympic experience: 2020 One of the most popular and most successful skateboarders of all-time, Nyjah Huston is set to return to the Olympic Games with hopes of improving on his seventh-place finish from Tokyo. After tearing his ACL while filming a video part in 2022, Huston has returned to peak form and cemented himself as one of the favorites for Olympic gold in men's street for the Paris Games. — Smith

Paxten Aaronson  Nationality: United States  |  Age: 20  |  Event: Men's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Paxton Aaronson, younger brother of USMNT star Brendan, helped the U.S. secure qualification to the Games by scoring seven goals in seven games at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, in which he was also given the Golden Ball award for being the best player at the tournament. He is a regular starter for the Dutch club Vitesse and could be one of the most impactful players on the U.S. team, potentially helping them make it out of a tough group that includes hosts France. — Santos

Thiago Almada  Nationality: Argentina  |  Age: 22 |  Event: Men's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Thiago Almada was instrumental in Argentina’s run to qualify for the Olympics, including in the team’s 1-0 win over Brazil to eliminate their rivals’ hopes of qualifying for the Paris Games. Almada is a World Cup winner and the star player for MLS club Atlanta United. Argentina is one of the favorites to win gold, and Almada will likely be a key factor if the team goes all the way, considering the team’s attack is mainly built around him. — Santos

Aitana Bonmati Nationality: Spain  |  Age: 26  |  Event: Women's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Aitana Bonmati was part of the Spanish team that won the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was also awarded the Ballon d’Or that year, which is given to the best soccer player annually in each gender. Spain is ranked No. 1 in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings, and should they go on to win gold, Bonmati would almost certainly play a huge factor in that run. — Santos

Kylian Mbappe Nationality: France  |  Age: 25  |  Event: Men's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Kylian Mbappe is widely regarded as the best player in the new generation of men’s soccer. He has been to two World Cup finals, winning one of them in 2018 and scoring a hat trick in a loss against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in 2022. Mbappe is set to be a free agent after the 2023-24 season with reports linking him to Real Madrid, but he has consistently expressed his desire to play in the Olympics. — Santos

Alex Morgan Nationality: United States  |  Age: 34  |  Event: Women's soccer  | Olympic experience: 2012, 2016, 2020 Alex Morgan made her Olympic debut in the 2012 Games as one of the youngest stars on the team. Fast forward 12 years later, she is now one of the leaders of the U.S. The team is undergoing a generational shift. But with the inclusion of Morgan, she will be looking to use her experience of being one of the best strikers in the women’s game for the past decade to help her team win gold. — Santos

Trinity Rodman Nationality: United States  |  Age: 21  |  Event: Women's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Trinity Rodman, daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, was part of the starting three forwards the U.S. used at the 2023 Women’s World Cup alongside Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith. She made her debut in 2022 at 19 years old. Although she’s been with national team for only two years, Rodman will be key to helping the U.S. get points on the board as a winger via goals or assists. — Santos

Sophia Smith  Nationality: United States  |  Age: 23  |  Event: Women's soccer  | Olympic experience: None Since making her debut with the U.S. in November 2020 at only 20 years old, Sophia Smith has logged 16 goals and seven assists in 44 appearances. She is part of the new generation of younger players leading the team into the Paris Games. Smith has World Cup experience under her belt and became the highest-paid player ever in the NWSL in March 2024 when signing a new contract with the Portland Thorns. — Santos

Lamine Yamal Nationality: Spain  |  Age: 16  |  Event: Men's soccer  | Olympic experience: None The breakout star for FC Barcelona has his eyes set on two possible tournaments this summer with Spain. The 2007-born forward – yes, he was born in 2007 – has previously said depending on his playing time at the 2024 European Championships, which takes place before the start of the Paris Games, he would like to play at his first Olympic competition. Lamine Yamal scored his first goal for Spain on his debut in September 2023, becoming the youngest player and goalscorer in the national team’s history. — Santos

SPORT CLIMBING

Natalia Grossman Nationality: United States  | Age: 22  |  Event: Bouldering and lead combined  |  Olympic experience: None Natalia Grossman, the 2021 world champion in bouldering, won gold at last year's Pan American Games in the combined event that features both bouldering and lead climbing. Potentially alongside Brooke Raboutou , who can qualify for the Olympics later this spring, the U.S. will have strong medal hopes in the combined event at Paris 2024 — even though the entire field is ultimately chasing Janja Garnbret , the reigning Olympic champion from Slovenia. — Smith

Sam Watson Nationality: United States  | Age: 18  |  Event: Speed climbing  | Olympic experience: None At a World Cup event in April, Sam Watson broke the speed climbing world record twice, lowering the mark to 4.79 seconds. His time overtook Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo (4.90), who last year became the first person to go under five seconds. Just like that, Watson is now a legitimate gold medal contender, and a head-to-head final against Leonardo would make for an exciting showdown in Paris. — Smith

Carissa Moore Nationality: United States  | Age: 31  |  Event: Women's surfing  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) Reigning Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion Carissa Moore is part of a strong U.S. contingent for the women's surfing event that will take place in Tahiti. (Her teammates Caroline Marks and Caity Simmers are also medal contenders.) Moore will be stepping away from competition after the Olympics, so this could end up being the last chance to catch one of the greats in action. — Smith

Gabriel Medina Nationality: Brazil  |  Age: 30  |  Event: Men's surfing  |  Olympic experience: 2020 After a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, three-time world champion Gabriel Medina is expected to be part of Brazil's stacked three-man team at this summer's Olympic Games. The competition will take place in Tahiti, and Medina has historically performed well there. Since 2014, he has never finished worse than third when competing in Tahiti on the WSL Championship Tour. — Smith

Jack Alexy Nationality: United States |  Age: 21  | Events: freestyle  |  Olympic experience: N/A Exploding onto the scene within the last 12 months, Alexy has established himself as Team USA’s top male sprint swimmer. The New Jersey native, who still maintains a close relationship with his first-ever swim coach at the Greater Somerset County YMCA, announced his arrival on the world stage at the 2023 World Swimming Championships, in which he collected silver medals in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events, and also featured on three medal-winning U.S. relay teams. If his upward trajectory continues, the Cal Golden Bear could be a gold medal contender in multiple events in Paris. — Goodman  

Kate Douglass Nationality: United States |  Age: 22  | Events: freestyle, breaststroke, individual medley  | Olympic experience: 2020 (1b) Douglass is entering her prime just in time for the Paris Olympics and has a chance to be one of the breakout stars of the Games. The versatile New Yorker has racked up a staggering 14 world championship medals since her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, including four titles. She’s typically at her best in the 200m IM and the 200m breaststroke, and will likely also feature on U.S. relay teams as a freestyle swimmer as well. — Goodman

Caeleb Dressel Nationality: United States |  Age: 27  | Events: freestyle, butterfly |  Olympic experience: 2016 (2g), 2020 (5g) The undisputed king of the pool in Tokyo, Dressel is something of a wildcard heading into his third Olympics in Paris. The self-proclaimed “Florida man” stepped away from the sport unexpectedly in 2022, and did not return to competition until early 2024 following the birth of his first child, a son named August. It remains unclear how many events Dressel will attempt to tackle in Paris and how competitive he’ll be in them, but doubt Dressel at your peril. — Goodman

Katie Ledecky Nationality: United States |  Age: 27  | Events: freestyle  |  Olympic experience: 2012 (1g), 2016 (4g, 1s), 2020 (2g, 2s) Ledecky has a terrific chance to leave Paris as the most decorated female Olympic swimmer of all time, which is fitting, considering its about the only accolade left for her to chase. The Bethesda, Maryland native has been the personification of inevitability in the women’s distance freestyle events dating back to her Olympic debut at London 2012 as a 15-year-old. Still a dominant force, Ledecky has more worthy challengers than usual ahead of the Paris Games, though she’s still a favorite to win multiple gold medals. — Goodman

Leon Marchand Nationality: France |  Age: 21  | Events: butterfly, individual medley |  Olympic experience: 2020 Marchand is not only France’s best chance at gold in the pool, he’s primed to be one of the faces of the Games for the host nation across all sports. The Toulouse native currently competes with the Arizona State Sun Devils under coach Bob Bowman, who famously helped mold Michael Phelps into the greatest swimmer of all time. Marchand specializes in some of the same events that Phelps did, including the 400m IM in which Marchand bested Phelps’ last remaining world record in 2023. — Goodman

Summer McIntosh Nationality: Canada |  Age: 17  | Events: butterfly, freestyle, individual medley  | Olympic experience: 2020 At 14, McIntosh was one of the youngest swimmers competing at the Tokyo Olympics, and still finished just one spot off the podium in the 400m IM. Now a full-fledged teen sensation, McIntosh is on course to contend for multiple gold medals in Paris. She currently holds the world record in the 400m IM, briefly held the 400m freestyle world record in 2023, and is also a two-time defending world champion in the 200m butterfly. Not many can match that kind of versatility. — Goodman

Regan Smith Nationality: United States |  Age: 22  | Events: butterfly, backstroke  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (2s, 1b) A former world record holder in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, Regan Smith ranks among the very best butterfly swimmers in the world and is the gold medal favorite in the 200m butterfly. Her Olympic debut in Tokyo yielded three medals, though she hopes to strike Olympic gold for the first time in Paris. She'll likely line up as part of multiple must-see duels against McIntosh and Australian backstroke ace Kaylee McKeown . — Goodman

TABLE TENNIS

Ma Long Nationality: China  |  Age: 35  |  Events: Men’s singles, team  |  Olympic experience: 2012 (1g), 2016 (2g), 2020 (2g)   Hailed as the greatest table tennis player in history, China's Ma Long is already the sport's most decorated Olympian with a record five gold medals. In Tokyo, he became the first player in history to win consecutive gold medals in the men's singles event. Paris is anticipated to be his last Olympics and is a chance to break his own record, potentially taking home a sixth gold medal. — Maher

CJ Nickolas Nationality: United States  |  Age: 22  |  Event: Men's 80kg  |  Olympic experience: None Known as one of taekwondo's most exciting athletes to watch, CJ Nickolas is a rising star and bona fide medal contender for Team USA. The California native earned silver at last year's World Championships, ending a medal drought for the U.S. men that had lasted since 2009. He's also coming off a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. Nickolas is currently ranked No. 2 in the men's 80kg weight class. — Smith

Carlos Alcaraz Nationality: Spain  |  Age: 20  |  Events: Men’s singles  |  Olympic experience: None The Paris tennis tournament will feature the Olympics debut of prodigious former world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz. At only 20 years old, the Spaniard has already won two Grand Slams and risen to the top of the rankings since turning pro in 2018. Alcaraz looks to add a gold medal in Paris to his already impressive titles collection. — Maher

Novak Djokovic Nationality: Serbia  |  Age: 36  |  Events: Men's singles  |  Olympic experience: 2008 (1b), 2012, 2016, 2020 Serbia's King of Swing, Novak Djokovic, is already regarded by many as the greatest men's tennis player ever. With a record 24 Grand Slam titles, seven ATP finals and as the only player in history to complete a career Golden Masters, it would seem as if Djokovic has it all—all except an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic earned a bronze medal in his Olympic debut at Beijing in 2008. In his three Olympic appearances since then, Djokovic has failed to return to the podium. Can the tennis GOAT finally capture the gold in Paris? — Maher

Coco Gauff Nationality: United States  |  Age: 20  |  Events: Women's singles and women's doubles  |  Olympic experience: None Coco Gauff comes to Paris after a major disappointment in what was supposed to be her Olympic debut in 2020. The then-17-year-old announced five days before the Opening Ceremony that she had to withdraw from the Games after testing positive for COVID-19. Since 2020, Gauff has elevated her tennis game and titles. Gauff was the runner-up at the 2022 French Open in both singles and doubles and, in 2023, captured her first Grand Slam trophy at the U.S. Open. — Maher  

Aryna Sabalenka  Individual Neutral Athlete  |  Age: 25  |  Events: Women's singles  |  Olympic experience: 2020 Reigning two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka is looking to strike gold on the courts of Roland-Garros in Paris. The Belarussian with the blistering forehand is looking to top her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2020, where she was ousted in round two. Now ranked No. 2 worldwide, Sabalenka is looking to finish No. 1 in Paris. While Belarus, along with Russia, is banned from the Paris Games due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, certain athletes like Sabalenka will be allowed to compete as neutral athletes. — Maher

Iga Swiatek  Nationality: Poland  |  Age: 22  |  Events: Women’s singles  |  Olympic experience: 2020  Iga Swiatek made history when she became the first Polish tennis player, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title at the 2020 French Open. In her Olympic debut in Tokyo, she only made it to the second round before being eliminated. Despite her poor Olympic debut, Swiatek won the U.S. Open in 2022 and is currently ranked No. 1 globally. The world's top female tennis player wants to capture gold in her second trip to the Olympics. — Maher  

TRACK AND FIELD

Christian Coleman   Nationality: United States  |  Age: 28  |  Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay  | Olympic experience: 2016  Christian Coleman may be the biggest “what if” of the Tokyo Games after he was disqualified for missed drug tests. The American sprinter has carved out a niche as the nation’s top short-distance sprinter, winning the 60m gold medal at this year’s World Indoor Championships. The 60m isn’t an Olympic event, so Coleman will have to finish strong to compete with Lyles and others in the 100m, in which Coleman finished sixth at the Rio Olympics. — Brief  

Ryan Crouser  Nationality: United States  |  Age: 31  |  Events: Shot put  |  Olympic experience: 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) Ryan Crouser is, without a doubt, the greatest shot putter of all time. In Paris, he will aim to attain a status no one in shot put history has reached: three-time Olympic champion. After winning gold at the Rio and Tokyo Games, plus garnering three world titles, Crouser will throw for history at these Olympics. He’s even been staying fresh by  passing on his knowledge to the next generation. — Brief

Mondo Duplantis  Nationality: Sweden  |  Age: 24  |  Event: Pole vault  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, born in Lafayette, Louisiana to an American father and Swedish mother, represents Sweden and will look to defend his Tokyo Olympic gold in the men’s pole vault. Duplantis is a walking highlight reel. At just 24, he’s won two world titles to go with his Olympic gold. He also holds the current world outdoor and indoor pole vault records. No athlete in history has cleared the six-meter mark more than Duplantis, who has done it more than 60 times. — Brief  

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce  Nationality: Jamaica  |  Age: 37  |  Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay  |  Olympic experience: 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g, 2s), 2016 (1s, 1b), 2020 (1g, 1s)   Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce announced she’ll retire after the Paris Olympics, so the track world must enjoy her while it still has her. The veteran has earned eight medals across four Olympic Games and is one of the greatest sprinters of all-time. Fraser-Pryce has won more individual global sprint titles than any female sprinter — ever. She might be 37, but make no mistake, she’s still fast. The “Pocket Rocket” recently earned a bronze at Worlds in the 100m. — Brief

Anna Hall   Nationality: United States   |  Age: 23  |  Events: Heptathlon  |  Olympic experience: None  Anna Hall is the only track and field athlete on this list without Olympic experience — and she’s here for a reason. The heptathlon is a premiere event, and Hall represents a prime redemption story for a U.S. athlete. Since missing out on the Tokyo Games when she crashed out in the hurdles at the U.S. Trials, Hall has secured two world medals and will enter to Paris seeking to become just the third American woman to win an Olympic medal in the heptathlon. — Brief  

Jakob Ingebrigtsen   Nationality: Norway  |  Age: 23  |  Events: 1500m  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g)  At just 23, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has catapulted to elite status in the track and field world. He’s the current world record holder for the indoor 1500m and 2000m. He owns two world titles, four European titles and an Olympic gold in the 1500m from the Tokyo Games. The men’s 1500m will feature a loaded field in Paris — possibly including Great Britain’s Josh Kerr , U.S. stars Yared Nuguse , Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler — but Ingebrigtsen enters as the favorite to win gold and set a possible world record in the process. — Brief

Noah Lyles  Nationality: United States  |  Age: 26  |  Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1b) Noah Lyles is the face of American track and field and has declared his intention to win “all of the medals” in Paris. At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Lyles became the first man since Usain Bolt to win gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Next, he’ll look to make history at the Olympics, where he took bronze in Tokyo in the 200m. — Brief

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone   Nationality: United States  |  Age: 24  |  Events: 400m hurdles, 400m, 4x400m relay  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (2g)  Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has yet to announce whether she’ll aim to compete in the 400m hurdles, in which she won Olympic gold in Tokyo, or in the 400m flat at the Paris Games. Regardless, the 24-year-old has cemented her status as one of the faces of the sport. After withdrawing from 2023 Worlds to recover from a knee injury, McLaughlin-Levrone will headline any event she’s in. In 2022, she set the world record (50.68 seconds) for the 400m hurdles at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. — Brief  

Sha’Carri Richardson Nationality: United States  |  Age: 24  |   Events: 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay  | Olympic experience: None Not since the 1996 Athens Olympics has an American woman won the gold medal in the women’s 100m. That drought could finally fall at the feet of Sha’Carri Richardson, the electric sprint superstar track fans just can’t take their eyes off. Richardson would have led the U.S. sprinters in Tokyo after winning that year’s U.S. Trials, but a positive marijuana test cost her a chance to compete at the Games. Since then, however, Richardson has been on a revenge tour of sorts, winning 100m gold at the 2023 World Track and Field Championships as well as leading the U.S. women to 4x100m relay gold . — Goodman

Bryony Page Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 33  |  Events: Women's trampoline | Olympic experience: 2016 (1s), 2020 (1g) With a silver medal in Rio and a bronze in Tokyo, there’s one medal Bryony Page is missing and that’s Olympic gold. At the most recent world championships, Page upset Tokyo Olympic champion Zhu Xueying , setting the stage for a fierce battle in Paris. — Buhler  

Alex Yee   Nationality: Great Britain  |  Age: 26  |  Events: Men's triathlon  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1g, 1s( Yee is the men’s triathlon gold medal favorite after earning silver in the men’s event in 2020 and gold in the mixed team relay. Since the Tokyo Games, Yee has won two World Triathlon Championship Races and reigned supreme at the Paris Test Event in August. — Brief    

Jordan Larson Nationality: United States  |  Age: 37  |  Events: Women's volleyball  |  Olympic experience: 2012 (1b), 2016 (1s), 2020 (1g) Captain of the U.S. women's national team and outside hitter Jordan Larson is looking to lead the U.S. to its second gold medal in Paris. The three-time Olympian has left each of her Olympic showings with a medal, collecting a bronze in 2012, a silver in 2016 and then finally captured gold in Tokyo. — Maher

Earvin N'Gapeth Nationality: France  |  Age: 26  |  Events: Men’s volleyball  |  Olympic experience: 2016, 2020 (1g) Before Tokyo, the French men's volleyball team's best Olympic result was an eighth-place finish in 1988. But that changed when the team took home the gold in Japan, led by the team's top scorer, Earvin N'Gapeth. After a ninth-place finish in Rio in 2016, N'Gapeth returned to the Olympic court with eyes on the gold medal prize, and his performance was inimitable. Throughout the tournament, the outside hitter totaled 124 attacks, six blocks, and six aces on his way to the gold. Paris will prove challenging as N'Gapeth attempts to defend France's title on home soil. — Maher

Ashleigh Johnson Nationality: United States  |  Age: 29  |  Events: Women's water polo  | Olympic experience: 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) Ashleigh Johnson is widely regarded as the best women's water polo goalkeeper in the sport. She already has won two Olympic gold medals with the dominant U.S. team, as well as four world titles. The U.S. is always the favorite for women's water polo gold in the pool, and Johnson is one of the big reasons why. — Santos

Dusan Mandic Nationality: Serbia  |  Age: 29  |  Events: Men's water polo  |  Olympic experience: 2012 (1b), 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) Dusan Mandic is part of the core group that remains in the Serbian team that has won gold in the past two Olympic tournaments. He has won a medal at each Olympic Games he's appeared at, and with plenty of players from the 2020 Tokyo roster having already retired, he will lead a Serbian side that is still a favorite to win a medal in Paris. — Santos

WEIGHTLIFTING

Olivia Reeves Nationality: United States  |  Age: 20  |  Event: Women's 71kg  |  Olympic experience: None  Despite still technically qualifying as a junior athlete at just 20 years old, Chattanooga, Tennessee's Olivia Reeves arguably represents Team USA's best chance at a weightlifting medal in Paris. Reeves qualified for Paris as the second-ranked athlete in the women's 71kg weight division, and she only appears to be getting better by the day. At her most recent competition in April, Reeves won gold at the IWF World Cup in Thailand, setting three American records in the process. — Goodman

Lasha Talakhadze Nationality: Georgia  |  Age: 30  |  Event: Men's 102+kg  |  Olympic experience: 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) The strongest Olympian to ever live returns to the platform for his third appearance at the Games, as Lasha Talakhadze looks to become just the sixth person ever to win weightlifting gold at three consecutive Olympics. The Georgian heavyweight already holds the all-time world records regardless of weight category in the snatch (225 kg, 496 lbs), the clean and jerk (267 kg, 589 lbs), and the total (492 kg, 1,085 lbs) which he set just months after winning gold in Tokyo in 2021. Paris offers an opportunity to add to Talakhadze's growing case as the greatest lifter of all time. — Goodman

WRESTLING 

Amit Elor Nationality: United States  |  Age: 20  |  Event: Women's 68kg freestyle  |  Olympic experience: None U.S. women have recently won wrestling gold thanks to Helen Maroulis (2016) and Tamyra Mensah-Stock (2020), and now 20-year-old Amit Elor could be next in line. Elor has won back-to-back world titles at 72kg (a non-Olympic weight class) but is dropping down to 68kg for an Olympic run. Depending on what happens at Olympic Trials, Elor could potentially become the youngest woman to ever make the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. — Smith

Mijain Lopez Nationality: Cuba  |  Age: 41  |  Event: Men's 130kg Greco-Roman  |  Olympic experience: 2004, 2008 (1g), 2012 (1g), 2016 (1g), 2020 (1g) No athlete has ever won gold medals in the same individual event at five consecutive Olympic Games, but Cuban legend Mijain Lopez has a chance to rewrite the history books this summer. Lopez, the four-time reigning Olympic champion of Greco-Roman's super heavyweight division, returned to competition last year with the goal of reaching the Paris Games and winning that historic fifth gold. First though, the 41-year-old will need to beat out compatriot Oscar Pino for a spot on Cuba's Olympic team. — Smith

David Taylor Nationality: United States  |  Age: 33  |  Event: Men's 86kg freestyle  |  Olympic experience: 2020 (1g) David Taylor is the reigning Olympic champion at 86kg and a three-time world champion. He's also developed a exciting rivalry with Iran's Hassan Yazdani — the two wrestlers have met in the final of every Olympic and world championship tournament since 2021 — that could very well continue in Paris. A gold medal would make Taylor just the third U.S. wrestler to ever win back-to-back Olympic titles. — Smith

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