The 2024 Paris Olympics brings many record-breaking athletes

Clare Moyer, Sports Editor

   The 2024 Summer Olympics were held from July 26 to Aug. 11 in the city of Paris, France. Being a highly anticipated event, the Olympics are a major international sporting competition, bringing together the best athletes worldwide every four years. The athletes are sent to represent their country in competition against other athletes in their category. USA ultimately finished with the most medals, winning 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze.

   One of the most high-achieving athletes who competed in the 2024 Olympics is USA’s Simone Biles. 

   “I’ve accomplished more than my wildest dreams,” Biles said. “After all these years of putting the mental work in, it’s paid off.”

   Biles finished with three gold medals and one silver medal, bringing her to a total of 11 Olympic medals across her career. Her gold medals were won in the all-around with a score of 58.732, the floor exercise with a 15.800, and the balance beam with a 15.900. She also secured a silver medal in the vault, scoring 15.600, narrowly missing gold. 

   Another highly decorated woman who competed in the Paris Olympics is USA’s Katie Ledecky. Ledecky earned gold medals in the 400m and 800m distance-swimming freestyle, setting a world record in the 800m with a time of 8:04.56. She also claimed silver in the 1500m freestyle at 15:30.02. Ledecky made waves as the first woman in Olympic history to earn nine gold medals.  

   “I pride myself on consistency,” said the 27-year-old Ledecky. “I challenge myself to stay consistent. Sometimes it can be tough feeling like you’re not having a breakthrough. But to be really consistent is something I’m really happy with.”

   Setting multiple world records is France’s Leon Marchand, an Olympic men's swimmer who earned himself four gold and one bronze. Marchand set a new world record in the 400m individual medley with the time of 4:05.18 and broke Michael Phelps's world record in the 200m with a time of 1:54.55, breaking the Olympic records in all of his finals.

   “I need time to think about what I just did, for sure,” Marchand said, “I just want to break as many records as possible.”

   Other notable Olympic achievements include the USA men's gymnastics team earning an Olympic medal for the first time in 16 years, with key contributions from Brody Malone on floor exercise and Stephen Nedoroscik on pommel horse.