The 2024 Summer Olympics took place in Paris, France, from July 26th to August 11th. This year’s Olympics did not disappoint. In total, 592 American athletes took flight to Paris this summer to compete in over 30 sports. Team USA won the most medals with 126 total medals with 40 golds, 44 silvers, and 42 bronze medals, totaling to 126 overall. However, the athletes who really shined at this year’s Olympic games were the USA female athletes. A total of 314 female athletes competed for the USA compared to only 278 men. There is no question that the female athletes dominated at the Paris Olympics.
The USA women’s teams showed determination, strength, and fierce competition throughout the games, winning many medals for the USA. They were all an inspiration for young female athletes around the world who aspire to one day be part of these historic games.
For the USA female athletes, the 2024 Summer Olympics proved to be a big success in the areas of swimming, gymnastics, soccer, and basketball. Swimmer Katie Ledecky who has been competing since the age of 15 years old became the most decorated female athlete by winning her fourth gold medal in the women’s 800 freestyle. Similarly, Torri Huske earned three gold medals and two silvers in Paris. Her outstanding performance in the 100 meter butterfly earned her a gold medal. Winning the gold medal in the 100 butterfly in Paris was significant for Huske because she had missed earning the gold medal in this event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by 0.01. It looks like hard work and determination paid off for Huske in Paris, illustrating to younger female athletes not to give up on one’s dream.
In gymnastics, the USA women’s team stood proudly on the podium as the national anthem played, and the crowd cheered the team on for winning the gold. It was exciting to see these young female athletes smiling and being recognized for their commitment to gymnastics and years of hard work. One gymnast in particular, Simone Biles, who emerged from retirement, was focused throughout the competition. At 27 years old, Biles is the oldest USA female athlete to compete in gymnastics at the Olympics since 1952. Looking at Biles competing and winning gold medals in two individual events, women’s all-round and women’s vault proves that age is just a number and not a reflection of your physical abilities. Biles is a role model for young females not to give up on their dreams even though there may be obstacles. Fellow gymnast, sophomore Cailtin Zlideny explains, “the skills Simone Biles does are unreal. As a young gymnast, I aspire to be like her because she is so incredible and how she still pushes herself to compete in the 2024 Olympics after what had happened in the 2020 Olympics is truly surreal. Having mental blocks on skills is so difficult to go through and it makes you feel like you want to quit everyday. But, having a role model like Simone Biles who goes through the same thing as me, makes me feel like I can overcome my fears like Simone did.”
As a high school student soccer player, Rowan Schottler ‘27 stated that “watching the USA women’s soccer team play against Brazil in the final game for gold was really awesome because the last time the USA women’s team won a gold medal was at the London Olympics in 2012.” There were a significant number of middle and high school female athletes watching the Paris Olympics hoping that one day they too would have the same opportunity to compete in the Olympics like soccer player Mallory Swanson who scored the winning goal for the USA women’s soccer team against Brazil.
As the 2024 Paris Olympics closed in August, young female high school athletes began conditioning training and practices for the fall sports season. Inspired by the success and commitment of USA female athletes at the Olympics games, young female athletes entered their high school sports season with a sense of excitement and determination to play hard on the court or field while still enjoying the love of the game.
