8 international stars to know when track and field begins at Olympics
Track and field will take center stage at the Paris Olympics from Aug. 1-11. Stade de France, the country’s largest stadium, will host a majority of the track and field events. The competition is bound to be intense as athletes from around the world aim to be on top of the Olympic podium.
There will be many stars representing countries from around the globe on the track and in the field. Team USA traditionally wins the most Olympic track and field medals, but countries such as Kenya, Jamaica, Great Britain, Germany and Netherlands routinely bring strong squads to the Olympics. Here’s eight international track and field stars you need to know in advance of the Paris Olympics:
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Armand Duplantis
Country: Sweden
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Event: Pole vault
The Swedish-American pole vaulter is the current world-record holder in the event at 20 feet, 5½ inches. Duplantis is the defending Olympic champion and he’s won two straight world titles. He’s undefeated in the pole vault this year and enters the Olympics as the prohibitive favorite in the event.
Duplantis competed collegiately at LSU. He was born in Lafayette, Louisiana. His mother is Swedish.
Shericka Jackson
Country: Jamaica
Events: 200, 4×100
With Elaine Thompson-Herah out due to an Achilles injury and 37-year-old Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce competing in her last Olympics, the Jamaican women’s sprinting torch has been passed to Jackson.
Jackson is a two-time world champion in the 200. Her personal-best of 21.41 is the second fastest 200 of all time. Jackson’s secondary event is the 100, in which she’s was also a serious gold-medal contender before withdrawing Tuesday, a day before track begins at the Olympics. No reason was given for her withdrawal, but she did deal with an injury earlier this month at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix. Jackson’s scratch from the 100 is a massive blow to Jamaica’s gold-medal chances.
Jamaica’s Thompson-Herah won both the 100 and 200 at the past two Olympics.
Faith Kipyegon
Country: Kenya
Events: 1,500, 5,000
Kipyegon made history last year by becoming the first woman in history to win the 1,500 and 5,000 at a single world championship. She is eyeing to accomplish the same feat at the Paris Olympics.
The Kenyan is regarded as the best distance runner of all time on the women’s side. Her 3:49.04 time in the 1,500 is the current world record. She’s run the two fastest times ever in the event.
Kipyegon’s won gold in the 1,500 at two consecutive Olympics. She has a chance to be the first woman in history to win three Olympic gold medals in the event.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh
Country: Ukraine
Event: High jump
Mahuchikh appears to be ready for the Paris Olympics. She broke a 37-year-old high jump world record this month when she leaped 6 feet, 10¾ inches.
The Ukrainian high jumper is coming off a 2023 world championship. She won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Kishane Thompson
Country: Jamaica
Events: 100, 4×100
Jamaica’s been searching for its next male superstar in the sprints since Usain Bolt retired in 2017. Could Thompson be the guy?
The muscular sprinter made a statement in June when he ran a world-leading time of 9.77 at Jamaica’s National Stadium. He has the strength and power to be Jamaica’s next big-time sprinter, but can he put it all together on the world’s biggest stage with millions around the globe watching?
Malaika Mihambo
Country: Germany
Event: Long jump
Mihambo is a two-time world champion and defending Olympic gold medalist.
The German long jumper has a world-leading mark of 23 feet, 8¼ inches this year. She could be the first woman in history to win gold in the women’s long jump at two consecutive Olympics.
Mykolas Alekna
Country: Lithuania
Event: Discus
Alekna is in the midst of a superb season. He tossed 243 feet, 11 inches in April that broke a 38-year-old discus world record.
Alekna is just 21 years old. The discus thrower won bronze at the 2023 world championships and silver at the 2022 world championships. He was a student-athlete at Cal.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Country: Norway
Events: 1,500, 5,000
Ingebrigtsen will try to defend his Olympic title in the 1,500. He won the silver medal at the past two world championships in the 1,500. The Norwegian is the No. 1 ranked 1,500 runner in the world.
Ingebrigtsen is best in the 1,500 but could also contend in the 5,000, an event that he has two world titles in.
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