The 33rd Olympiad | Paris, France 2024 | Recap & Review

It started with the athletes riding down the Seine for the Parade of Nations and ended with Tom Cruise jumping from the top of a stadium, but in between there was a lot of good competition as the 2024 Olympics came to a close on Sunday.

The Olympics created a stir with some of the scenes from the opening ceremony, but it didn’t disappoint in the action. From one of the closest 100m races ever to the United States women winning their eighth straight Gold Medal in basketball by an inch, the Olympics didn’t disappoint.

The United States ran away with the overall medal count with 126, but needed two golds on the last day to catch China for the top spot. The two countries ended the Olympics with 40 golds, but the Americans would also lead in total silver and bronze medals. They finished with 35 more medals than the Chinese athletes and 61 more than Great Britain who came in third with 65 total medals. France, who hosted the Olympics, finished one behind them just missing the top three.

All eyes were on the two basketball teams from the US and they didn’t disappoint. Neither team lost a game on their way to the Gold Medal. It wasn’t easy though, as the men had to come back from a 17-point deficit in the semifinals to beat Serbia and the women had to withstand a last second shot to beat France for their gold medal.

Steph Curry led the way in the finals for the men with 24 points in the finals as he hit eight three pointers, including three late after the French closed to within three. On the women’s side A’ja Wilson scored a team-high 21 points and a last-second basket by the French was barely a two and let the Americans survive with a one-point win.

The Americans were also predicted to win gold in the Women’s gymnastics team event and they delivered on that promise. Simone Biles was once again the top gymnast in the World in leading the Americans to the Gold.

Biles would also take home the gold in the women’s individual all-around and in the vault. She collected a silver for her floor routine and has pushed her total medals to 11. Suni Lee would also get on the podium for the all-around as she claimed bronze, just behind Rebeca Andrade from Brazil. Lee would get another bronze in the uneven bars and teammate Jade Carey would grab the bronze in the vault. Jordan Chiles won the bronze in the floor exercise after a last- second inquiry, but it had been ruled late and Chiles may have to return her medal.

The men’s gymnastics team got on the podium for the first time since 2008 when they secured the bronze in Paris. Stephen Nedoroscik became famous for his Clark Kent look as he took off his glasses and nailed his pommel horse routine to seal the medal for the men. Nedoroscik would go on to win bronze in the individual finals on the pommel horse to take home two medals.

Katie Ledecky continued to shine in the pool for the Americans as she brought home four medals including two golds. She dominated the 1500m freestyle as she broke her own Olympic record. She would go on to win the 800m freestyle to win the event for the fourth straight Olympics. Ledecky now has eight Olympic medals, which ties Jenny Thompson by the most- ever by a female swimmer.

The Americans were the top country in the pool as they captured eight gold medals which was one more than their biggest rival in Australia. Bobby Finke won the men’s 1500m freestyle and the women won the 4x100m medley on the final day of swimming to overtake the Australians for the most golds.

The drama continued on the track as Noah Lyles delivered on his promise and won the 100m by just five thousandths of a second over Kishane Thompson of Jamaica. Lyles won in a photo

finish thanks to a late lean. Lyles came up short, though, in the 200m as he came in third to claim the bronze.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued to dominate the 400m hurdles as she broke her own world record for a sixth time to win the gold. It was her second consecutive gold medal in the event.

Sha’Carri Richardson came up short in the 100m as a change in rule about arriving at the track could have hindered her chances. She did get a gold medal as the Americans took home the gold in the 4x100m relay.

Scottie Scheffler once again showed why he is one of the best golfers in the world as he came back from four strokes back to claim gold. He shot a nine-under 62 in the final round and was great on the back nine as he shot 29 to finish the comeback.

The Olympics came to a close in Paris with the USA winning the medal count and with the torch being passed to them as the 2028 Olympics will be held in Los Angeles.