Top 5 Records that could be broken or scripted at 2024 Paris Olympics ft. Neeraj, Durant, and more
With less than one week left for the Paris Olympics, fans have a lot to look forward to. The 2024 Olympics could witness some historic records being broken and some brand-new ones being made.
While there are many records which may never be broken there are a few that could have new names next to them. In the previous Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra gained a billion fans on 7th August 2021 when he won the gold medal by throwing his javelin a distance of 87.58 metres.
Neeraj not only gained a billion fans but also earned a shot at creating history. Along with the Indian javelin thrower, NBA and WNBA stars like Kevin Durant and Diana Taurasi could also feature in the record books. In this article, we will take a look at some of the top records that could be broken or scripted at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
#1 Katie Ledecky
Katie Ledecky has won 10 Olympic medals in swimming
10-time Olympic medalist, Katie Ledecky can become the most decorated American female Olympian ever. Ledecky has 10 Olympic medals including seven gold and three silver in female swimming.
The 27-year-old trails behind fellow swimmers Jenny Thomson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin who all have 12 medals while sprinter Allyson Felix has 11. Ledecky would need just three medals to overtake all of them and write her name in the rich history of the American Olympics and swimming.
Winning three medals is not something that would be too difficult for Ledecky. She showed signs of greatness in her debut Olympics in 2012 where she won her first gold medal. But if her campaigns from 2016 or 2021 are anything to go by then she is on course to becoming the most decorated female olympian from the USA.
In 2016, the swimmer won five medals including four gold while in Tokyo in 2021 she won two gold medals and two silver medals. Ledecky even qualified for the Paris Olympics with a first-place finish in the 400-metre freestyle.
#2 Neeraj Chopra
The rising face of the Indian Olympics, Neeraj Chopra will be carrying a lot of hope and pressure on his shoulders when he takes his mark to make his throws in Paris. With his throw of 87.58 metres, Neeraj not only became the second Indian Olympian after Abhinav Bindra to win a gold medal in an individual sport he also became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in athletics after independence.
In Paris, Neeraj will have a shot at creating multiple records. If he manages to get himself on the podium he will join PV Sindhu and Sushil Kumar and become only the third Indian to win two consecutive medals in the Olympics in an individual sport.
But if the 26-year-old javelin thrower manages to win another gold medal, he will become the first Indian to win two gold medals in an individual sport. The current World Champion should not expect anything less than a gold medal as Neeraj also won a gold medal in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games where he was accompanied by his compatriot, Kishore Kumar Jena who finished second.
#3 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA winner and a three-time Olympic gold medalist
Kevin Durant has been a part of the last three USA basketball teams that have won gold medals at the Olympics. If Team USA manages to win yet another gold medal then the 35-year-old power forward could become the first male athlete to be a part of the four gold medal-winning team.
The USA defeated Spain in the 2012 London Olympics to clinch the gold medal. In 2016, the USA defeated Serbia and in 2020, the USA defeated France to win the gold medal.
Durant’s joy could be short-lived if Nikola Karabatic wins the Handball competition with France. Durant’s record could be equalled in less than 24 hours. Karabatic and France won the gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2020.
Even though Durant’s record may be equalled he still has a chance of winning four consecutive gold medals in a team sport becoming the first male athlete to do so in a team sport at the Olympics.
#4 USA Women’s Basketball Team
It is not just the USA men’s basketball team who will be aiming for glory by winning the gold medal. The USA women’s basketball team could also create history on the 11th of August (Women’s Basketball finals).
If the women’s team can win another gold medal they will be the first team to win eight consecutive gold medals in a team sport. The women’s team has clinched the gold medal in every edition from 1996 to 2020. They currently share the record with the USA men’s basketball team who won seven consecutive gold medals from 1936 to 1968.
Diana Taurasi
While the women’s team will battle it out for the record eighth consecutive gold medal in the Olympics, Diana Taurasi will be competing for a record sixth consecutive gold medal. Taurasi is the most experienced player on the USA team.
The three-time WNBA champion could well make a record that might not be broken in the near future. The 42-year-old already shares the record for winning the most consecutive gold medals (seven) with her former teammate, Sue Bird. Taurasi and Bird were part of the gold medal-winning team from the 2004 Athens Olympics to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
#5 Jimmer Fredette
There is a popular saying ‘save the best for last’. The saying comes true in our list of records that could be broken in the upcoming Paris Olympics. While this record may be the best or not is for the readers to decide it certainly is the most interesting one. Jimmer Fredette could well join his compatriots Kevin Durant and Diana Taurasi by making a record.
While Durant or Taurasi would need to bring their A-game and win the gold medals to script history, Fredette will make history just by stepping on the court. Fredette will be representing the USA in 3v3 basketball. By doing so Fredette will become the first NBA player to compete in Olympic 3v3 basketball.