30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

23. Michael Norman
Track and Field

You might hear a lot about Michael Norman over the next few weeks. He’s had a tumultuous year heading into the competition, switching events and coaches multiple times as he tried to find the perfect path to a gold medal. Now, he seems to have it. Norman is a long-distance sprinter, and after a gold medal in the 400-meter sprint, he’s back in the spot as we head to Paris.

Norman's also looking for redemption. He did win a gold medal in Tokyo, but it was in a relay. After dominating the Olympic circuit, he finished in fifth place in the individual 400 meters when the big lights turned on. It was a very disappointing finish for Norman, who was coming close to records outside the Olympics. 

Now, he’s looking for redemption. He’s overcome injuries, failed influence, and a confusing past 365 days of competition. However, it’s the big stage where Norman must dominate. He has the talent; that much is clear. He’s also won races on the biggest stages outside the Olympics. There’s a chance 2021 was an outlier. Norman has the rare opportunity to prove it. 

At trials, it did seem like Norman might be letting up just slightly. He watched as Quincy Wilson raced past him as they approached the finish line. It didn’t really matter, as a second-place finish was all he needed to qualify for the Olympics. Norman seemed to relent in the race prior when he was qualifying for the finals. Does he have another gear? We expect to see it in Paris.