30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

It’s July. We’ve all celebrated the United States’ birthday by bludgeoning hot dogs and wearing our favorite stars and stripes garb. However, this is one of those years where those tacky clothes don’t need to go back in storage just yet, because it’s an Olympic year. And this is preparing to be one of the most fun years to root for the Americans at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The U.S. is sending well over 500 athletes to the Olympics this year. It sounds preposterous, but with all the team sports, weight classes, and dozens of events within each event at the Paris Olympics, there is plenty of room for the best of the best. However, as Americans, we want to know who are the best of the best of the best. These 30 athletes are the ones to watch heading into the Summer Olympics (with a few honorable mentions).

Honorable Mention: Diana Taurasi
Women’s Basketball

There are certain players who transcend their sport. Michael Phelps comes to mind when looking at an athlete who, by the end of it, felt bigger than the sport as a whole. Diana Taurasi is that to women’s basketball. She’s been the biggest star in the sport for most of her career. While there was some consternation about Caitlin Clark failing to make the team, now we can have a swan song for the 42-year-old who is likely playing in her last Olympic Games. She is looking to win her sixth-straight gold medal, which just seems preposterous. This is one of the best female athletes in any sports history, and she deserves all of the flowers.

Honorable Mention: Ilona Maher
Rugby

The U.S. is not the first country one thinks of when considering dominance in Rugby. Rugby has been in two Summer Olympics, starting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016. The U.S. has not medalled in either Olympics, in men’s or women’s rugby. That could change this season, and it’s all thanks to Ilona Maher. She’s gained fame on TikTok and other social media platforms, so many will know who she is and will come into the Olympics with a rooting interest. 

Honorable Mention: Victor Montalvo
Breaking

This is the first year that breaking dancing is considered an official Olympic sport. Will it join roller hockey, bowling, and pigeon racing as one-off Olympic sports? For now, Breaking is officially in, and it’s a great opportunity for the Americans. Victor Montalvo is the favorite to win on the men’s side. He already has a career in dancing that spans two decades, and he’s been long known as the top guy when it comes to spinning on his head. He’s the 2023 WDSF breaking World Championships, so one can assume he’ll come in and win the title again. 

Honorable Mention: Lee Kiefer
Fencing

Every four years, we are fascinated by the sport of fencing. It’s super quick, has drama out the sword, and it’s as intense as any sport in Paris. The reigning gold medal winner in Individual Women's Foil is Lee Kiefer. She beat Russian Inna Deriglazova (and the reigning gold medal winner) 15-13 to become the first American to win an Individual Foil. Since then, she’s won gold at the World Cup, the Pan American Championship, and the Grand Prix games all across the globe. There is plenty of competition, but she’s still the favorite to win it all.

Honorable Mention: Casey Kaufhold
Archery

It doesn’t matter what competition; America wants to be the best. Hot dog eating contest? We’ll see your Kobayashi and raise you a Joey Chestnut. Do you think your country should win the extreme underwater ironing contest? Come down to Key West, Florida to take your shot. Heck, we’re still working on the chess boxing crown. Archery is a sport/contest that is as old as time, and the U.S. wants to win as many medals as possible. Casey Kaufhold competed at the Tokyo event, placing 17th, but she’s so much better now. She’s the reigning World Cup gold medalist and also has gold medals at the Pan American Championships, the Pan American Games, and more. She’s prepared to take the gold in the individual event.