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30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The U.S. is sending some of its best athletes to Paris to compete in the Summer Olympic Games. With more than 500 representatives, who should we be paying attention to most?

By Nick Villano

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics - Day 4
2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics - Day 4 / Elsa/GettyImages
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27. Hannah Roberts
BMX Freestyle

There are now quite a few events tied to cycling and BMX in the Olympics, giving the U.S. ample opportunities to win gold medals. Look no further than five-time world champion Hannah Roberts. She hopes to bring home her first gold medal at the Olympics in BMX freestyle.

Roberts left Tokyo with a bad taste in her mouth, finishing in second place. She knew she was better than that, but Roberts claims there were personal problems impacting her game. At this level, anything can be the difference between first and second. She especially knows this since she’s won the gold at five-straight world championships (excluding 2020). 

Her return to the Olympics is anticipated and expected. After what happened in Tokyo, she’s one of the many athletes on this list looking for redemption. Can she get it?

While there is competition in this category, even with fellow American Perris Benegas and Australian Natalya Diehm, Roberts looks like a sure bet if her head is on straight. That seems to be the case, as she’s learned from what happened in her previous Olympic outing.

Also, it’s pretty interesting how much of a disappointment a silver medal can be. This is how dominant Roberts has been in competition. Anything lower than gold is a failure. We expect those same expectations to follow her to Paris.

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