Athletes To Look Out For At The Paris Summer Olympics
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The countdown to the 2024 Summer Olympics has begun. In just one month, on July 26, about 11,000 athletes from 206 nations will gather in Paris, France, for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. Here are a few trailblazers ready to make their mark on the world stage.
Dominika Banevič — Breakdancing (Breaking)
Dominika Banevič, aka B-Girl Nicka, is a 16-year-old breakdancing phenom from Lithuania. The talented teen has won four national championships. She recently took gold at the World Breaking Championship in Belgium, beating Japan's Ayumi Fukushima. This win earned her a place at the debut Breakdancing Olympics event, where she will be one of the youngest competitors.
Eliud Kipchoge — Marathon
Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge is widely regarded as the greatest marathoner of all time. He first rose to fame in 2003 when he won the 5,000-meter race at that year's World Athletics Championships. Shortly after, he won a bronze medal in the same event at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and then a silver at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Kipchoge switched to road running in 2012. He has since won 15 of the 18 competitive marathons he has entered. His victories include five wins in Berlin, where he broke two world records, four in London, and two Olympic gold medals. In 2019, Kipchoge became the first person ever to run a marathon in under two hours, finishing in 1:59:40. This feat, achieved in Vienna, Austria, was not officially recognized for various reasons. However, it cemented Kipchoge's status as a legend in the world of distance running.
Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes — Beach Volleyball
Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes are a dynamic beach volleyball duo from the United States. Cheng, a talented defender, and Hughes, a skilled blocker, began playing as a team in high school, winning numerous tournaments. Their successful partnership continued at the University of Southern California (USC), with two NCAA titles in 2016 and 2017.
After pursuing the Tokyo Olympics with different partners in 2018, they reunited in late 2022. Within a year, they made history as the first US team to win the world beach volleyball championships since 2009. The win secured them a spot at the 2024 Games, with a clear shot at gold.
These athletes, along with all the other Olympic contestants, serve as a powerful reminder of the remarkable things people can achieve through hard work, focus, and perseverance.
Resources: guinnessworldrecords.com, Wikipedia.org, nbcolympics.com, CNN.com
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40 Comments
scarysis4 monthsgirl+gold medal+youngest Olympic breakdancer=totes coolgirl!!!
techfashion03154 monthsI had no idea that the Olympics had a break-dancing competition!
dogo23irene4 monthsMe neither! So cool!
olivenottamat04 monthsi love the races and long distances
435sasha4 monthsany of you going !?!?!? I wish i was going because it would be funner that ever! Hii have any of you ever been to the Olympics!?- scarysis4 monthswish i could go... its tomorrow!!!!!! :(
- dogo23irene4 monthsI wish I can go to the Olympics too. It seems SO fun!!!
rishaan113 monthsMy teachers' children were one step behind from going to the Olympics!
1mass4 monthsNo but my friends moms friends cousin is in the olymics so she is going- 1mass3 monthsAnd she broke the record
i_love_yall4 monthsI like gymnastics. I'm in Paris right know to go watch gymnastics.
doggiechristmas4 monthsNo fair!- scarysis4 monthsso cool!!! i cant :( too far.
- 1mass4 monthsMy mom and I are definitely going to watch the gymnastics!
- 435sasha4 monthsOn that is fun!
the_void4 monthsNAW I HAVE TO WATCH THE BREAK DANCING
smartestalive4 monthsI wish I could go to Paris!- 1mass4 monthsSame
hree04 monthscool
girly_pop324 months#Girlpower!!!! 👩
