Jermale Dabney 
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris have been an exciting showcase of the very best athletes that the world has to offer. Over 200 nations are competing this year, vying to be crowned the very best in the world.
This year, however, the athletic achievements of African Americans this year have been especially exciting. We’ve seen everything from broken records to exciting finishes. Here are just a few Black American athletes who have made their mark in Paris this year.
Gymnastics
There was nothing but star power on the gymnastics mat for the U.S. women’s teams, and it showed on the event podium after a strong meet on Monday. Rebeca Andrade of Brazil took gold, and Team USA’s Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles earned silver and bronze medals, respectively, as well as a gold team medal. This marked the first time three Black gymnasts shared the top three spots in an Olympics.
For Biles, she’s made history. Again. She’s now the most decorated gymnast in U.S. Olympic history, with this last silver medal being her 11th medal in her historic career. Andrade is now Brazil’s most decorated athlete, winning her sixth medal. Finally, Jordan Chiles has her second medal of this Olympics.
In the men’s gymnastics, Fredrick Richard and the men’s team took home a bronze medal. This marked the U.S. Team’s first time back to the medal podium in 16 years.
Track & Field
Noah Lyles, a six-time world champion, was the one to watch at this year’s games. The track star took home a gold medal in the 100 meter race, his first gold medal in the Olympics. He was the first American man to win gold in track in 20 years. In the 200 finals, Lyles ended up taking third place and winning the bronze. After the race it was revealed that Lyles tested positive for COVID 19. He took to social media to let fans know her would most likely not compete in the men’s relay.
Quincy Hall surprised everyone when he came from behind to take control of the 400 meter race earning himself the coveted gold medal. Three-time world champion Grant Holloway lived up to his hype and took over the 110 meter hurdles, also winning a gold metal.
The ladies are doing their thing, too. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone earned her second consecutive gold metal in the 400 meter hurtles and broke her own world and Olympic records. In June, she set the world record time with 50.65 seconds — beating her own Olympic record, set during the Tokyo Games. She recently defeated her own time with a 50.37 seconds run. She is the first woman to win back to back gold in this race.
Another young woman who was talked about a lot in these Olympics was Gabrielle Lisa “Gabby” Thomas. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the 200 meter and a silver as part of the women’s 4×100 meter relay. This time around she earned the gold in the women’s 200.
Thea LaFond also stunned on-lookers when she won her first gold metal in the women’s triple jump.
All eyes were on Sha’Carri Richardson, who was favored to win gold. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but she did walk away with the silver in the women’s 100 meter race. She has one more event at the Olympics this year, as she’ll take on the women’s 4×100 relay final as the anchor for Team USA on Friday, August 9.
The last day of the Olympics is Sunday, August, 11th.
By Jermale Dabney, Junior, Lindblom Math and Science Academy
Instagram: @jermale_d
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