Sports
Olympic superlatives: Our staff picks for the best of the Paris Games
After nearly three weeks and more than 1,000 medals, the Paris Olympics have awarded their final gold.
From the ambitious opening ceremony to the handoff to 2028 host Los Angeles, the Paris Games delivered numerous memorable moments. Acclaimed stars cemented their legacies and new faces became Olympic fixtures.
But some stellar performances and viral memes stood above the rest. To highlight and celebrate the best of the 2024 Games, a group of 20 staff members of The Athletic voted and compiled this list of our “Olympic Superlative” winners. (It should be noted this is not a definitive list — but a fun exercise.)
So with that, here’s who stayed winning in our eyes.
Most dominant performance
(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
Winner: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (five votes)
This category was for the athlete (or team) who put together the best, most undeniable Olympic campaign.
McLaughlin-Levrone, the American hurdler and sprinter, won gold in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, setting a world record at 50.37 seconds. On Saturday, she closed her Games with another gold in the women’s 4×400 relay, pulling away from the field in her leg, which was just a tenth of a second off the world record.
Runners-up: Simone Biles and Armand “Mondo” Duplantis (three votes each)
Biles, the American gymnast, won three gymnastics golds — team, all-around and vault — and one silver (floor exercise) in her Olympic return. Duplantis, a Swedish pole vaulter, won gold in the men’s event and set a new world record at 6.25 meters to break his previous record.
Also receiving votes:
- China’s diving team (two votes) — won all eight Olympic diving gold medals
- Léon Marchand (two votes) — the French swimmer won four golds and one bronze (more on him below)
- USA Basketball (two votes) — extended its gold medal streak to five (for men) and eight (for women)
- Katie Ledecky (one vote) — the American swimmer won two golds, a silver and a bronze in women’s swimming, and set an Olympic record in the 1,500-meter freestyle
- Mijain Lopez (one vote) — the Cuban wrestler won gold in men’s wrestling, a record-fifth straight Olympic gold in the same individual event
- South Korea’s archery team (one vote) — swept all five golds in archery (men’s and women’s)
Breakout star

Winner: Léon Marchand (eight votes)
This category was for the athlete who most ascended into popular consciousness, the one we couldn’t stop talking about, and whose celebrity dramatically increased during these Olympics.
Marchand, the 22-year-old French swimming sensation, took the Paris Games by storm. He won four gold medals in a range of events — the 200 breaststroke, the 200 butterfly, the 200 individual medley and the 400 individual medley. Oh yeah, and he set an Olympic record in each. Marchand also took a bronze in the men’s 4×100 medley. He proved during his Paris campaign why he’s drawn comparisons to swimming legend Michael Phelps.
Runner-up: Stephen Nedoroscik (five votes)
Nedoroscik is an American gymnast. More specifically, he’s a pommel horse expert who became a household name after clinching the bronze for the U.S. men’s gymnastics team, their first team medal since 2008. Nedoroscik seemed to delight Americans with his nerdiness, and he also won a bronze in the — you guessed it — pommel horse event.
Also receiving votes:
- Summer McIntosh (four votes) — the Canadian swimmer won three golds (200 butterfly, 200 IM and 400 IM) and one silver (400 free), setting Olympic records in the 200 butterfly and 200 IM
- Ilona Maher (two votes) — the American women’s rugby sevens star helped the U.S. to its first Olympic medal, a bronze, in the event
- The Woodhalls (one vote) — Tara Davis-Woodhall won long jump gold for the U.S. and was cheered on by her Paralympian husband, Hunter
Best photo

Winner: Image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina (10 votes)
This category was for the image that most resonated with our voters and best captured the spirit of the Paris Games.
Photographer Jerome Brouillet captured a viral image of Medina celebrating after the surfer earned the highest single wave score in Olympic history in a heat during the men’s competition. Medina and his board look like they’re floating above the water as Medina holds his right arm in the air while making a No. 1 sign with his hand.
Runner-up: The Biles/Chiles bow (eight votes)
Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade celebrated her floor exercise gold medal with props from American gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, who bowed to Andrade while on the podium with their medals.
(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
Also receiving votes:
- American sprinter Noah Lyles wins the men’s 100-meter final in a photo finish (one vote)

- Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates winning the women’s long jump final (one vote)

Best viral moment

Winner: Yusuf Dikeç shooting (six votes)
This category was for the star of the Internet Olympics — with a plethora of shareable clips and meme-worthy moments up for consideration.
Dikeç — the Turkish shooter who won silver in a relaxed fashion — came out on top. His chill stance, with his pistol pointed in one hand and his other hand in his pocket, was emulated by various athletes across the Games. “I am a natural, a natural shooter,” he told Turkish newspaper Habertürk.
The celebration that keeps on giving 👀#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/KBX8WJBMKS
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 7, 2024
Runner-up: Pommel king (four votes)
Or, Stephen Nedoroscik whipping off his glasses and winning bronze:
Obsessed with this guy on the US men’s gymnastics team who’s only job is pommel horse, so he just sits there until he’s activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years. pic.twitter.com/0D1ZqJjFa1
— Megan 📚 (@MegWritesBooks) July 29, 2024
Also receiving votes:
- Appendage accident — when French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati’s crotch got in the way (three votes)
- Raygun’s breaking routine — the Australian breakdancer who confounded us all (three votes)
- Kim Yeji — the South Korean shooter who captivated the internet with her sci-fi swagger (three votes)
- Ireland’s Emily Lane and Erin King’s unbelievable catch in a rugby match against Great Britain (one vote)
Biggest upset

Winner: Cole Hocker shocking the favorites in the men’s 1,500-meter to win gold (eight votes)
There’s nothing better than an underdog victory or a shock win. This category was for the athlete or team who best stunned the field and pulled off gold despite long odds.
The men’s 1,500 was expected to be a two-way battle between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr, but Hocker outran Ingebrigtsen and outkicked Kerr to run off with the gold.
Runners-up: It was a three-way tie, with each receiving three votes:
Also receiving votes:
- Kristen Faulkner winning gold in the women’s cycling road race to end a 40-year American drought (two votes)
- Great Britain’s Toby Roberts’ climbing win in men’s boulder and lead final after the favorite, Japan’s Sorato Anraku, fell (one vote)
Biggest broadcast win
Winner: “GoldZone” (seven votes)
This category was for what most enhanced our at-home viewing experience.
The NBC/Peacock Olympic whip-around show, modeled after “NFL RedZone,” allowed viewers to simultaneously follow gold medal finishes across multiple events.
Runner-up: Snoop Dogg’s commentary
The rapper was a major part of NBC’s coverage of the Games, and good news for fans, it appears this might not be his last.
Also receiving votes:
- Laurie Hernandez talking gymnastics (four votes)
- Discovery Plus (one vote)
- English broadcaster Clare Balding paying an emotional tribute to Andy Murray after his final match at the Olympics (one vote)
Best venue

Winner: Beach volleyball under the Eiffel Tower (14 votes)
Iconic landmarks and picturesque views defined the 2024 Games. Our voters liked the beach volleyball setting best.
Runner-up: Surfing in Tahiti (three votes)
Also receiving votes:
- Fencing at the Grand Palais (one vote)
- Cycling road race routes around Paris (one vote)
Best final farewell

Winner: Simone Biles (10 votes)
It was the last or the potential last Games for many Olympic legends. Though some have not confirmed whether they’ll try to come back for Los Angeles, we voted on who among them had the best sendoff if they don’t return.
Biles is the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history and, at 27, she is the oldest all-around Olympic champion in more than 70 years. Even if she doesn’t return for L.A., which would mark her fourth Olympics, Biles is already considered the GOAT in the sport.
Runner-up: LeBron James (five votes)
Making his fourth Olympic appearance, James was named MVP of the tournament as the U.S. men’s team won its fifth straight Olympic gold. James, 39, is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time NBA champion. Now, he’s a three-time Olympic gold medalist, too.
Also receiving votes:
- Andy Murray — British tennis player in his fifth Olympics (four votes)
- Rafael Nadal — Spanish tennis player in his fourth Olympics (one vote)
Best feel-good story

Winner: Cindy Ngamba becoming the first-ever medalist for the Olympic refugee team (eight votes)
There was no shortage of controversy during the Paris Games, including concerns about the Seine’s water quality and a media firestorm in women’s boxing, but there were many positive moments as well. We voted on what most made our hearts melt.
Ngamba, who was born in Cameroon and lives in the United Kingdom, reached the semifinal of the women’s 75-kilogram (165 pounds) competition, which earned her a bronze medal.
Runner-up: Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin biting her medal on the podium after noticing the Italian gymnasts doing it (five votes)
Also receiving votes:
(Photos of Léon Marchand, Simone Biles and Cindy Ngamba by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images; Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages; Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Sports
Oba Femi vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam is a ‘generational matchup,’ WWE legend JBL says
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Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar’s feud will come to a head at SummerSlam in August, and the showdown has the potential to be WWE’s match of the year.
Femi beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and led to “The Beast Incarnate” deciding to retire – at least for a moment – at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Lesnar made a dramatic return a few weeks later, challenging and beating Femi at Clash in Italy.
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Oba Femi looks on during Monday Night RAW at Allstate Arena on July 6, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. (Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)
At SummerSlam, Femi and Lesnar will do battle inside a Hell in a Cell.
WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield called the next meeting between Femi and Lesnar a “generational matchup.”
“I’ve never seen anything like Oba – well, I have. I’ve seen Brock,” he told Fox News Digital. “It’s very much the carbon copy of Brock coming in. Brock coming in was like, oh my God, who is this guy? The guy can even talk, and he’s gonna be one of the biggest stars in wrestling. Not only could he talk, he’s a really smart guy. Brock became one of the biggest draws in professional wrestling. He came one of the biggest draws in UFC. It’s an unbelievable story, and now you got somebody who can rival that character.
Brock Lesnar in action against Oba Femi during “Monday Night Raw” at TD Garden on March 23, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)
“This Oba Femi comes out with the silly little walk he does. Everyone kinda does it, it’s like The Bushwackers. But the whole arena does it. I was in Vegas and I didn’t want to go to the matches and deal with the traffic and deal with the backstage area, and so I kinda just watched it in a sports bar. I stood in the back where nobody could recognize me, and as soon as Oba came out, the entire sports bar was sitting there doing that Oba Femi dance. The guy is just unbelievably over.
“I really think that somewhere in the NFL this year, you’re going to see an entire NFL arena doing this dance. You’re gonna have somebody like Saquon Barkley or ‘King’ (Derrick Henry) or some of these guys do this dance, and it’s infectious. Once one of them does, one of these great running backs or wide receivers, or somebody scores a touchdown, that’s when I think you’re gonna see entire arenas doing it. I just think Oba Femi is lightning in a bottle and Brock has always been that way. This is, to me, a generational matchup.”
Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi face off during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
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SummerSlam will take place on Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Sports
Commentary: ‘I don’t want any handouts.’ Amid the Angels’ drought, a starry homecoming for Mike Trout
Mike Trout last played in an All-Star Game seven years ago. It’s crazy, really. The best player of the previous decade, the link that ties Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, has not taken an All-Star at-bat this decade.
Injuries, mostly. And he turns 35 next month.
Next week’s All-Star Game takes place in Philadelphia, about 40 miles north of Trout’s hometown of Millville, N.J. Major League Baseball reserves a potential All-Star roster spot or two each summer for distinguished players: Bryce Harper and Justin Verlander this year, Clayton Kershaw last year, Pujols and Miguel Cabrera in past years.
That could have been Trout’s spot this summer: a worthy honor for a three-time most valuable player, a local hero feted on the national stage the Angels have failed to provide him.
“I wouldn’t have done it,” Trout said.
Not even at home?
“It’s an honor to get voted in and represent the American League,” he said. “For me, I don’t want any handouts.”
Trout is an All-Star for the 12th time, the old-fashioned way: He earned it.
Fans voted him into the starting lineup, with the most final-round votes of any AL outfielder. His peers voted him as one of the top three outfielders in the AL.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I’ve been through a lot of hurdles, a lot of adversity. I put some hard work in, and I did not let up. I could have easily got down on myself and not pushed through it and not come back.
“I know what I am capable of. I know I have the confidence to get back to the player I used to be.”
His .874 OPS entering play Thursday ranks second among AL outfielders, a career season for many players. In 11 of his 14 full seasons — all but the previous three — he has posted a higher OPS.
In April, in a four-game series against the New York Yankees, Trout hit five home runs and drove in nine runs.
“Everything was clicking,” he said. “When I first came up, that’s how I felt the whole season.
“Just to be able to get that feeling back, that little spark, to know it’s still in there, it makes you feel pretty good.”
For him, so does playing in Philadelphia. The first time he played there with the Angels, Millville basically closed down for the night, and just about everyone in town boarded a bus to the game. Then Trout had an exceptionally rare experience, a visiting player cheered at the home of the boo.
Mark Gubicza can testify to that. Gubicza, the two-time All-Star pitcher and now the Angels’ television analyst, grew up in Philadelphia.
“I don’t care if you were God himself, if you were wearing a different color uniform, I was still booing you,” Gubicza said. “But he was cheered.”
Still is. Trout is a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, with his season tickets not in some climate-controlled luxury suite but along the sideline.
“The players all walk by him and say ‘Trouty!’ ” Gubicza said. “Before they all go out to get their heads beat in, they’re all saying hi.
“He’s not one of those guys that comes there to be seen. He’s going there to root. That’s why they love him: He’s one of us.”
Said Trout: “I know how passionate I am about the Eagles. From my experience as an Eagles fan, it’s just different.
“It’s like win or die.”
It’s not like that in Southern California, where almost no one listens to sports-talk radio, and where a nice day is always a day away.
No one would begrudge Trout for living year-round along the Orange County coast. (OK, maybe Philadelphia fans would.)
Roy Hallenbeck, Trout’s high school coach, remembered visiting years ago on what he called “a perfect day” and asking Trout how he could ever get tired of all that sunshine.
“Yeah, coach, I couldn’t live here,” Trout told him. “‘I need my seasons.”
Trout built a family home near his boyhood home. He built his Trout National golf resort, with a course designed by Tiger Woods, in Millville.
He is as loyal to the Angels as he is to Millville. He appreciates the team that “took a chance on a kid from a little town in southern New Jersey” and signed him to two nine-figure contract extensions.
Trout was the last Angels player to take a postseason at-bat, in 2014. Even amid baseball’s longest playoff drought, he still considers Anaheim a special place, and always will.
“It’s where it all began,” Trout said. “I think the fuel of people doubting us kind of makes it more of a fire for me to try to get back to the playoffs. I think that’s the biggest key for me.
“Could I take the easy way out and just leave? Yeah. But I think — I said this last year around this time, but it’s the same feeling I’ve been having — I really haven’t sat down and talked to anybody about it specifically, but I know there’s a time where, if things change, who knows? I don’t know. But, for me, right now, my focus is on trying to get this club back in the playoffs.”
At the All-Star Game, Trout might well hear Phillies fans beseech him to come play for the home team. However, Hallenbeck said, the hometown folks no longer are as strident in that long-held wish.
“I think the overriding sentiment of most people I talk with, even Phillies fans, is we would all — as people that know him, love him and care for him — love to watch him play relevant baseball in August and September,” Hallenbeck said. “It doesn’t matter where. It doesn’t matter who. Just being relevant late in the season would be something we would all love to see.
“Hopefully, it’s with the Angels. They’ve been so good to him. We’d love to see it there.”
So would we. In the meantime, in the absence of a World Series, Trout deserves to enjoy his homecoming game.
Sports
London descends into disorder as Morocco fans flood streets after World Cup elimination by France
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Public unrest began in parts of London late Thursday night, and it appears Morocco’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the hands of France is the reason.
France took down Morocco 2-0, eliminating the African country for the second consecutive tournament, this time in a quarterfinal match.
As a result, many feared Paris would erupt into riots, especially after the chaos that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League victory over Arsenal in May.
Instead, images and videos from Edgware Road in northwest London showed police clashing with large crowds as smoke billowed through the streets and debris littered the roadway.
A police vehicle is parked in a road as people from pro-Palestinian activist groups gather near the Edgware United Synagogue during a demonstration against the “Great Israeli Real Estate Event” organized by real-estate agency My Home in Israel, which markets property in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in London, Britain, June 14, 2026. (Toby Shepheard)
Riot police, equipped with shields and body armor, tried to contain the crowds as they clashed with people launching fireworks and throwing debris. One video also appeared to show an officer down.
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ, OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ FIRE FRANCE INTO WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS WITH WIN OVER MOROCCO
It’s unknown what happened to the officer who was down on the asphalt or how he was injured.
Fans waved Moroccan flags in the middle of the streets, which held up traffic. Some even jumped on top of vehicles trying to get through the area.
Moroccan fans in the stands before a FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal match between France and Morocco at Boston Stadium July 9, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (Richard Sellers/SportsphotoAllstar)
Similar scenes unfolded after Egypt’s World Cup exit, when Argentina rallied for a controversial 3-2 victory that featured several disputed officiating decisions.
Paris, on the other hand, looked more like a city celebrating than one on the brink of a riot. Supporters of both France and Morocco flooded the streets, slowing traffic in several parts of the city.
One video showed horns blasting from cars with French and Moroccan flags out the windows on the L’avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Supporters on the side of the road, waving their own flags, joined in on the celebration.
France’s Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of this World Cup, which ties him for the most with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Ousmane Dembélé also scored in the second half for France in the 2-0 win over Morocco.
It’s the third straight semifinal appearance for France, while Morocco still made World Cup history despite the loss. After becoming the first African country to reach the quarterfinals and semifinals in World Cup history in 2022, Morocco added to that by becoming the first-ever African nation to reach more than one quarterfinal.
Moroccan fans react while attending a watch party for the World Cup round of 8 match between France and Morocco in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 9, 2026. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP)
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Morocco’s exit means there are no more African nations alive in the World Cup. France will be taking on the winner of Spain and Belgium, while England and Norway and Argentina and Switzerland face off in the quarterfinals.
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