The Paris Games concluded on Sunday with the United States leading the medals total.
The two-week Games in the French capital were the first Summer Olympics not affected by the coronavirus since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and marked one of the most successful Olympics of all time for Team USA, which won 40 gold medals and was tied with China with 126 total medals.
There were so many memorable moments, but here are 10 that stood out the most.
Noah Lyles wins 100m in photo finish
Prior to the Paris Games, the last American man to win the 100 meters and hold the title of “fastest man in the world” was Justin Gatlin in 2004.
After struggling through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lyles finished just half a second ahead of Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson to take the top spot on the podium – so close that Lyles didn’t even realize she’d won until seconds later.
Although he was unable to complete the double, having to settle for bronze in the 200m, his time of 9.784 in the 100m remains one of the iconic moments of the Games.
Ledecky becomes most highly decorated American woman in history
For Katie Ledecky, this Olympics was a “Drive for Nine” as she hopes to achieve GOAT status in women’s swimming.
That’s exactly what she did, winning two gold medals in the 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle, as well as a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 400m freestyle.
Ledecky won nine gold medals and 14 all-around medals, becoming the most decorated American woman and female swimmer of all time, and tying former gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals won by a woman in Olympic history.
Biles returns to the top
Simone Biles was widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time coming into this Olympics, but she was left with unfinished business after her Tokyo Olympics was derailed by a “kink.”
Things turned around for her as she won three gold medals in the team all-around, individual all-around and vault, as well as a silver medal in the floor exercise.
If this was Biles’ final Olympic attempt (she turns 31 in 2028), it was the perfect way to close it all out.
Hocker’s 1500m comeback
The men’s 1500m race was billed as a continuation of the rivalry between Great Britain’s Josh Kerr and Norway’s Jacob Ingebrigtsen.
But Cole Hocker, a native of Indianapolis who was competing in his Olympic debut, crashed the party.
2024 Paris Olympics
With the two favorites battling for the gold medal throughout the race, Hocker overtook them both with a sudden kick in the final 100 meters to set an Olympic record in 3 minutes 27.65 seconds. Another American, Yared Nugse, overtook Ingebrigtsen to win the bronze medal.
Curry dominates France
It was the closest men’s basketball game at the Olympics in a long time, and the USA was pushed to the breaking point by coming from behind to beat Serbia in the semifinals and then defeating France to win the gold medal.
The Serbia game was impressive, but perhaps the most memorable moment of the tournament was Stephen Curry’s three consecutive 3-pointers in the final minutes of the game against France, including one that went over two defenders and was immediately described by NBC’s Noah Eagle as a “golden dagger.”
It was Curry’s first Olympic Games, and it’s hard to imagine the U.S. team would have survived without him.
Team USA continues to dominate women’s basketball
Like the men’s team, the women’s basketball team had to give it their all to beat France in the gold medal round.
Thanks to two free throws with under four seconds left and a bit of luck with Gabby Williams having her foot on the 3-point line to hit a tying shot, the United States managed to win its 61st consecutive Olympic championship and its eighth consecutive gold medal, its first since 1996.
This challenge made it even more amazing.
U.S. Women’s National Team Back on Top
Pressure has been building for the women’s soccer program after a disastrous 2023 World Cup defeat saw the team fall from its perch at the sport’s highest echelon and plunge it into uncertainty.
But in Emma Hayes’ first tournament as head coach, the former Chelsea boss brought joy once again to a team that had turned around last summer, fielding talismanic players Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman and some fine goalkeeping from Alyssa Naher to beat Brazil and win the gold medal.
USA team wins second straight relay victory
On the final night of track and field, the men’s and women’s 4×400 meter relays were held back-to-back, with the United States taking home two memorable gold medals.
In the men’s race, Westchester native Rai Benjamin won the gold medal after beating Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo by just 0.1 seconds in the anchor leg.
There was no such drama in the women’s race, where a stunning second run by New Jersey’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone helped the Americans dominate and win by more than four seconds, just 0.1 seconds shy of the world record set by Russia’s doping-plagued 1988 team.
Leon Marchand thrills the French crowd
There is no one better suited to bring a local perspective to these Olympics than Marchand, who became an overnight celebrity in Paris before the Games began.
The 22-year-old exceeded expectations once in the pool, winning four gold medals on the same night, including the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke.
He outdid Hungary’s Kristof Milak in the final 50 meters of the butterfly to set an Olympic record.
Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was electric with each swim, with the French crowd shouting chants whenever Marchand surfaced to take a breather.
Novak Djokovic completes Golden Slam
Novak Djokovic still had one summit left to climb in tennis history, and he achieved it in Paris.
The Serb defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final to become just the fifth player in history to complete the Golden Slam, winning four Grand Slam titles and the Olympic Games.
The 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) victory became an instant classic, with the two best players in the world giving it their all on the court and Djokovic prevailing in two tiebreakers.
