20 memorable U.S. moments from the 2024 Paris Olympics

The People acquired the medal ball rolling within the pool. In fact, with regards to U.S. swimming, the dialog begins and ends with 27-year-old Katie Ledecky. The American legend took residence 4 extra medals from Paris, together with two gold. One as the primary four-time winner of the 800 meters and once more within the 1,500. These two pushed Ledecky’s gold medal complete to 9, probably the most of any feminine U.S. swimmer on the Olympics. Her 14 complete Olympic medals make her probably the most embellished American feminine athlete within the historical past of the Video games. 

Whereas Ledecky drew her simply consideration, American teammate Torri Huske may need been the true star amongst U.S. swimmers — males or ladies — on the Paris Olympics. The 21-year-old Huske, a standout swimmer at Stanford who gained silver on the 2020 Tokyo Video games because the member of the 4×100 meter medley, totaled 5 medals in Paris . Together with three golds, highlighted by a surprising swim to win the 100 butterfly forward of teammate Gretchen Walsh. 

After failing to medal in 2016 and 2020, the U.S. ladies’s rugby sevens staff lastly earned some {hardware} in Paris. In a sport that obtained some due consideration to American audiences within the early days of those Video games, the American squad grew to become fairly well-liked. Led by the stalwarts Alex Sedrick and Ilona Maher, the U.S. rallied for a comeback 14-12 victory over Australia within the bronze-medal contest for the nation’s first medal within the sport.

Arguably, the largest particular person success story of those Olympics from a U.S. standpoint is that of celebrated gymnast Simone Biles. Out of the shadows of  her points from the Tokyo Video games three years in the past, Biles was masterful whereas profitable gold within the all-around competitors, vault, and together with her American buddies within the staff ultimate competitors. Biles raised her medal complete to 14 and is probably the most embellished Olympic gymnast in U.S historical past. All whereas exhibiting the aggressive spirit and drive that makes her one of the well-liked athletes on the planet.

It actually turned out to be a bittersweet Olympics for U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles, who gained gold as a part of the ladies’s staff and was awarded a bronze within the flooring train after an enchantment. Nonetheless, Romanian officers challenged that latter resolution, and it turned out the U.S. enchantment got here after the allotted time to take action. In the long run, the Chiles is being compelled to return her bronze medal, which shall be awarded to Romania’s Ana Barbosu. That course of has been emotionally devastating for Chiles, who has turned off social media to deal with her psychological well being within the wake of this controversy. 

Maybe probably the most pleasantly shocking second of the Paris Video games for the U.S. was the efficiency of the American males’s gymnastics staff. Paced by bespectacled Stephen Nedoroscik’s bronze-medal efficiency on the pommel horse, the People gained bronze for the nation’s first males’s staff gymnastic medal since 2008. It was a welcomed second for the U.S. males and a possible signal that even higher days forward for this system.

Two-time Olympic medalist from the 2016 Rio Video games Laurie Hernandez made a reputation for herself yet again together with her extremely educated perception and witty, extremely entertaining commentary as an NBC analyst of the Paris gymnastics protection for the community.The 24-year-old, Gen Z Hernandez, who colorfully took viewers contained in the minds of not solely the U.S. gymnasts in Paris, however broke down strategies and performances in a manner that simple for informal followers of the game to grasp. All that garnered her raves on social media as a breakout TV star of those Video games.

The U.S. males’s water polo squad ended its Olympic medal drought after rallying for an 11-8 victory over rival Hungary within the bronze-medal match. It was the American males’s first water polo medal since 2008, when it misplaced to Hungary within the gold-medal match. It proved to be a satisfying end for the People, who misplaced two of their first three matches in Paris however acquired again on monitor to make this wanted medal run. 

The American ladies’s and males’s indoor volleyball groups every fell wanting profitable gold in Paris however didn’t go residence empty-handed. A dominant efficiency by Italy saved the U.S. ladies from repeating as Olympic gold-medal winners; nevertheless, their silver marked the fifth consecutive Summer time Video games that the People have medaled. In the meantime, the U.S. males bounced again after ending tenth at Tokyo three years in the past to win the bronze medal. This marked the primary time since 2016 that each the U.S. women and men medaled on the similar Olympics.

The U.S. monitor and subject staff loved considered one of its finest Olympic showings in current reminiscence, profitable 34 medals and 14 gold. These are probably the most golds gained by an American monitor and subject group in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1968. On the forefront was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her personal world document to repeat as 400-meter hurdles Olympic champion. She additionally gained a second straight gold as the important thing cog within the 4×400 meter relay squad’s victory.

It was fairly an attention-grabbing Olympics for American star sprinter Noah Lyles. He earned the title of world’s quickest man by profitable the 100 meters, in dramatic vogue forward of Jamaica’s  Kishane Thompson, at Paris, however the larger story got here within the 200. After ending third within the race to win bronze for the occasion at his second straight Olympics, it broke that Lyles had examined constructive for COVID-19 a few days earlier than the race. Whereas one can query Lyles’ resolution to run, or the truth that COVID issues and ramifications have been basically non-existent in Paris, the trouble was actually noteworthy.

One of many largest upsets on the monitor in Paris got here through 23-year-old American Cole Hocker, who unexpectedly gained the 1,500 meters. Not a lot of menace to medal coming into the race, Hocker was working fifth getting into the bell lap, then made his kick and surged previous the likes of reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigsten and present world champion Josh Kerr to stun the remainder of the sphere and take residence gold for the US. Much more spectacular, Hocker’s profitable time of three:27.65 is an Olympic document.

Maybe misplaced within the shuffle of what the People achieved on the monitor, was one other profitable efficiency within the subject portion of this system from celebrated shot-putter Ryan Crouser. For a 3rd consecutive Olympics, the 31-year-old Crouser, who has overcome accidents in recent times, gained gold within the occasion — the primary American to take action. To not be completely outdone by Crouser, was U.S. teammate Joe Kovacs, who took residence silver within the shot put for a 3rd straight Summer time Video games.

No Megan Rapinoe or Alex Morgan and with new coach Emma Hayes in cost, the U.S. ladies’s nationwide soccer staff actually had one thing to show in Paris, and exorcise its current Olympic demons. And, with loads of stress as well, the U.S. regained its spot on the prime of the Olympic heap. With new stars Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman shining brilliant, the People gained Olympic gold for the primary time since 2012. They actually needed to work in Paris, and it was one other beginner star in Mallory Swanson, who scored the lone purpose within the U.S.’s gold-medal match victory over Brazil.

A 61st straight Olympic victory for the U.S. ladies’s basketball proved to be one for the ages, and practically an enormous upset was recorded by host France. The French gave Staff USA’s star-studded lineup all it may deal with within the gold-medal recreation, a back-and-forth affair that left American followers anxious after the squad was down 10 within the second half. Nonetheless, 10 fourth-quarter factors from Kahleah Copper, Breanna Stewart’s robust protection within the ultimate moments and 21 factors with 13 boards from A’ja Wilson was sufficient for the U.S. to win 67-66. Not earlier than France’s Gabby Williams, a former UConn star, sank a last-second basket together with her foot on the 3-point line. The American ladies have gained eight straight Olympic basketball gold medals.

Usually instances Olympic protection in the US is scrutinized, particularly when the Video games are held in a foreign country. Nonetheless, NBC drew constant reward for its protection of the Paris Olympics. Notably, on its Peacock streaming service, and particularly via the “Gold Zone.” Much like the idea of the NFL RedZone, which brings viewers on NFL Sunday’s stay look-ins when groups threaten to attain, “Gold Zone” supplied 10 hours of every day, whip-around protection of virtually each sport. And, gave viewers a front-row seat when medals have been on the road. It simply may need been the largest winner of those Video games.