Five stars to keep an eye on at the Paris 2024 Olympics

In recent weeks, both well-known athletes and new faces have made their mark, with less than a month remaining before the track and field events commence at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

There will be an array of talent on offer in the French capital, and Inside The Games have constructed a list of athletes to watch out for ahead of this summer’s spectacle in Paris. So, who should you keep an eye on?

Noah Lyles

At the Paris Olympics, US sprinter Noah Lyles is focused on achieving more than he did at last year’s World Championships.

Following his triumph in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay in Budapest, Lyles is setting his sights on these same events in Paris, plus adding the 4x400m relay to his list of goals. He is currently in excellent shape, recently clinching the sprint double at the challenging US Trials.

Lyles equaled his 100m personal best of 9.83 seconds and won the 200m in a world-leading 19.53 seconds.

Faith Kipyegon

High-altitude races beyond 1000m can be particularly grueling due to the decreased oxygen levels, but Faith Kipyegon made it look remarkably easy at last month’s Kenyan Trials.

The multi-world and Olympic gold medalist won the 5000m with a time of 14:46.28, finishing six seconds ahead of Beatrice Chebet, who had recently set a world 10,000m record. The day after, Kipyegon also won the 1500m with a time of 3:53.98, achieving the fastest times ever recorded at high altitude.

At 30 years old, Kipyegon is looking to repeat her World Championships success in both the 1500m and 5000m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Shericka Jackson

After a rookie mistake in her 200m heat at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Shericka Jackson has been nearly flawless in the 200m.
Between June 2022 and May 2024, the Jamaican sprinter was undefeated in the 200m, capturing two world titles and achieving three of the four fastest times in history.

Sha’Carri Richardson

World 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson has continued her strong performances from last season. She won the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic in May with a time of 10.83 seconds and went on to win the 100m at the US Trials with a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds.

In the 200m semifinals at the US Trials, she equaled her personal best of 21.92 seconds, but fell just short of a podium finish in the final, missing out on a spot in that event for the Olympics.

This allows Richardson to focus on defending her 100m and 4x100m relay titles at the Paris 2024 Games.

Lamecha Girma

If there is one athlete overdue for a global gold medal, it’s Lamecha Girma. The Ethiopian distance runner has competed in five global championships and has always come away with a silver medal.
This year, however, Girma, who holds world records for