After ten days of record-breaking and monumental performances at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the biggest stage in sport has come to an end after a week and a half of US dominance.
But even though the Americans controlled the medal table, there were still numerous international stars who stole the show in numerous disciplines at the Stade de France and earned the recognition they deserved.
After having a few days to reflect on everything that happened in Paris, FloTrack is handing out our post-Olympic awards to some of the sport’s greatest athletes.
Top performer of Paris 2024: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaks records and wins gold
Truthfully, there have been more than a few Olympic champions who could have earned this hypothetical honor, but ultimately, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is in a league of her own.
The 25-year-old from New Jersey is in the midst of an unprecedented run, but just recently became the first woman to ever win two Olympic gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles, breaking her own world record for the sixth time in the process.
McLaughlin-Levrone left silver and bronze medalists Anna Cockrell and Femke Bol, among others, behind, stopping the clock at 50.37, almost a third of a second faster than the record she ran at the 2024 U.S. Olympic qualifying heats.
McLaughlin-Levrone added another accomplishment to her ever-growing list of accomplishments, running the second leg of the U.S. team’s 4×400-meter race in 47.71 seconds, giving the Americans a lead of more than four seconds over silver medalists Great Britain.
In her final race of the Paris Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone led the United States to a new American record and the second-fastest performance in history.
Best kick at Paris 2024: Grant Fisher takes double bronze
Over the past three years, Grant Fisher has broken American records and run some of the fastest times in world history, even winning a few national titles. But throughout his career, one thing has consistently eluded him: a global medal.
After leaving the Bowerman Track Club in January and teaming up with his high school coach, Fisher had his sights set on a medal.
In the Michigan native’s first competition at the Games, Fisher tactically stayed in the best attacking position for 24 laps and even recovered from a near-fall when he stepped onto the inside lane.
With 200 m to go, Fisher found himself right in the middle of a group of eight world-class runners, and at 100 m he continued his attack, running to bronze with a time of 26:43.46, the third fastest time in Olympic history.
On the final day of competition at the Stade de France, Fisher appeared to have no chance in the closing stages of the 5,000m final, but after moving from eighth to third place in the final 200m, he became the first American to medal in both the 10,000m and 5,000m at the same Olympic Games.
Paris 2024: Best points scorer: 38 miles and 22 points for Dutch legend Sifan Hassan
Yes, you read that right. In just nine days, the 31-year-old Dutchwoman covered a total of just over 61 kilometers in the two rounds of 5,000 m, 10,000 m and her final event, the marathon.
Not only did Hassan run the most kilometers of all athletes in Paris, she also scored the most points of all athletes on the track: she scored 22 points according to the traditional athletics scoring system.
In the 5,000 m, Hassan ran a season’s best of 14:30.61, which was enough for the bronze medal (and at times silver). She then took another bronze medal in the 10,000 m, her second season’s best in this competition.
In the last athletics competition in the “City of Love”, Hassan battled her way through the streets of the city and finally emerged victorious from a dramatic and electrifying duel with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa. Hassan won her third Olympic gold medal.
Hassan beat the 12-year-old Olympic record by 12 seconds, running 2:22:55 to complete her triple record.
Biggest surprise in Paris 2024: Cole Hocker beats favorites and sets Olympic record
Just days after the men’s 1500m final at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, the excitement and hype surrounding the inevitable rematch between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerry virtually pushed the other competitors out of most people’s minds.
Fortunately for returning Tokyo sixth-place finisher Cole Hocker, he did the best work behind the scenes.
From the moment the starting gun was fired, Hocker was able to follow all the maneuvers of the men in front and found himself directly behind Ingebrigtsen and Kerr on the inside rail.
With 100 meters to go, Hocker shot past the weakening Ingebrigtsen and caught up with the reigning world champion Kerr before overtaking him less than ten meters from the finish line.
Hocker was the second American since 1908 to win gold in the 1500m and is now ranked No. 7 in world history and, depending on who you ask, the fastest American.
Paris 2024 – Fan favorite: Mondo Duplantis breaks world and Olympic record in front of over 70,000 spectators at the Stade de France
Anyone who believes that two-time Olympic pole vault champion Mondo Duplantis does not deserve the crown of crowd favorite should change their mind.
First, Duplantis’s individual performances kept the crowds at the Stade de France after the women’s 5,000m and 800m finals, and then she put on a brilliant performance for the frenzied crowd.
On his third attempt, at 6.25m or 20.06, Duplantis stormed down the inrun in front of the screaming crowd before leaving with a large lead, breaking his own world record.
At just 24 years old, Duplantis has proven that he has mastered the art of thriving under pressure and giving the audience a show and a glimpse into history.
FloTrack is the streaming homepage for many athletics competitions every year
Don’t miss all the action of the track and field season streaming on FloTrack. For more events, check out the FloTrack schedule.
Archived footage from FloTrack
Video footage from each event is archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to view for the duration of their subscription.
