One year since Paris Olympics: Top 5 memorable moments for Team USA ft Simone Biles' comeback, Syndey McLaughlin-Levrone's world record

It has now been one year since the Paris Olympics. From incredible wins to notable opening and closing ceremonies, it was a spectacle to witness.

The 2024 Summer Games commenced on July 26 and concluded on August 11, showcasing some of the nail-biting yet exciting events. It was one of the most awaited events for Team USA, as it witnessed several savoring moments that will now forever be etched in Olympic history.

They dominated Paris by securing a total of 126 medals, which included forty gold medals, and another remarkable achievement is that half of the total count of the medals were bagged by the women of Team USA.

The Americans posted six world records during the Paris Olympics, among which one of the most anticipated was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's 400m hurdles final. Adding to this, the gymnastics community also saw an incredible comeback by the most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles.

Let's have a look at some of the most memorable moments for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

5 memorable moments for Team USA at the Paris Olympics

1. Simone Biles' comeback

After experiencing a heartbreaking experience at the Tokyo Olympics, where Simone Biles had to withdraw amid the ongoing event after suffering from twisties, she made an incredible comeback at the 2024 Summer Games. She proved her billing by winning four medals at the event, including three gold medals and one silver medal. She won her first gold medal in the team all-around event, where she and her team earned a score of 171.296 points, finishing ahead of Italy and Brazil.

Following this, she won her second gold in the individual all-around event, where she earned a score of 59.131 points to stand atop the podium with Rebeca Andrade and Suni Lee claiming the second and third positions, respectively. The third gold came for her in the vault exercise, where she secured 15.300 points. The fourth medal for Biles was a silver medal in the floor exercise, with Andrade standing atop the podium in this one.

With these wins, Biles became the most decorated gymnast of all time by increasing her Olympic medal tally to 11.

2. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's 400m hurdles world record

Another memorable moment for Team USA from Paris Olympics was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's performance at the 400m hurdles event. She showcased her dominance in the event by setting a new world record after clocking an impressive time of 50.37 s, besting Anna Cockrell and Femke Bol, who secured the second and third places, respectively.

This feat marked the American's sixth world record in the event, and it was also her second consecutive Olympic medal in the 400m hurdles. Ahead of this, she broke the world record during the 2024 US Trials, where she clocked a time of 50.65 s.

3. Noah Lyles' nail biting win in the 100m

The men's 100m was one of the most anticipated events of the Paris Olympics, as both Noah Lyles and the Jamaican athlete, Kishane Thompson, were on the top list to clinch the gold medal. In the beginning of the race, Lyles had a comparatively slow start; however, he proved his exceptional speed by overtaking his competitors in the final stretch.

Both he and Thompson crossed the finish line at the same official time of 9.79 s; however, the American was declared the winner as he edged his contender out by just 0.005 s. This race was the closest 100m final in modern Olympic history, and along with this, Lyles also became the first American to win the Olympic 100m title since Justin Gatlin in 2004.

4. Men's gymnastics winning their first Olympic medal in 16 years

The USA men's gymnastics team witnessed a memorable moment at the Paris Olympics during the team all-around event. The team, consisting of Stephen Nedoroscik, Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, and Fred Richard, secured a bronze medal at the event, marking their first medal in the team event in 16 years.

All the team members delivered significant performances in the events they excelled in, as Nedoroscik produced a dominant performance at the pommel horse, which played a crucial role in the team winning the bronze medal, earning the highest score of 14.866 points. This was the first medal for Team USA in the team event since Beijing 2008.

5. USA made history with the first medal in Rugby Sevens

Another highlight of the Paris Olympics was Team USA grabbing their first Olympic medal of all time in rugby sevens. With Ilona Maher headlining the women's team, they delivered a staunch performance, defeating Australia in a bronze medal showdown, with a score of 14-12. They earned a third-place finish in the sport for the first time since 1924, when the men's team won gold in 15s.