These Are the Black Athletes To Watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Every two years, the world tries to put aside its differences for two weeks to come together and celebrate the unbelievable talent, drive and determination of the best athletes in the world. As usual, “We’re rooting for everyone Black,” so we thought it was time to check out some of the Black Olympians you should keep an eye on in the 2024 Paris Olympics. We know everyone will be watching Simone Biles, LeBron James, A’ja Wilson and Sha’Carri Richardson, so these are a few lesser known athletes to follow.

Simone Manuel is a history-making swimmer, becoming the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Paris will be her third Olympics, as she’s set to once again compete in the 100 meter freestyle.

After a career-defining 2023, tennis player Chris Eubanks hasn’t found much success in 2024. Tennis is being held on clay at Roland-Garros, the site of the French Open. Eubanks has an infectious enthusiasm and is known as a showman on the court. This is a chance for him to have a big moment on a global stage.

In June, tennis phenom Coco Gauff made it to the semi-finals of the French Open, losing to eventual champion, Iga Świątek. She and her doubles partner went on to win the women’s doubles championship, proving the Coco knows how to handle playing on clay. We’re looking for her to have another big showing at Roland-Garros in the Olympics.

Though her good friend and teammate Simone Biles gets most of the attention, Jordan Chiles is a World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist. What Chiles brings to the talented US team is stability. She’s one of the most consistent gymnasts in the world, hitting extraordinarily difficult routines perfectly and making it look easy.

Gymnast Frederick Richard has a confidence that we should all aspire to. After making the team at the U.S. Trials, he made it clear he had no doubt he’d be bringing home gold.

Every single time Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone steps foot on the track, there’s a possibility she might set a world record. She’s just that good. At the trials, she was so far ahead of the pack, the announcers almost didn’t notice her world record. She will be can’t miss in Paris.

While LeBron James; Steph Curry; Jayson Tatum; Anthony Davis; and Kevin Durant are among the big names leading Team USA in its effort to win another gold. After a star-making performance in the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs, Anthony Edwards is looking to rebound from a tough loss by literally putting the rest of the world on notice in Paris.

Alongside stars like Trinity Rodman and Crystal Dunn, young star Sophia Smith is looking to make her mark as she leads a USWNT trying to re-establish itself as the best women’s soccer team in the world.

After winning a silver at the 2023 Pan American Games, McCann qualified for Paris. In an interesting set up, boxing will take place on Court Suzane Lenglen at Roland-Garros. This outdoor venue, that also has a roof should provide a cool background for McCann’s Olympic hopes.

It’s always inspiring to see Black athletes find their place in sports we don’t traditionally compete in. Fencing is one of those sports we only pay attention to every four years. It’s essentially a chess match with swords. Harvard foil fencer Lauren Scruggs is a six-time Junior and Cadet World Champion who could become a game-changer with a big performance in Paris.

Rugby is one of the most exciting sports in the world and not enough people are paying attention to it. USA co-captain Naya Tapper is taking her last dance at the Olympics, previously announcing her retirement. This means going out with the gold is the only way to finish the story.

The only question we have about Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas, is how many triple-doubles will she have in the Olympics? If you’re new to women’s basketball, just sit back and enjoy watching her work. Also, she’s doing all this with two torn labrums in her shoulder.

Dearica Hamby is new to 3x3, but her game is made for the fast-paced, on-court chess match this format produces. If strategy and matchups are your favorite part of basketball, you’ll love 3x3.

Brittney Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, so this isn’t new to her. However, after her wrongful Russian imprisonment, she says representing the U.S. has more meaning this time around and she’s not taking nay part of the experience for granted.