The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are proving to be the most diverse of all time. The games which have in recent times come under fire for noticeable political leanings, set against a backdrop of worldwide strife and conflict, are uniting countries around the gold in a manner in which no other forum can.
While nations, large and small compete on this international stage, it comes down to the performance of athletes to expand the scope of recognition for their respective countries while Black athletes are charged with representing an entire culture.
From household names like Simone Biles, Noah Lyles and Shakirra Richards, Black athletes are making their marks in events and places which would have never been considered the province of the Black athlete – not just field and track.
Black athletes are competing in fencing, volleyball and skateboarding, among other sports.
Besides Nesty — a U.S. resident born in Suriname who in 1988 was the first Black swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal — the U.S. swimming team includes Simone Manuel, a Black woman and gold medalist in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The leading Greek pole vaulter Emmanuel Karalis, and Germany’s top female long jumper Malaika Mihambo, who won silver and gold respectively in their disciplines, are of African heritage. All four members of the silver medal-winning Dutch men’s 4×100 relay team are Black. In the men’s 200m final, the gold and bronze medals went to Swiss runners, both of whom are of African descent.
It’s been a successful Summer Olympics for Black stars and here we’re celebrating their excellence with a recap of the Black Olympians who’ve won medals for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Most notably on Aug. 5, gymnasts Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles became the first all all-Black podium in men or women at the Olympics.
And for the continent, the news is just as groundbreaking for African athletes who medaled in events no one expected.
The continent’s first medal of Paris 2024 came on day one in rugby sevens, when South Africa took men’s bronze with their victory over Australia at the Stade de France.
One of the most emotional victories so far came in the artistic gymnastics competition, where even among star names like USA’s Simone Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade an athlete from Africa stood out, bringing to the continent an historic gold medal.
Kaylia Nemour of Algeria (pictured above) became Olympic champion on the uneven bars, the first Algerian and African gymnast to ever win an Olympic medal.
Another standout African Olympic champion was South Africa’s Tatjana Smith, competing at what would be her final Olympic Games. The 27-year-old swimmer from Pretoria won gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke, then three days later added a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke.
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