The 2024 Olympics are full throttle with multiple events having concluded in the days prior. The bulk of last week featured several intense battles in the water, with this week featuring an extreme number of races on the track. As of August 6 the USA currently has the most medals overall with 79 and 21 gold medals. China is in second with 55 medals overall, but they have 22 gold medals giving them the most golds overall. In third overall is Australia with 34 overall and 14 gold medals.
Noah Lyles
On August 4, American Noah Lyles was crowned the fastest man in the world with a time of 9.79 in the 100m dash. In the months leading up to the race Lyles had talked a lot of “talk” and he was able to back it up on the track at the biggest stage. Following the race Lyles said
he wants to have his own “trainers” as his signature shoe.
Scottie Scheffler
On August 4 American golfer Scottie Scheffler came back to win gold with a score of 62 on Sunday and an overall -19 through four days. Jon Rahm, who was in a winning position, imploded on Sunday on the back nine. This was Scheffler’s first Olympic medal.
Rafael Djokovic
On August 4, Serbian Rafael Djokovic claimed gold in the men’s tennis at the Olympics by defeating Carlos Alcatraz. Earlier this year Alcatraz defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final 5-2 but Djokovic got his revenge in great fashion.
Armand Duplantis
On August 5, Swedish-American Armand Duplantis claimed gold and cemented his name in the history books forever with a world record pole vault clear of 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in.) He beat his previous world record of 6.24 m (20 ft 5 ½ .) Duplantis holds the nine highest pole vault clearances ever recorded. At 24 years old he has cemented his name in the history books forever and is on the path to only going up.
Bobby Finke
On August 4, American swimmer Bobby Finke made history by claiming gold and setting the world record in the 1500m freestyle swim with a time of 14:30.67, the previous world record was held by Sun Yang with a time of 14:31.02 which was set in 2012. Additionally, Fink brought home a silver medal in the 800m freestyle this year. Fink, 24 years old, took gold in both the 800m and 1500m freestyles at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Pan Zhanle
At 20 years old Zhanle showed age is just a number, winning two golds and a silver medal. On July 31, Zhanle won the 100m with a time of 46.40 seconds and set a world record with that time. Additionally, Zhanle was part of the Men’s 4x100m Medley that won gold and the Mixed 4x100m Medley that earned silver.
David Popovici
At 19 years of age, Romanian David Popovici claimed gold in the men’s 200m freestyle swim with a time of 1:44.72, additionally, he claimed bronze in the 100m freestyle.
Nicolo Martinenghi
Martinenghi claimed gold in the 100m breaststroke narrowly beating out Great Britain’s Adam Peaty (59.05) and Nic Fink (59.05) with a time of 59.03.
Caleb Dressel
On August 4, Dressel claimed his ninth gold medal to move up to second all-time (along with five others) in gold medals in the modern era of the Olympics. Dressel did not compete in the final of the Mixed 4x100m medley relay which won him his ninth gold medal, but he was on the butterfly leg of the preliminary leg prior to. Before this, Dressel was a part of the Mens 4x100m Freestyle Relay won gold to give him his eighth gold medal, and part of the Mens 4x100m medley relay that claimed silver.
Sam Watson
On August 6, 18-year-old American speed climber Sam Watson crushed his world record of 4.79 seconds climbing 15m in 4.75 seconds to take home gold in Paris. Watson scaled the building in smooth fashion and staked his claim on the future of speed climbing.
Women’s 100m Sprint
Making her the eighth fastest woman of all time, Saint Lucian Julien Alfred set a 100-meter time of 10.72 seconds beating the heavily favored USA sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson. Not only is this Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold medal, but this is also their only ever medal, cementing Alfred into the history books of her country. Richardson, as well as fellow American Melissa Jefferson, secured the two places behind the gold medalist, making it the first time in over 30 years Team USA had two athletes on the 100m podium.
Women’s Triple Jump
Similar to Saint Lucia, Dominica won their first medal ever, and it was gold. Triple Jumper Thea LaFond was the only representative of her home country in Track & Field. At World Indoors she won gold while still being the only representative from Dominica. Dominica is often confused with the Dominican Republic which has a very different population difference, but both are located in the Caribbean Sea.
Women’s 4x100m Swimming Relay
Team USA shattered the competition in the medley relay race and broke the World Record set by 2019’s USA team. Beating second-place Australia by around three seconds and the record by one, the USA continues to show dominance in the water.
Women’s 1500m Freestyle
Katie Ledecky secured her eighth gold medal this year in Paris. She beat the Olympic record in the 15-minute-long endurance race and now holds the top 20 times in the specific event. USA’s Ledecky won by over ten seconds to the second-place swimmer from France.
Women’s Balance Beam
Italian Alice D’Amato won her country’s first-ever gold medal in gymnastics during the balance beam. Simone Biles fell causing her to place fifth, which opened up competition for the other athletes. Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaquin won second place by .100 points after out qualifying Biles earlier by a very small margin.
