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

(Photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

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

(Photo: Jerome Brouillet / AFP via Getty Images)

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

(Photo: Yasin Akgul / AFP via Getty)

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.

Runner-up: Pommel king (four votes)

Or, Stephen Nedoroscik whipping off his glasses and winning bronze:

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

(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

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

(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)

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

(Photo: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images)

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

(Photo: Richard Pelham / Getty Images)

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)