The lighting of the cauldron is coming soon, and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are about to officially commence.
With 329 medal events taking place and over 10,000 athletes participating, there are an endless number of storylines for the weeks ahead. Where to even begin?
Let's start here: These are 24 of the biggest storylines you should keep an eye on from now until the flame is extinguished at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, August 11.
1. Can Noah Lyles win double gold?
Usain Bolt was the last man to complete the 100/200m sweep, winning gold in both sprint events at three consecutive Olympics (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016). Could Noah Lyles be the next athlete to accomplish that feat?
Lyles, who enters Paris as the reigning world champion in both events, certainly thinks so. In fact, he's set even loftier goals beyond that — including relay events, he's stated that his goal is to win four gold medals, a number that would be a record for a track athlete.
2. Big expectations for Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic debut
Sha'Carri Richardson looked set to be one of the breakout stars of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, but she was forced to miss the Games after a positive test for marijuana. Now, her time has come, and she's positioned to take full advantage of it.
Not only is Richardson the reigning world champion in the women's 100m sprint, she also has this season's world-leading time after running a 10.71 at Olympic Trials in June. With a personality just as exciting as her exploits on the track, she could be destined to become a household name if she wins gold in Paris.
3. Showdown set in men's 400m hurdles
What will the most exciting track event of the Paris Olympics be? Quite possibly the men's 400m hurdles, which is expected to feature the U.S.'s Rai Benjamin, Norway's Karsten Warholm and Brazil's Alison dos Santos.
The three medalists from the Tokyo Games are expected to battle for gold again in Paris. Warholm is the reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder, but Benjamin has this season's world-leading time, and dos Santos has been strong as well. A three-way battle with the potential for a world record will make for a must-see event.
4. Will Leon Marchand have a breakout Olympics in front of a home crowd?
With the Olympics taking place in Paris, it's fitting that one of France's own could be one of the Games' breakout swimmers. Get ready to know the name Leon Marchand.
Marchand, 22, trains under Michael Phelps' longtime coach Bob Bowman. He'll compete in four events: the 200m and 400m individual medleys, the 200m breaststroke and the 200m butterfly. The finals for the 200m breast and 200m fly will take place on the same night (July 31), making his Olympic plans even more ambitious — and possibly even more incredible. He previously took down Phelps' 400m IM world record — one which stood for 15 years — at last year's world championships.
5. Who will prevail in swimming's stacked women's 400m freestyle race?
Katie Ledecky dominated the race in 2016. Ariarne Titmus stepped up and took away the title in 2021. Now Summer McIntosh, a 17-year-old rising star from Canada, has entered the picture.
The women's 400m freestyle final — already being hyped as a "Race of the Century" candidate — will be one of the marquee events on Day 1 of the Olympics (July 27). Titmus is the current world record holder, but all three women have held the world record at some point during the current Olympic cycle.
6. Simone Biles makes her Olympic return
In one of the defining moments of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, Simone Biles pulled out of the women's gymnastics team event and later revealed that she was dealing with the twisties. She returned to action to win bronze in the individual balance beam event but left Tokyo without a gold medal.
Biles is back, and she has been her usual, dominant self in the lead up to these Games. Her return to the Olympic stage promises to provide plenty of emotional and exciting moments, starting with the women's team event.
7. Can U.S. men return to the gymnastics podium?
The last time the U.S. stood on the Olympic podium for a gymnastics team event was in 2008, but after winning bronze at last year's world championships, there's hope that the Olympic drought could come to an end in Paris.
The team is led by 20-year-old Frederick Richard, who will be making his Olympic debut. Not only did Richard help the U.S. men win team bronze at 2023 Worlds, he also nabbed himself a bronze medal in the individual all-around.
8. Who will emerge with the all-time women’s Olympic gold medal record?
Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won nine gold medals from 1956 to 1964, currently holds the record for the woman with the most Olympic golds. There could be a new record holder by the end of these Olympics — but who will it be?
Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles both have a chance to break the record. Ledecky has seven golds and will have four medal opportunities in Paris, meaning she could move ahead of Latynina by winning three of those events. Biles currently has four golds and will have six medal opportunities in Paris. German equestrian Isabell Werth, who began competing at the 1992 Olympics, can't break the record, but could match it — she has seven golds and two medal opportunities in Paris.
9. Team USA has a stacked men's basketball roster, but tough competition
LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid — all players who have won NBA MVP awards — are some of the names headlining an elite collection of talent on this year's U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.
While some are calling this the best U.S. roster since the 1992 Dream Team, don't expect an easy road to a fifth straight gold medal. The international competition has continued to improve, with more NBA players in the tournament than ever before, including Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Victor Wembanyama (France) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece).
10. U.S. women's basketball team looks to make history
Led by stars Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson, the U.S. is seeking an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal in women's basketball. That would set a record for the longest streak of Olympic gold medals in any team sport.
The roster also includes 42-year-old Diana Taurasi, who could make history of her own by becoming the most decorated team sport athlete in Olympic history if she wins a sixth gold.
11. How far can Jimmer Fredette lead first-ever U.S. men's 3x3 Olympic team?
After failing to qualify for the Tokyo Games, where 3x3 basketball made its Olympic debut, the U.S. added some new faces to the men's national team. One of those names, Jimmer Fredette, will be familiar to many basketball aficionados.
Fredette, a former college basketball star at BYU, joined the 3x3 national team in 2022 alongside Kareem Maddox, Canyon Barry, and Dylan Travis.
The quartet has steadily made progress and has put themselves in the conversation for gold medal favorites alongside 2023 World Cup champions Serbia.
12. USWNT looks to return to the top under Emma Hayes
The U.S. women's soccer team was on top of the world for many years, but after a semifinal loss at the Tokyo Olympics and a Round of 16 exit at the 2023 World Cup, head coach Emma Hayes was brought in to chart a new direction for this team as it undergoes a generational shift.
The U.S. is in a tough group that includes Germany and Australia, and strong teams like Spain or France could await in the knockout rounds. How far can the USWNT go in its first major tournament under Hayes?
13. Can a new pair become Team USA's latest women's beach volleyball champions?
Women's beach volleyball has historically been dominated by the United States and Brazil, and it's not hard to see one of those two nations leaving with the gold medal once again.
The Brazilian pairing of Ana Patricia and Duda holds the world No. 1 ranking, but the American duo of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth are close behind. Another U.S. pair, Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, enters Paris as the reigning world champions.
14. Coco Gauff to make long-awaited Olympic debut
American tennis player Coco Gauff was set to compete at the Tokyo Games three years ago, but a positive COVID forced her to withdraw from the tournament.
Gauff, now 20, will finally get to realize her Olympic dream. As the world No. 2, she'll be a legitimate medal contender in the women's singles event, and she's also planning to partner with Jessica Pegula in women's doubles. As if that wasn't enough, Gauff is also set to become Team USA's youngest flag bearer ever for the Opening Ceremony.
15. Star-studded field ready for Olympic golf tournaments
On the heels of two Olympics that were missing many notable names, the Paris Games promise to have the deepest field we've seen since golf returned to the program in 2016.
All four men playing for the U.S. have won majors, including 2024 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and reigning gold medalist Xander Schauffele, and the international field features players like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama. A strong women's field is headlined by American Nelly Korda, the reigning Olympic champion and current world No. 1, and includes all of the top 15 players in the world rankings.
16. Carissa Moore returns to Olympics before stepping away from competition
Surfing will take place in Tahiti, nearly 10,000 miles away from Paris, and the storylines there are numerous. Arguably the biggest, though, involves reigning Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore.
Moore, a 31-year-old surfing legend, has announced that she plans to step away from competitive surfing after these Olympic Games, though she's left the door open for a possible return eventually. She's had a limited competition schedule this season and her return to (and farewell from) surfing should be an emotional moment as she goes for a second gold.
17. How many medals will the U.S. men get in skateboarding?
The U.S. earned a pair of bronze medals for skateboarding's Olympic debut but could be in store for a better result this time, starting with the men's street contest. Nyjah Huston and Jagger Eaton have what it takes to get on the podium, but a stacked Japanese team will likely be their biggest competition.
If the U.S. is going to register a podium sweep in any event at these Olympic Games, it could be in men's park where Tate Carew, Gavin Bottger, and Tom Schaar are all currently ranked in the top four. However, reigning Olympic champion and 2024 X Games winner Keegan Palmer is a serious threat for gold once again.
18. Wrestling could bring another major medal haul for Team USA
At the Tokyo Games, the U.S. won nine medals in wrestling, the most of any country. No sport besides track and field and swimming produced more medals for the Americans.
Keep an eye on wrestling once again in Paris, as Team USA has a strong roster of athletes in men's and women's freestyle. Veterans like Helen Maroulis, Kyle Snyder and Kyle Dake could add to the Olympic medal collections, while newcomers like Amit Elor and Spencer Lee could start their own.
19. U.S. women's water polo team looks to make history
The U.S. is aiming for a record fourth straight gold medal in women's water polo.
The team is led by captain Maggie Steffens, who has been a part of all three gold medal-winning squads and is the Olympics' all-time leading goal scorer, and also includes Maddie Musselman, the MVP of the Tokyo Games. The international field is tough, prompting Steffens to say that the U.S. "must treat every game like a gold medal match."
20. Can U.S. women defend their volleyball title?
At the Tokyo Olympics, Team USA broke through for its first gold medal in women's volleyball. Now it will face the pressure of defending that title. The roster includes captain Jordan Larson, who returned to the team after reversing her retirement decision last year. The 37-year-old has played in each of the three prior Olympics and owns one medal of every color.
21. Breaking makes its Olympic debut (and possible finale)
Only one new sport is featured on the Olympic program this year: breaking. With a DJ supplying the soundtrack, athletes will face off in head-to-head dance battles during this unique competition on Aug. 9 and 10.
Breaking did not make the cut for the Los Angeles 2028 program, meaning this might be the one and only opportunity to see it contested on the Olympic stage. Keep an eye on American Victor Montalvo, the reigning men's world champion.
22. Daniela Moroz could become first-ever gold medalist in women's kiteboarding
Kiteboarding was added to the sailing program for Paris 2024, and 23-year-old American Daniela Moroz is favored to be the first-ever champion.
Moroz won six consecutive world titles from 2016-22 before finishing behind France's Lauriane Nolot in 2023. The U.S. hasn't won gold in a sailing event since the 2008 Beijing Games.
23. Will the U.S. end 24-year gold medal drought in weightlifting?
The last time an American weightlifter won a gold medal was at the 2000 Sydney Games. But after naming a strong Olympic team for Paris 2024, Team USA could finally end that 24-year drought.
Olivia Reeves looks to be the most likely candidate, as she has the top qualifying lift among the competitors in the women's 71kg weight class. Another athlete to keep an eye on is Hampton Morris, who finished No. 2 in Olympic qualifying for the men's 61kg class.
24. USA vs China: Who will win more gold medals?
The United States has led the medal table at seven consecutive Olympics and is expected to comfortably retain that title once again this year — when you're basing the final standings off total medals, that is.
Things get a bit more interesting when you look at the race for most gold medals. The U.S. finished ahead of China in the gold-medal count by just a single medal (39-38) at the last Olympics, and it's projected to be another close contest between those two countries again in Paris. Keep an eye out to see if China can tip the scales in its favor and retake the honor for the first time since it won 48 golds on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games.