2024 Paris Summer Olympics Recap: Highlights, History, and More
Recently month, more than 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries competed in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. The world watched closely as the best of the best celebrated Olympic gold, broke records, and made dreams come true. The United States led the way, and while we are so proud of all our American athletes, Olympians worldwide entertained and inspired us! While we wait for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, check out our Paris Summer Olympics recap to relive the action.
2024 Paris Summer Olympics Highlights
There were 1,039 Summer Olympics medals handed out in the 2024 Paris Games. While the U.S. and China tied with 40 gold medals apiece, the U.S. topped the charts overall with 126 medals in total. Spectators also witnessed a few Olympic “firsts” and jaw-dropping broken athletic records. A few countries, like Botswana, Dominica, and Saint Lucia, won their first-ever Olympic medals. Here are the Olympics stats from the top 10 countries:
Paris Summer Olympics Medals
- United States: 40 gold, 126 total
- People’s Republic of China: 40 gold, 91 total
- Japan: 20 gold, 45 total
- Australia: 18 gold, 53 total
- France: 16 gold, 64 total
- Netherlands: 15 gold, 34 total
- Great Britain: 14 gold, 65 total
- Republic of Korea: 13 gold, 32 total
- Italy: 12 gold, 40 total
- Germany: 12 gold, 33 total
Want the full Summer Olympics recap? The total medal count for all countries can be found here.
Paris Summer Olympics Stats: Firsts and Records Broken
- Letsile Tebogo won Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s 200m.
- Thea LaFond won Dominica’s first-ever Olympic medal with a gold in the women’s triple jump.
- Julien Alfred won Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal with a gold in the women’s 100m.
- Adriana Ruano won Guatemala’s first-ever gold medal when she won women’s trap.
- Simone Biles became the first American athlete to win two gold medals for individual all-around and vault. She was also the first American athlete to win three medals in gymnastics team events.
- U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky tied Larisa Latynina for the most gold Olympic medals won by a female athlete (9!).
- USA women’s basketball player Diana Taurasi became the first athlete to win six gold medals in basketball.
- U.S. climber Sam Watson broke his own world record (4.79 seconds) in speed sport climbing with a time of 4.74.
- Faith Kipyegon of Kenya became the first athlete to win three gold medals in the 1500m.
- Kevin Durant of the U.S. became the first player to win four gold medals in men’s basketball.
Paris’ More Environmentally Friendly Olympics
According to the official Paris 2024 Olympic website, the city’s ambitious goal was “to halve the carbon footprint of the Games compared with the average for London 2012 and Rio 2016.” To accomplish this, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, Paris anticipated the carbon emissions and created a method for monitoring them throughout the event. Actions to reduce these carbon emissions were integrated into all operations. They did this in several ways, including renting rather than purchasing when possible, connecting the Games sites to the public electricity grid, prioritizing renewable energy sources to power them, and offering more plant-based meals.
Paris also built new infrastructures using low-carbon construction technologies (such as wooden frames, low-carbon concrete, recycled materials, etc.). This is estimated to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions/m2 associated with construction at the Athletes’ Village and the Aquatic Centre by 30% compared to a conventional project.
Paris’ sustainable practices also include financing four forestry projects, including one on the Pierrelaye-Bessancourt plain, an outer suburb of Paris.
Olympics & Other Sport Competitions: What’s Next?
Many of us miss the excitement of witnessing elite athletes worldwide earn well-deserved Summer Olympics medals. While the Winter Games are two years away (we already can’t wait for winter 2026 in Italy!), plenty of fantastic sports competitions will keep you entertained all year long.
The NFL and college football are underway! The NBA and NHL both start in October. College basketball begins in November. And the fun doesn’t stop there. The MLS starts early next year in February or March, and MLB teams will take the field in late March or early April.
To be a part of the excitement in the sporting world, start making travel plans to Vegas! Circa Sports is the ultimate sportsbook in Las Vegas for sports betting, no matter which sport you’re into. Head to Circa Resort, the D, or one of the other Circa Sports locations in Las Vegas to place your bets in person. Can’t make it into the sportsbook? No problem. Download the Circa Sports app on iOS or Android to have your bookie right in your pocket.
Whether in person or on the app, join Circa Sports for your premier place to bet on sports in Vegas.
