2024 Olympics: Athletes Who are Making History in Paris!
The 2024 Paris Olympics is one for the books.
After all, gifted athletes from across the globe pushed boundaries at the sporting event, surpassing yearslong records in their quest for a gold medal.
In fact, the athleticism displayed this year has been so impressive that some competitors managed to break barriers even before stepping foot at the Olympic Village.
Take American gymnast Hezly Rivera, for example, who made Team USA history when she snagged a spot on women’s gymnastics team alongside Olympic vets Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey in early July. Having turned 16 just the prior month, she became youngest athlete to represent Team USA in any sport.
Quincy Wilson also, as Team USA put it, "etched his name" in history when he made the 4x400m relay squad seven months after his 16th birthday, becoming the youngest male athlete to make the U.S. track and field team.
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But the 2024 Olympics itself is also a game-changer. For the first-time ever, the athletic competition—which first welcomed women athletes 124 years ago—achieved gender parity on the field of play, ensuring equal representation of male and female athletes, according to the International Olympics Committee.
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Calling this year's event "one of the most important moments in the history of women at the Olympic Games, and in sport overall," IOC president Thomas Bach promised that the organization's "commitment to advancing gender equality does not end in Paris."
“We will continue to open pathways for women and to work with our stakeholders, encouraging them to take the necessary steps to advance gender equality in their area of responsibility," Bach added. "The IOC will keep leading the way and using the power of sport to contribute to a more equal and inclusive society.”
To see all the history-making moments at the 2024 Paris Olympics, keep reading.
Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics daily on NBC and Peacock until the summer games end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
