+ Noah Lyles, USA
The American lives in the Olympic Village and has - despite the fact that the athletics competitions have not started yet - already experienced the chaos. The 27-year-old is very popular, according to his own statement. He tries to keep to himself and eat at different times than others. But he likes the Olympic atmosphere. In Paris, he is anyway to create attention at Stade de France. He has an Olympic bronze medal from before, but in France, the sprinter is after more noble medals. After winning the World Championship gold in Budapest on 100 m, 200 m, and 4x100 m, he now wants to repeat the success.
+ Sha'Carri Richardson, USA
Missed the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 when she tested positive for THC - the active substance in cannabis - and was suspended for a month. The year that followed was also tough, but last year the American was back on top. In the Budapest World Championship, she won gold on 100 m and 4x100 m. Additionally, she took bronze on 200 m. Now the 24-year-old star is in Paris. The goal? Gold.
+ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica
Three Olympic gold medals and eleven World Championship gold medals, including one indoors. To her medal collection, there are also a bunch of silver and bronze medals. The 37-year-old was robbed of the 100-meter gold medal in the Budapest World Championship by Richardson and is seeking revenge in Paris. Distances at Stade de France: 100 m and 4x100 m.
+ Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Norway
1,500 m and 5,000 m are on the schedule in Paris. He is the reigning Olympic champion on the shorter distance but did not quite reach all the way to the top in the two latest World Championships when he finished second in Eugene 2022 and in Budapest 2023. However, he has two consecutive World Championship gold medals on 5,000 m. Regardless, the 23-year-old Norwegian steps in as a favorite - and will face, among others, Swedish Andreas Almgren on 5,000 m.
+ Karsten Warholm, Norway
In his free time, he likes to build Lego and spend time with his family. On the track, he prefers to run on lane seven to get less strain on his body in connection with the curves. In Paris, the 28-year-old is to defend his Olympic gold medal from Tokyo, where he ran on the world record time of 45.94.
Selection of other stars: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is free from injuries and back on the track. At the American Olympic trials in Eugene, she ran on the world record time of 50.65, and her duel with Dutch Femke Bol will be something extra. So keep an eye on the women's 400 m hurdles. Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, is after his third consecutive Olympic gold medal.