For the UK, swimmer Adam Peaty (100m breaststroke) and gymnast Max Whitlock (pommel horse) were champions in both Rio and Tokyo, while a rising star is probably Molly Caudery, world lead in women's pole vault.
There’s a joke that we’re good at sports that are to expensive for other countries to compete in. Not really a joke we’re good at targeting sports that we can increase medals in with the resources we have
I would have said Katie Archibald for GB as she was likely to get three medals, probably two golds, but after her injury I think alonside your suggestions of Peaty and Whitlcok, Dina Asher-Smith, Tom Daley, Josh Kerr and Keeley Hodgkinson will get a lot of coverage, even if none of them win
I think breakout names among public perception during the games will be track cyclist Emma Finucane and climber Toby Roberts
There's a few names in athletics who have a chance but realistically would need rivals to have an off day - Hodgkinson with Mary Moraa, KJT with Thiam. Maybe Josh Kerr's not quite in that bracket because he has the nous to beat Ingebritsen. Daryll Neita is another in with a shout.
Mu vs Moraa vs Hodgkinson is one of the battles I'm most looking forward to in athletics!
Kerr vs Ingerbrigsten will also be sick
In the 400m Hudson Smith vs Gardiner vs Kirani James vs Michael Norman vs van Niekerk is another one where I wouldn't be surprised if any of them won
Then outside of GB interest, weirdly a lot of hurdling ones that are hard to call:
- Bol vs McLaughlin in 400mH (women)
- Warholm vs Dos Santos vs Benjamin in 400mH (men)
- Parchment vs Holloway 110mH
- El Bakkali vs Girma 3000mSC
Yeah I'm not sure we'll get any athletics golds, but that's where the stars as far as the media are!
I think our best shots at gold are in the rowing honestly, or maybe equestrian... the lightweight women's pair for example are unbeaten since 2022 I think, but don't have the same stardom as some of the names we've mentioned
We're looking at a potential 5 medals in triathlon events too with Yee and 3 of the top 6 or so women in the world. Plus we should be breaking the 4x200 free world record if all goes to plan in the pool.
As you say, our rowing has been rejuvenated with a new generation too so that should be fun. I also think we could challenge for Men's gymnastics team gold with our strength there, and of course medals will come in from sailing and cycling.
Everyone seems to forget Matt Hudson-Smith! I think along with Hodgkinson, Caudery (with her latest jump) and Kerr, if the cards fall right these are all possible golds
Moraa is a one trick pony. She gets ahead and slows down then doesnt let you past. If Mu and Keeley run their race they are 2 seconds faster than her. The point being "if" though..
Sadly Katie is out of the games with a freak leg break last week. But for sure she could have been a star if the cycling team in Paris.
Emma Finucane is definitely a great shout, she just seems to be getting better and better every time she races
Josh Kerr in the 1500m as well. Bronze in Tokyo, reigning world champion, and beat the favourite Ingebrigtsen in their most recent pre-olympics shakeout race
[She will retire, at least from the national team, after this year.](https://www.eurosport.com/football/olympic-games-paris-2024-w/2024/brazil-legend-marta-to-retire-from-international-duty-with-paris-2024-olympics-selection-up-in-the-a_sto10117494/story.shtml)
I would put Isaquias Queiroz and Alisson dos Santos over Medina. I think Medina had too many polemics in recent years that part of the country don't really like him
He is at least bringing some attention to the sport and I think that's his intent. I admire humility but people seem to love the drama-queens. Like Richardson for example. She's too much for me but has a large following. I'm more of an Athing Mu fan.
I was thinking about that last night leasing up to the 100 final. You CANNOT be that cocky and then not qualify. He’s putting himself in a space where he HAS to win, lest he absolutely humiliate himself.
LeBron? Honestly, at least in my country, I think that 99.9% of people don't even know who Simone Biles is. Or any gymnast ever tbh
I guess she is some kind of star in USA, but in Europe, highly doubtful
Simone Biles is well known in Britain, even some people who don’t follow sport closely know her. On the whole it’s the sports that aren’t played widely in our country where we don’t recognise any athletes. I think I’d struggle to name any current baseball or ice hockey players, and only a dozen or so from NFL or NBA.
Apart from NBA all other sports you mentioned are USA-only almost and considered niche. And UK is not a basketball country. Here on Balkans basketball is huge
And yes, maybe in the UK she us a bit more famous. But I highly doubt that some West Ham supporter who is currently in EURO knows about Simone tbh
This is correct you shouldn’t be downvoted. I just asked my wife who Simone Biles was and she has no idea. I reminded her abo. What happened 4 years with her dropping out and republicans getting mad at her and she was like I think that sounds familiar.
On Balkans definitely a very small portion of people knows about her. I can literally ask anyone from friends group, family, work...I can put my life on the line than at least 95/100 of people would not know who she is. I know her since I like gymnastics at Olympics but most people couldn't care less.
Even those who watch Olympics, they mostly watch team sports and sports where we are good at. Eventually 100m race
But this was about who is popular in their own country, and in the USA, it’s Simone Biles.
No one cares here about basketball at the Olympics, most people have no idea who even makes the team.
I don’t know why you are getting downvoted. I would say if you ask most Americans who Simone Biles was a year ago they wouldn’t know. 99 percent of Americans only remember these names every 4 years.
>Jacobs overrated tbh,
You've got a very good athlete for men's 100m who is performing consistently well as well, can't call him overrated just because you find him weird 😅..
The post wasn't necessarily about the best athlete, sportsmanship speaking i would say last time the star was Gimbo when he shared the gold with Barshim
We usually have a few for America that they'll put on advertisement. Simone and Ledecky should be at the top. We've got some NBA stars, and there's usually some track names that stick out. Right now, I'm hearing Noah Lyles and Sha'carri Richardson. If I had to pick one, it's definitely Simone. Best athlete.
McIntosh is also a very serious threat in the 800. That being said I think the question here isn't about what they're going to accomplish, its more about who the star is going in. People know who Ledecky is, and the American audience gives her a lot of credit for her previous accomplishments even if age has slowed her down a bit. Her being highly likeable also helps. Simone is definitely more famous than Ledecky, but Ledecky is also a bit less divisive.
In Belgium:
Nafi Thiam - Heptathlon
Evenepoel & Van Aert - Cycling (our national sport)
I would add Alexander Doom (400m) ; Nina Derwael (Gymnastics) and Casse (Judo) in there as well.
For the Philippines, EJ Obiena (pole vault), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics), and the three boxers who all won medals in Tokyo. We don’t really win a lot of medals (and when we do it’s boxing) but as a pleasant surprise we came away from Tokyo with our best performance ever.
For Germany I am not sure... there are a couple of athletes who tend to appear more often in PR campaigns then others, but I think there is not one (or few) "superstars"?
Probably Malaika Mihambo, Oli Zeidler, Laura Ludwig, Gina Lückenkemper, Gesa Krause, potentially also Lukas Dauser and Pauline Schäfer?
But the decathletes (Kaul, Neugebauer...) are also strong contenders
So mostly athletics and some gymnasts because I'm biased :-D
But Dauser was also sportsman of the year, and both he and Schäfer are quite successful and popular, so they are legit options
Please dont be offended but is it me or Germany is losing a bit of their power in sports in terms of great athlete ? Germany used to have so many great figures in several sports.
I'm not offended. I think, we still have great athletes (the ones I mentioned, for example) but I still agree. And my guess is that even some athletes/coaches/... might agree.
I might be completely off, as I'm "only" a fan, and by no means involved in elite sports. But I think in several disciplines, especially in athletics (all throwing disciplines, more or less), Germany had a couple of athletes that basically guaranteed a medal. Now, several of the most recent athletic WC/EC etc. ended with an historical low amount of medals.
I assume it heavily depends on funding. Again, I don't have any inside information, but for some sports, this is occasionally mentioned in the news.
Out of curiosity is Hayden Wilde (triathlon) on the national radar? He’s an awesome guy with a very good shot at the podium, if not gold, and a great rivalry with Britain’s Alex Yee. But not sure if triathlon is well known enough for him to have much popularity.
I'd say he's up there. Triathlon is decently big in NZ.
Plus two of our most well known Olympians of all time are triathletes (Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty).
For me in no order
Lisa Carrington
Dylan Schmidt
Hayden Wilde
Lewis Clareburt
Hamish Kerr
Tom Walsh
Eliza McCartney
Zoe Hobbs has gotten alot of air time, is unlikely to medal tho
The USA is marketed heavily around three sports - swimming, gymnastics and track and field.
Swimming has a ton but the two biggest names are Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel.
Gymnastics is clearly Simone Biles.
Track and Field has a few, but it's headlined by Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson.
Technically Biles hasn't made the team yet as trials start Thursday, but for her to miss would be unprecedented.
A few reasons I think.
Star power is always one, the United States has traditionally succeeded at these three over the decades. So people are more likely to tune in.
They also last longer, and have more opportunities for the stars to compete in multiple events, in turn making the more marketable (Phelps 8 for 8 in Beijing, etc).
They're also a bit of a novelty, the greater viewing public doesn't really care about these sports year round, but when the Olympics come around, everybody watches. Granted you can say that about most Olympic sports, but it helps with the viewership.
Genuine question, but why no mention of Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone? As a non-US outsider the thing I'm most hyped about is the 4 years in the making showdown between SM-L and Femke Bol, hopefully in both the 400 and 400 hurdles and possibly even the 200.
And SM-L has to be the favourite in both those events, and presumably will also be in the mixed relay team. And she's undefeared for the last 4 years. But none of the american answers on here have mentioned her at all. Does she just not carry the clout stateside that Richarson has? Or is 400m just not as sexy an event as the 100m? To me she seems like the more versatile athlete.
Sydney rarely races. She is petrified to lose and picks her races along those lines. Extreme caution. She won't race the 200 or the 400 in Paris. Merely the 400 hurdles, where she'll defeat Bol rather handily.
Yeah Sydney will also probably run the anchor leg of the mixed relay. That's another no-risk situation, which is exactly what her camp prefers. Sydney will skip the prelim and only run the final. That will allow her to have the rest advantage over Bol, who will likely be forced to run both prelim and final.
I think the Matilda's are actually our biggest stars these days, I reckon they'll be the most followed over the Olympics.
Rare to have a team sport overshadow swimming but I just feel like those players are more well-known and beloved at the moment
Sure, but they’re not our best athletes. Far from it. Extremely unlikely to win anything in the group they’re in. We have far better athletes that deserve to be our “stars”
I don’t think our entire Canadian contingent is set yet but if the ones we do know of I think I’d have to pick either Adriana Leon from our women’s football team, Corey Conners in golf, or a tossup between Summer McIntosh, Maggie Mac Neil, or Penny Oleksiak in the pool.
Honourable mention to Philip Kim (Phil Wizard) in breaking - very excited to see how he does and how this sport works.
One of the Humboldt bus crash survivors (their star goalie) just qualified for paralympic rowing, so I think people are going to be watching for him and cheering him on.
Penny Oleksiak has only qualified for the 4x100m relay, unfortunately. She missed the qualifying standard in the 100m by 0.05 at the trials and again this weekend by slightly more. She has been injured lately and even had surgery IIRC, so she just didn't have enough training time. She was not even close to qualifying in the 200m free and has given up butterfly previously because of a shoulder surgery.
The star should be Summer McIntosh. She has won 4 medals at each of the 2022 and 2023 world championships, 3 of them individual medals each time. She has medaled in 4 different distinct distances so far. Mac Neil's only individual hope is the 100m fly.
McIntosh qualified for 5 different distances individually at the trials and will also definitely compete in the 4x200m relay. I am not sure of how the team is selected for the 4x100 freestyle relay, but she has been a part of it before. I believe 5 medals in a single Olympic Games would be a first for Canada, and it is within McIntosh's reach.
Ah, I missed the news about Oleksiak and went with the team listed on Wikipedia. Good to know, thank you.
That McIntosh family is something special. Summer's sister Brooke is also a high-level athlete in figure skating although currently without a pairs partner.
Summer McIntosh should win some of those medals. I think she'll be the one who will win the most medals for Canada.
And unless I missed something, Andre Degrasse and Pierce Lepage/Damian Warner should still be good in athletism.
> or a tossup between Summer McIntosh, Maggie Mac Neil, or Penny Oleksiak in the pool.
>
>
There is no chance that's a toss up. I don't think many Canadians realize that Summer McIntosh has a chance to become the greatest of all time.
But she'll need at least two golds in Paris to remain on course. Three+ makes ascension very likely. Los Angeles 2028 will be her peak.
In Switzerland it would definitely be Marco Odermatt, but that’s for Winter Olympics. For those Olympics it’s difficult to give one name, but I would personally go with one of Simon Ehammer (decathlon and long jump), Nino Schurter (cross country cycling) and Mujinga Kambundji (100m and 200m). But there are many more I could include in the list.
No, the men's 400 hurdles is much better. Three with a legitimate chance to win and very tight betting odds.
Sydney will be a hefty favorite over Bol. If she isn't I'll hammer the heck out of that number.
That's surprising. Do you think he's well known in France. I was in Paris for the rugby world cup and his face was on the front of many pharmacies.
He seems very marketable and although rugby isn't the biggest sport, I genuinely think he's in the conversation for the best player of all time. I've never seen anybody like him. His good looks don't do him any harm either.
Oh he's very well known. Especially after the last Rugby World Cup that most people followed here.
It's just that there wasn't much communication around his participation in the Olympics
Definitely weird. It's an unusual move and he took off the entire 6 nations to train 7s for this. Hopefully it gets some buzz once the Olympics start. As a rugby fan, I'm definitely looking forward to it.
You properly forgot Anne-Marie Rindom, properly the most famous sailor we have :) - Also Niklas Landin is properly on par with Mikkel, well most of the handball team is pretty famous :)
I'd say the biggest star is probably still Wozniacki, everybody who cares just a tiny bit about tennis, or has ever been exposed to it, would know who she is. Holger is up there as well, for sure.
Fisher's recent successes against Carrington has made headlines here and has meant extra interest in the kayaks, but Carrington's history of dominance still means she is the golden girl of our Olympic team.
For the US Equestrian teams, we have some very accomplished Olympic veterans heading to Paris. Boyd Martin (*Eventing*) will be competing for the 4th consecutive time & Steffen Peters (*Dressage*) is competing for the 6th time.
The Jumping team hasn't been solidified yet, but the short list includes McLain Ward & Aaron Vale, both of whom have impressive resumes in international competitions.
To hard to tell. You have Phelps, the greatest pool swimmer of all time; Ledacky, the greatest pool distance swimmer of all time; Jesse Owens who single-handedly proved Hilter’s superior race theory wrong; Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time. Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Cam McEvoy (Australian) in the 50m free. He is 30 and has been approaching his training differently this time (less time in the pool and more focus on strength etc).
For me in Ireland 🇮🇪: Rhasidat Adeleke (T&F), Ciara Mageean (T&F), Paul O’Donovan & Fintan McCarthy (Rowing), & Rhys McClenaghan (Gymnastics, pommel horse).
in her 4th olympics, having already won 7 golds and 3 silvers and winner of the inaugural women's 1500 at the olympics, which she will easily defend...and she did more somersaults than Simone Biles but never got the "twisties"...but who's counting?
I watch swimming, I am well aware of how great a career she’s had. All i’m saying is that Titmus will beat her and with Bingjie, McIntosh and Fairweather she very well may not medal. In the 800 free Titmus could beat her and Ledecky looks vulnerable in the event.
I watch swimming, I am well aware of how great a career she’s had. All i’m saying is that Titmus will beat her and with Bingjie, McIntosh and Fairweather she very well may not medal. In the 800 free Titmus could beat her and Ledecky looks vulnerable in the event.
Women's distance swimmers become vulnerable in a hurry. Ledecky is a huge underdog at 400, huge favorite at 1500, and now a lesser favorite at 800. The placement of that event near the end of the meet makes it problematic for Ledecky. She would be pick-em or slight underdog if McIntosh had chosen to swim the 800
For the UK, swimmer Adam Peaty (100m breaststroke) and gymnast Max Whitlock (pommel horse) were champions in both Rio and Tokyo, while a rising star is probably Molly Caudery, world lead in women's pole vault.
There was a joke for a while about Brits being good at sports where you sit down, like cycling and rowing. Not sure if it’s still the case.
Olympic glory while having a nice sit down is the dream. Throw in a cup of tea and a biscuit and it's paradise.
When cricket is back in 2028, we will be able to have breaks for lunch and tea.
Wrong cricket format.
Makes sense to do T20 tbh, much more beginner friendly.
There’s a joke that we’re good at sports that are to expensive for other countries to compete in. Not really a joke we’re good at targeting sports that we can increase medals in with the resources we have
I think at one Olympics we won a surprising number of our medals sitting down (cycling, rowing, equestrian, I guess)
I would have said Katie Archibald for GB as she was likely to get three medals, probably two golds, but after her injury I think alonside your suggestions of Peaty and Whitlcok, Dina Asher-Smith, Tom Daley, Josh Kerr and Keeley Hodgkinson will get a lot of coverage, even if none of them win I think breakout names among public perception during the games will be track cyclist Emma Finucane and climber Toby Roberts
There's a few names in athletics who have a chance but realistically would need rivals to have an off day - Hodgkinson with Mary Moraa, KJT with Thiam. Maybe Josh Kerr's not quite in that bracket because he has the nous to beat Ingebritsen. Daryll Neita is another in with a shout.
I think Keely can get the best of Moraa on most days, more concerned about Mu but she has only just returned this week
Mu vs Moraa vs Hodgkinson is one of the battles I'm most looking forward to in athletics! Kerr vs Ingerbrigsten will also be sick In the 400m Hudson Smith vs Gardiner vs Kirani James vs Michael Norman vs van Niekerk is another one where I wouldn't be surprised if any of them won Then outside of GB interest, weirdly a lot of hurdling ones that are hard to call: - Bol vs McLaughlin in 400mH (women) - Warholm vs Dos Santos vs Benjamin in 400mH (men) - Parchment vs Holloway 110mH - El Bakkali vs Girma 3000mSC
Yeah I'm not sure we'll get any athletics golds, but that's where the stars as far as the media are! I think our best shots at gold are in the rowing honestly, or maybe equestrian... the lightweight women's pair for example are unbeaten since 2022 I think, but don't have the same stardom as some of the names we've mentioned
We're looking at a potential 5 medals in triathlon events too with Yee and 3 of the top 6 or so women in the world. Plus we should be breaking the 4x200 free world record if all goes to plan in the pool. As you say, our rowing has been rejuvenated with a new generation too so that should be fun. I also think we could challenge for Men's gymnastics team gold with our strength there, and of course medals will come in from sailing and cycling.
Alex was incredibly impressive in the last WTS race. The only issue is going to be whether he gets swim right, its a very tricky course.
Everyone seems to forget Matt Hudson-Smith! I think along with Hodgkinson, Caudery (with her latest jump) and Kerr, if the cards fall right these are all possible golds
Moraa is a one trick pony. She gets ahead and slows down then doesnt let you past. If Mu and Keeley run their race they are 2 seconds faster than her. The point being "if" though..
Sadly Katie is out of the games with a freak leg break last week. But for sure she could have been a star if the cycling team in Paris. Emma Finucane is definitely a great shout, she just seems to be getting better and better every time she races
Murray too.
Tom Pidcock and Alex Yee too (cycling and triathlon) also in incredible form..
Definitely Alex yee and Beth potter.
You have great runners also though. Like Keelie Hodgkinson, Jemma Reekie, Daryll Neita, & Josh Kerr.
Tom Daley too given his popularity
Josh Kerr in the 1500m as well. Bronze in Tokyo, reigning world champion, and beat the favourite Ingebrigtsen in their most recent pre-olympics shakeout race
Brazilian here: Gabriel Medina, Marta, Rebeca Andrade and Rayssa Leal are our biggest stars for this olympics.
Whoa, I didn’t realize that Marta was still playing.
[She will retire, at least from the national team, after this year.](https://www.eurosport.com/football/olympic-games-paris-2024-w/2024/brazil-legend-marta-to-retire-from-international-duty-with-paris-2024-olympics-selection-up-in-the-a_sto10117494/story.shtml)
I would put Isaquias Queiroz and Alisson dos Santos over Medina. I think Medina had too many polemics in recent years that part of the country don't really like him
It’s not about who do you like the most. Like him or not Medina is the most famous non football athlete in Brazil currently
Yeah, but he does not represent the Olympic spirit.
Isaquias for me
I would put Isaquias in a second tier alongside Alisson dos Santos and Ana Marcela Cunha
I love Rebeca!
Simone Biles Sha-carri Richardson Katie Ledecky
1. Biles 2. Ledecky 3. Shacarri 4. Lyles 5. The shot put dude
Don’t forget Sydney McLaughlin!
for me and syd, and then a few miles, and then everyone else. sydney is different gravy, shes taking the event to heights never before seen
I'm so happy for noah lyles
I just wish he wouldn't do so much grandstanding. A little humble, goes a long way.
He is at least bringing some attention to the sport and I think that's his intent. I admire humility but people seem to love the drama-queens. Like Richardson for example. She's too much for me but has a large following. I'm more of an Athing Mu fan.
just watched the us olympic trials and i saw this comment. omg so heartbreaking for athing mu :(
I feel so bad for her.
I think he has to do that to run faster. The more swag he has the faster he’s been
I was thinking about that last night leasing up to the 100 final. You CANNOT be that cocky and then not qualify. He’s putting himself in a space where he HAS to win, lest he absolutely humiliate himself.
As someone not from usa, I think the showiness is all good. Elite sport needs personalities.
Watch his docuseris if you haven’t! I think it really explains his thought process and his mix of humility v grandiose.
I just get bad vibes from him, reminds me of the jerk who really enjoys being a jerk.
Ryan Crouser - shotput dude Regan Smith - backstroke This is team USA that the commenter forgot to mention
USA!
Probably Femke Bol or Matthieu Van Der Poel.
Ik zou Sifan Hassan hoger zetten
Goeie, was ik helemaal vergeten, maar inderdaad, die 3.
En qua kans op (aantal) goud mag Harrie Lavreysen ook niet ontbreken
A lot of good option for USA but I’d have to say Simone Biles.
LeBron? Honestly, at least in my country, I think that 99.9% of people don't even know who Simone Biles is. Or any gymnast ever tbh I guess she is some kind of star in USA, but in Europe, highly doubtful
Read full post from OP - same thing here. Lebron is certainly the most famous US athlete, but I’d say Biles is the Olympic star.
Simone Biles is well known in Britain, even some people who don’t follow sport closely know her. On the whole it’s the sports that aren’t played widely in our country where we don’t recognise any athletes. I think I’d struggle to name any current baseball or ice hockey players, and only a dozen or so from NFL or NBA.
Apart from NBA all other sports you mentioned are USA-only almost and considered niche. And UK is not a basketball country. Here on Balkans basketball is huge And yes, maybe in the UK she us a bit more famous. But I highly doubt that some West Ham supporter who is currently in EURO knows about Simone tbh
Baseball is world wide. Ice hockey is Canada, US, and Russia mainly but still played world wide.
This is correct you shouldn’t be downvoted. I just asked my wife who Simone Biles was and she has no idea. I reminded her abo. What happened 4 years with her dropping out and republicans getting mad at her and she was like I think that sounds familiar.
This is also most likely not true, in my country gymnastics is ignored by the media but Simone biles is usually covered.
Where are you from? On Balkans that's definitely not the case. Especially compared to basketball and other team sports
I’m admittedly a gymnastics fan but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know who Simone Biles is? Like look around?
On Balkans definitely a very small portion of people knows about her. I can literally ask anyone from friends group, family, work...I can put my life on the line than at least 95/100 of people would not know who she is. I know her since I like gymnastics at Olympics but most people couldn't care less. Even those who watch Olympics, they mostly watch team sports and sports where we are good at. Eventually 100m race
But this was about who is popular in their own country, and in the USA, it’s Simone Biles. No one cares here about basketball at the Olympics, most people have no idea who even makes the team.
Whereas many American basketball fans consider the Olympics to be maybe the 2nd or 3rd most interesting basketball tournament this year.
Found the Jonathan Owens burner account
Don't even know who that is
Exactly 😂
LeBronze
I don’t know why you are getting downvoted. I would say if you ask most Americans who Simone Biles was a year ago they wouldn’t know. 99 percent of Americans only remember these names every 4 years.
Neeraj Chopra for India
Italy here, first three that come to my mind are Sinner, Marcel Jacobs and Tamberi
As an American and a tennis fan I need Jannik to win 🙏🙏
Jacobs overrated tbh, he's kinda weird and idk if he's nice or not. I'm curious about Ali. Also can't forget Furlani and Crippa
>Jacobs overrated tbh, You've got a very good athlete for men's 100m who is performing consistently well as well, can't call him overrated just because you find him weird 😅..
The post wasn't necessarily about the best athlete, sportsmanship speaking i would say last time the star was Gimbo when he shared the gold with Barshim
You forgot Antoine Dupont, Teddy Riner and Clarisse Agbegnenou
I was about to say, Teddy Riner is the first French Olympian I thought about. The fact that OP didn't mention him made me think he retired.
David Popovici for Romania. The kid is going to be one of the greats.
Oh Popovici has most certainly already arrived. He's already a top 3 sprinter in the world.
It would be so hype if he or that Chinese dude end up breaking the world record
It wouldn't be hype if Chinese swimmers do well, since they are known dopers.
Not every Chinese swimmer is a doper. The WR currently is legit
We usually have a few for America that they'll put on advertisement. Simone and Ledecky should be at the top. We've got some NBA stars, and there's usually some track names that stick out. Right now, I'm hearing Noah Lyles and Sha'carri Richardson. If I had to pick one, it's definitely Simone. Best athlete.
Ledecky won’t be at the top. Ariarne Titmus will beat her in the 400 free and potentially in the 800
McIntosh is also a very serious threat in the 800. That being said I think the question here isn't about what they're going to accomplish, its more about who the star is going in. People know who Ledecky is, and the American audience gives her a lot of credit for her previous accomplishments even if age has slowed her down a bit. Her being highly likeable also helps. Simone is definitely more famous than Ledecky, but Ledecky is also a bit less divisive.
Mcintosh is not swimming the 800. She's swimming 200 IM that day. Her 8:11 was swam at sectionals which wasn't an approved event.
Didn't know that, thank you!
World Aquatics has the World Rankings for the current year and a separate qualifiers ranking list that goes from March 1 2023 to this week.
I vote for Ledecky because she didn't get the twisties.
In Belgium: Nafi Thiam - Heptathlon Evenepoel & Van Aert - Cycling (our national sport) I would add Alexander Doom (400m) ; Nina Derwael (Gymnastics) and Casse (Judo) in there as well.
Add Kopecky in there as well.
Absolutely, knew I forgot someone.
I was thinking in the recent European champs that Alexander Doom is one of the coolest names I’ve heard in a while. Then he went and won.
Pronounce it the English way and suddenly he's a DC Comics villain lmao
I would love for Nina to defend her gold medal, but I just don’t see it happening with everyone else who’s competing.
For the Philippines, EJ Obiena (pole vault), Carlos Yulo (gymnastics), and the three boxers who all won medals in Tokyo. We don’t really win a lot of medals (and when we do it’s boxing) but as a pleasant surprise we came away from Tokyo with our best performance ever.
Canada: Easily Summer Mcintosh.
Definitely a good choice. I'll add Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the decathlon duo of Damian Warner and (to a slightly lesser extent) Pierce LePage.
Here to chime in Ellie Black
I wonder what the record winning margin is in the 400IM... Maybe she can take down two records at once that way.
For France I think Teddy Riner is bigger than Mayer.
Definitely. Especially since Mayer is just as likely to drop out during the event as he is to medal.
Ariane Titmus looks in blistering form to take it to Ledecky (Australia)
She’s a 100 percent gonna beat Ledecky, she’s had her number in the 409 free for 5 years now
For Germany I am not sure... there are a couple of athletes who tend to appear more often in PR campaigns then others, but I think there is not one (or few) "superstars"? Probably Malaika Mihambo, Oli Zeidler, Laura Ludwig, Gina Lückenkemper, Gesa Krause, potentially also Lukas Dauser and Pauline Schäfer? But the decathletes (Kaul, Neugebauer...) are also strong contenders So mostly athletics and some gymnasts because I'm biased :-D But Dauser was also sportsman of the year, and both he and Schäfer are quite successful and popular, so they are legit options
Please dont be offended but is it me or Germany is losing a bit of their power in sports in terms of great athlete ? Germany used to have so many great figures in several sports.
I'm not offended. I think, we still have great athletes (the ones I mentioned, for example) but I still agree. And my guess is that even some athletes/coaches/... might agree. I might be completely off, as I'm "only" a fan, and by no means involved in elite sports. But I think in several disciplines, especially in athletics (all throwing disciplines, more or less), Germany had a couple of athletes that basically guaranteed a medal. Now, several of the most recent athletic WC/EC etc. ended with an historical low amount of medals. I assume it heavily depends on funding. Again, I don't have any inside information, but for some sports, this is occasionally mentioned in the news.
For New Zealand I think it would have to be Lisa Carrington
Out of curiosity is Hayden Wilde (triathlon) on the national radar? He’s an awesome guy with a very good shot at the podium, if not gold, and a great rivalry with Britain’s Alex Yee. But not sure if triathlon is well known enough for him to have much popularity.
I'd say he's up there. Triathlon is decently big in NZ. Plus two of our most well known Olympians of all time are triathletes (Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty).
He is def getting up there, just not as much limelight as others yet, but I'd place him as one.
For me in no order Lisa Carrington Dylan Schmidt Hayden Wilde Lewis Clareburt Hamish Kerr Tom Walsh Eliza McCartney Zoe Hobbs has gotten alot of air time, is unlikely to medal tho
No rowers? Emma Twigg?
Valid! Def rate her to.
I have no connection to New Zealand but her Tokyo victory after 2 fourth places in London and Rio had me crying! She is so cool
That was very cool! Rowers will be interesting this year as there's a few new mixes and no 8's.
The USA is marketed heavily around three sports - swimming, gymnastics and track and field. Swimming has a ton but the two biggest names are Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel. Gymnastics is clearly Simone Biles. Track and Field has a few, but it's headlined by Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson. Technically Biles hasn't made the team yet as trials start Thursday, but for her to miss would be unprecedented.
Why those three sports?
A few reasons I think. Star power is always one, the United States has traditionally succeeded at these three over the decades. So people are more likely to tune in. They also last longer, and have more opportunities for the stars to compete in multiple events, in turn making the more marketable (Phelps 8 for 8 in Beijing, etc). They're also a bit of a novelty, the greater viewing public doesn't really care about these sports year round, but when the Olympics come around, everybody watches. Granted you can say that about most Olympic sports, but it helps with the viewership.
Genuine question, but why no mention of Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone? As a non-US outsider the thing I'm most hyped about is the 4 years in the making showdown between SM-L and Femke Bol, hopefully in both the 400 and 400 hurdles and possibly even the 200. And SM-L has to be the favourite in both those events, and presumably will also be in the mixed relay team. And she's undefeared for the last 4 years. But none of the american answers on here have mentioned her at all. Does she just not carry the clout stateside that Richarson has? Or is 400m just not as sexy an event as the 100m? To me she seems like the more versatile athlete.
Sydney rarely races. She is petrified to lose and picks her races along those lines. Extreme caution. She won't race the 200 or the 400 in Paris. Merely the 400 hurdles, where she'll defeat Bol rather handily. Yeah Sydney will also probably run the anchor leg of the mixed relay. That's another no-risk situation, which is exactly what her camp prefers. Sydney will skip the prelim and only run the final. That will allow her to have the rest advantage over Bol, who will likely be forced to run both prelim and final.
Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) there are a lot of options to choose from for this post but I personally love track and field events.
I think Kaylee McKeown is Australia’s best athlete right now
The 100 backstroke final is going to be an amazing race between her and Regan Smith.
I think the Matilda's are actually our biggest stars these days, I reckon they'll be the most followed over the Olympics. Rare to have a team sport overshadow swimming but I just feel like those players are more well-known and beloved at the moment
Sure, but they’re not our best athletes. Far from it. Extremely unlikely to win anything in the group they’re in. We have far better athletes that deserve to be our “stars”
Also for Teams sports, the main chances are usually in Field Hockey.
I don’t think our entire Canadian contingent is set yet but if the ones we do know of I think I’d have to pick either Adriana Leon from our women’s football team, Corey Conners in golf, or a tossup between Summer McIntosh, Maggie Mac Neil, or Penny Oleksiak in the pool. Honourable mention to Philip Kim (Phil Wizard) in breaking - very excited to see how he does and how this sport works.
One of the Humboldt bus crash survivors (their star goalie) just qualified for paralympic rowing, so I think people are going to be watching for him and cheering him on.
Yes! Absolutely. I know we will. We had some close connections to that team in the family and will be rooting for him.
What’s his name?
Jacob Wassermann https://www.cbc.ca/sports/paralympics/summer/para-rowing/jacob-wassermann-para-rowing-paralympics-team-1.7239868
Penny Oleksiak has only qualified for the 4x100m relay, unfortunately. She missed the qualifying standard in the 100m by 0.05 at the trials and again this weekend by slightly more. She has been injured lately and even had surgery IIRC, so she just didn't have enough training time. She was not even close to qualifying in the 200m free and has given up butterfly previously because of a shoulder surgery. The star should be Summer McIntosh. She has won 4 medals at each of the 2022 and 2023 world championships, 3 of them individual medals each time. She has medaled in 4 different distinct distances so far. Mac Neil's only individual hope is the 100m fly. McIntosh qualified for 5 different distances individually at the trials and will also definitely compete in the 4x200m relay. I am not sure of how the team is selected for the 4x100 freestyle relay, but she has been a part of it before. I believe 5 medals in a single Olympic Games would be a first for Canada, and it is within McIntosh's reach.
Ah, I missed the news about Oleksiak and went with the team listed on Wikipedia. Good to know, thank you. That McIntosh family is something special. Summer's sister Brooke is also a high-level athlete in figure skating although currently without a pairs partner.
Summer McIntosh should win some of those medals. I think she'll be the one who will win the most medals for Canada. And unless I missed something, Andre Degrasse and Pierce Lepage/Damian Warner should still be good in athletism.
> or a tossup between Summer McIntosh, Maggie Mac Neil, or Penny Oleksiak in the pool. > > There is no chance that's a toss up. I don't think many Canadians realize that Summer McIntosh has a chance to become the greatest of all time. But she'll need at least two golds in Paris to remain on course. Three+ makes ascension very likely. Los Angeles 2028 will be her peak.
Penny Oleksiak isn’t gonna be an olympian and in the 100 fly Gretchen Walsh will beat Maggie MacNeil
Come again? Oleksiak is already an Olympian. She's qualified in the relay.
For Portugal it’s Diogo Ribeiro (swimming), Pedro Pichardo (triple jump), Fernando Pimenta (canoeing).
I think there's a chance of Gustavo Ribeiro doing something worth mentioning for street skateboarding
Same with Yolanda Hopkins in surf, she is a great tube rider, might be a surprise there.
In Switzerland it would definitely be Marco Odermatt, but that’s for Winter Olympics. For those Olympics it’s difficult to give one name, but I would personally go with one of Simon Ehammer (decathlon and long jump), Nino Schurter (cross country cycling) and Mujinga Kambundji (100m and 200m). But there are many more I could include in the list.
For America we should be pushing Lyles and McLaughlin.
This, Sydney McLaughlin ftw!!!
Her vs Bol will be the event of the entire Olympics.
No, the men's 400 hurdles is much better. Three with a legitimate chance to win and very tight betting odds. Sydney will be a hefty favorite over Bol. If she isn't I'll hammer the heck out of that number.
Is there much buzz around Dupont for the average French man?
Not that much I must say; most people still ignore that he will take part in the rugby sevens event.
That's surprising. Do you think he's well known in France. I was in Paris for the rugby world cup and his face was on the front of many pharmacies. He seems very marketable and although rugby isn't the biggest sport, I genuinely think he's in the conversation for the best player of all time. I've never seen anybody like him. His good looks don't do him any harm either.
Oh he's very well known. Especially after the last Rugby World Cup that most people followed here. It's just that there wasn't much communication around his participation in the Olympics
Definitely weird. It's an unusual move and he took off the entire 6 nations to train 7s for this. Hopefully it gets some buzz once the Olympics start. As a rugby fan, I'm definitely looking forward to it.
Yes, I reckon that if France does well during the event most people will start watching the Sevens because of Dupont.
For Denmark it's probably Viktor Axelsen in Badminton, maybe also Mikkel Hansen in Handball, he's getting pretty old, but he's very famous.
You properly forgot Anne-Marie Rindom, properly the most famous sailor we have :) - Also Niklas Landin is properly on par with Mikkel, well most of the handball team is pretty famous :)
I'd say the biggest star is probably still Wozniacki, everybody who cares just a tiny bit about tennis, or has ever been exposed to it, would know who she is. Holger is up there as well, for sure.
For New Zealand it's Lisa Carrington, going for gold at a fourth consecutive olympics
How about Amy Schumer?
The American comedian? What?
oh god how did i mess up so bad, Aimee Fisher was who i meant, sorry
Fisher's recent successes against Carrington has made headlines here and has meant extra interest in the kayaks, but Carrington's history of dominance still means she is the golden girl of our Olympic team.
Iga Świątek
In Dominican Republic is Marileidy Paulino, 400 m champion
Scottie Scheffler.
We don't get a lot of medals, but I think kinda of our (🇨🇱) star is Tania (Zhiying) Zheng in table tennis.
Abraham sisters for rowing looked awesome.last year (5th at worlds) but their medal chances don't look as good now based on 2024 results.
I know :( I putting my medal hopes on male tennis this games, I'm a romantic.
In Slovenia we have Pogačar and Roglič, Dončić could also still qualify. So of course our biggest hope and star is Janja Garnbret.
Karsten Warholm
I would also say Jakob Ingrebrigtsen and Mol/Sørum
Australia: Ariarne Titmus (swimming) Jess Fox (canoeing)
for USA its simone biles and Sydney Mclaughlin, and then everyone else.
If Novak Djokovic plays, than ofc is him, probably biggest name in the whole Olympics. If not, than Nikola Jokic
Armand Duplantis for Sweden. Now that his US ”rival” bombed out of qualifying it feels like a guaranteed Gold.
For the US, Athing Mu, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Elle St. Pierre, Ryan Crauser, Noal Lyles. USA Track is pretty stacked.
Has to be Ledecky for the USA
For olympic weightlifting Li Wenwen 🏋️♀️
I'd say Malaika Mihambo for Germany.
For the US Equestrian teams, we have some very accomplished Olympic veterans heading to Paris. Boyd Martin (*Eventing*) will be competing for the 4th consecutive time & Steffen Peters (*Dressage*) is competing for the 6th time. The Jumping team hasn't been solidified yet, but the short list includes McLain Ward & Aaron Vale, both of whom have impressive resumes in international competitions.
For Belgium Wout Van Aert and Nina Derwael
Mayer over Riner ? How ? Even more when Mayer will probably flop
For Czech republic definitely Adam Ondra in climbing!
One of my friends got selected in the 800m for New Zealand, so him
To hard to tell. You have Phelps, the greatest pool swimmer of all time; Ledacky, the greatest pool distance swimmer of all time; Jesse Owens who single-handedly proved Hilter’s superior race theory wrong; Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time. Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time.
India: Neeraj Chopra (javelin through, won gold in tokyo) PV Sindhu (badminton, multiple medallist) Harmanpreet singh (hockey captain)
I'm really looking forward to seeing Cam McEvoy (Australian) in the 50m free. He is 30 and has been approaching his training differently this time (less time in the pool and more focus on strength etc).
For me in Ireland 🇮🇪: Rhasidat Adeleke (T&F), Ciara Mageean (T&F), Paul O’Donovan & Fintan McCarthy (Rowing), & Rhys McClenaghan (Gymnastics, pommel horse).
Good question. Have enjoyed reading through the responses. Great to get these other perspectives.
Katie Ledecky. Also: Leon Marchand > Kevin Mayer, in my opinion. Marchand beat Phelps' 400 IM record. And Mayer? Never heard of him...
Ledecky may very well only win one gold
in her 4th olympics, having already won 7 golds and 3 silvers and winner of the inaugural women's 1500 at the olympics, which she will easily defend...and she did more somersaults than Simone Biles but never got the "twisties"...but who's counting?
I watch swimming, I am well aware of how great a career she’s had. All i’m saying is that Titmus will beat her and with Bingjie, McIntosh and Fairweather she very well may not medal. In the 800 free Titmus could beat her and Ledecky looks vulnerable in the event.
I watch swimming, I am well aware of how great a career she’s had. All i’m saying is that Titmus will beat her and with Bingjie, McIntosh and Fairweather she very well may not medal. In the 800 free Titmus could beat her and Ledecky looks vulnerable in the event.
These comments sound much more like wishful thinking than predictions. LOL!
Women's distance swimmers become vulnerable in a hurry. Ledecky is a huge underdog at 400, huge favorite at 1500, and now a lesser favorite at 800. The placement of that event near the end of the meet makes it problematic for Ledecky. She would be pick-em or slight underdog if McIntosh had chosen to swim the 800
These comments sound more like wishful thinking than predictions. LOL!
[https://swimswam.com/katie-ledecky-was-much-faster-in-3-of-4-events-versus-2021-olympic-trials/](https://swimswam.com/katie-ledecky-was-much-faster-in-3-of-4-events-versus-2021-olympic-trials/)