Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (top) on her way to a world 400m hurdles record at the Tokyo Olympics (© AFP / Getty Images)
When the eyes of the world are on an event such as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, there will always be certain scenarios that are sure to capture attention – from medal-winning moments to historic feats.
Here are 10 key storylines that could play out in the No.1 Olympic sport during the Games.
Hurdles showdowns
The current generation of 400m hurdles stars have taken the event to another level. Both Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Karsten Warholm set world records to win their Olympic titles in Tokyo, and McLaughlin-Levrone has since improved the women’s record another three times.
The women’s event in Paris will feature a clash of the top two athletes in history – McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol – and the men’s includes Warholm, Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos, the three fastest athletes on the all-time list. All five athletes have equalled or improved the pre-Tokyo world records in their respective events already this season. Bring on Paris.
Paris 2024 400m hurdles previews
Marathon race walk mixed relay makes Olympic debut
After starring at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya in April, the marathon race walk mixed relay makes its Olympic debut in Paris.
Each marathon race walk mixed relay team will feature one man and one woman
Held on 7 August, six days after the individual 20km race walk events on the opening day of athletics action at the Games, the marathon race walk mixed relay will feature 25 teams, each comprising one man and one woman, who will complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in four legs. With the first ever Olympic medals in this event up for grabs, it’s all to race for.
Marathon race walk mixed relay preview, rules and key info
A worldwide sporting celebration
Nations big and small come together to compete alongside one another at the Olympic Games. Athletes from far-flung countries often provide the enduring images of every Olympics, but not everyone will understand how those athletes managed to qualify.
It’s thanks to universality places, which are designed to increase the diversity and gender balance of participating nations across the sports programme, and they’re available for national Olympic committees with traditionally small delegations.
What are Olympic universality places and how many countries will be represented in Paris?
Kipyegon on track for Olympic first
No woman has ever won the same individual track event three times at the Olympics and only one woman in the history of the Games has ever claimed a threepeat: Anita Wlodarczyk in the hammer.
Faith Kipyegon wins the 1500m at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
As the two-time defending Olympic 1500m champion, Kenya’s world record-holder Faith Kipyegon heads to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the chance to make event more history.
Tual targets medal for host nation
The men’s 800m has really come alive in the lead-up to the Paris Games, with five of the top 13 performances of all time having been recorded in the past two months. Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Gabriel Tual of France now respectively sit third, fourth and fifth on the world all-time list and Tual could be the host nation’s best hope of a gold medal.
Officially making history
Lisa Ferdinand and Gemma Castano have already achieved a series of firsts in their careers as technical officials. They will each add another at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as international starter Ferdinand will become the first woman to start the men’s 100m at the Olympics and Castano will become the first woman to hold the role of chief referee at the Games.
Lisa Ferdinand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
There will also be gender equality across the athletics technical officials team in Paris.
Technical officials courses on the World Athletics eLearning platform
Seventh heaven for Robert-Michon
Home discus star Melina Robert-Michon will be competing in her seventh Olympic Games in Paris.
Robert-Michon claimed the silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and when she lines up to compete in the Stade de France on 2 August, the 45-year-old – who was a flag bearer for the host nation at the opening ceremony – will equal the record number of appearances for a woman in track and field at the Olympic Games.
Oldest and youngest
While Melina Robert-Michon has remarkable longevity when it comes to her Olympic career, she won’t be the oldest athlete in athletics action in Paris. Australian marathon runner Sinead Diver will be 47 years, 4 months and 24 days on the day of the marathon, while the youngest athlete entered is Kenaz Kaniwete of Kiribati, who will be 16 years, 4 months and 6 days when he lines up for the first round of the 100m.
Athletics entries at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
There can only be one Olympic champion. Or can there?
Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi famously shared Olympic men’s high jump gold in Tokyo, deciding on a joint victory rather than a jump off when they couldn’t be separated in their battle for glory three years ago. A similar situation occurred at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year, when Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon agreed to share victory in the women’s pole vault.
Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim at the Tokyo Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
While the Olympic Games is sure to throw up many surprises again this year, one thing is certain: Tamberi and Barshim will not share the gold. They have already agreed that if they were tied again in Paris, they would do a jump-off this time to decide the ultimate winner.
Men’s high jump preview | women’s pole vault preview
From Paris to Lima
While the Olympic Games is the pinnacle, the great depth of athletics action means that the event also gives fans a glimpse as to the potential future of the sport, as well as showcasing the current world’s best.
Just 16 days after competition at the Paris Games ends, the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, will begin. More than 50 of the athletes entered for Paris will be eligible to compete in Lima, where they can start their journey to follow in the footsteps of world U20 champions turned senior global gold medallists such as Mondo Duplantis, Faith Kipyegon, Noah Lyles, Dina Asher-Smith and Beatrice Chebet.
