As the 2024 Paris Olympic Games come to a close, it's only fitting to salute a few of the top performers who have captured not only Olympic hardware but serious legendary status. 

Katie Ledecky was already a household name prior to arriving at the Paris Games, but she leaves the City of Light an icon. Ledecky cemented her “GOAT” status, becoming the most decorated American woman now that she has 14 Olympic medals to her name. The American phenom won four medals during the Paris Games: two gold, one silver and one bronze, all while breaking records in the process. While her swimming future is unclear, there is no doubt that her legacy has left an indelible mark on the sport.

🥇 Women’s 1500m freestyle
🥇 Women’s 800m freestyle
🥈 Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
🥉 Women’s 400m freestyle

Don’t call it a comeback. Three years after Simone Biles’s battle with the twisties, the American superstar reclaimed her throne atop women’s gymnastics at the Paris Games, her third Olympics. Biles won three gold medals and one silver, boosting her overall Olympic medal count to 11. She leaves Paris as the most decorated gymnast of all time and the sport’s undeniable “GOAT”.

🥇 Women’s vault
🥇 Women’s team final
🥇 Women’s individual all-around
🥈 Women’s floor exercise

Novak Djokovic once again rewrote the history books when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz for Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games. Djokovic completed the elusive “Golden Slam,” which is when a tennis player has won all four Gold Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. At 37 years old, he is the oldest person to win the Olympic singles tournament since 1908.

🥇 Men’s singles tennis

French swimmer Leon Marchand made a splash at his “hometown” Olympics, winning four gold medals and one bronze at the 2024 Paris Games, and breaking multiple Olympic records too. Marchand’s epic performance at the Games has even drawn comparisons to swimming greats Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz.

🥇 Men’s 200m breaststroke
🥇 Men’s 200m butterfly
🥇 Men’s 200m individual medley
🥇 Men’s 400m individual medley
🥉 Men’s 4x100m medley relay

Two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry delivered one of the most memorable Olympic performances when he led Team USA men's basketball to its fifth consecutive gold medal. In the championship match, Curry poured in 24 points as the U.S. beat France for the top podium spot. Curry's splashy performance came after his late-game heroics in the semifinal match against Serbia where he scored 36 points. While he's won numerous titles in the NBA, the 2024 Games are remarkably Curry's Olympic debut.

🥇 Men’s basketball

Lydia Ko completed her Olympic medal trifecta after winning gold at the Paris Olympic Games. The esteemed golfer finished atop the women's golf competition, having won silver in the 2016 Rio Games and bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Games. With the win, she is the first golfer ever to win three Olympic medals. Furthermore, she's the second New Zealand woman to win a gold, silver and bronze in the same Olympic event behind shot putter Valerie Adams.

🥇 Women's golf

Teddy Riner made history at the Paris Games when he became the most decorated judoka of all time. The 35-year-old won two gold medals in Paris, bringing his Olympic medal count to a total of seven (five gold and two bronze). He's just one medal shy of surpassing Philippe Cattiau and Roger Ducret as the most decorated French athletes. 

🥇 Judo - Men's heavyweight
🥇 Judo - Mixed team