Groundbreaking Athletes to Follow Ahead of the 2024 Olympics

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While some of us <<raises hand>> are still coming around to the fact that it’s summer, Olympic hopefuls across the globe have been preparing for this moment for months—and in some cases, years. With the 2024 Olympics set to commence on July 26 and Paralympic Games kicking off on August 28, this summer is sure to brim with excitement, competition, and a bounty of inspiration.

Across the wide-ranging events, athletes have overcome all sorts of obstacles to arrive on the world stage. And, while we’ll forever belong to the many fan clubs of the biggest names out there (Sha’Carri Richardson forever!), there are loads of unique athletes shaking up their respective—and sometimes, lesser known—sports who also deserve attention. That’s why we rounded up some of the most groundbreaking athletes to follow ahead of this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. Below, get to know 10 of the most exciting athletes competing in Paris this summer.

Sunny Choi, Breakdancing

Breakdancing will debut at the Paris Olympic Games this year, making Sunny Choi one of the first b-girls to rep the U.S. in the event. By scoring gold at the 2023 Pan Am Games, Choi punched her ticket to Paris. Choi’s path to breaking might be somewhat unusual: She began the sport while attending University of Pennsylvania, intrigued by the demanding yet artistic craft. Now, Choi travels the world to compete in breaking competitions, which can often be grueling, requiring dancers to face off and improvise in a series of one-on-one battles that can range from 60 seconds to six minutes.

Oksana Masters, Para Cycling

(oh, and para Nordic skiing, para biathlon, para rowing)

When considering inspirational figures—in or out of sports—you’d be hard pressed to find anyone more motivating than Oksana Masters. Born in Ukraine, Masters was exposed to in-utero radiation poisoning following the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown. This impacted her development and resulted in being born with webbed fingers and no thumbs, and Tibial hemimelia, or the lack of weight-bearing bones in the lower leg. Because of her medical needs, Masters was put up for adoption, bouncing between multiple orphanages until getting adopted when she was seven by a woman in the U.S. It was stateside where Masters would eventually have her legs amputated and undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries on her hands.

But Masters is nothing if not resilient. When she was 13, she uncovered a passion—and talent—for rowing. By 2012, she and her rowing partner scored the bronze medal in the London Paralympic Games. In 2014, she added another sport to her roster: skiing. More Olympic medals followed, this time for cross-country skiing and the winter biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Recovering from a back injury, Masters began hand cycling to maintain fitness for skiing. Now, she’s representing the U.S. in the sport during the Paris Games.

Carissa Moore, Surfing

The first female surfer to score an Olympic gold medal during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Carissa Moore is coming back for well, more. Moore has accomplished what many dream of: She was the youngest winner of the Triple Crown of Surfing event in 2008, and has five (yes, you read that correctly, five) World Championship wins under her belt, too. The 2024 Olympics will be her last professional competition, however, as she’s announced her retirement following the Paris Games, adding one more reason to catch Moore as she takes on the best surfers from around the globe.

Morelle McCane, Boxing

Morelle McCane wants you to fight like a girl. Growing up, McCane would shadow box with her brother in their kitchen. By senior year of high school, she took boxing out of the kitchen and into the ring, competing in Olympic-style boxing. But, an immeasurable loss interrupted the pursuit of her athletic dreams: Her beloved brother died. After healing from the tragedy, McCane returned to the ring. Now, she’s won the silver medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games, and secured her spot on Team USA for the Paris Games.

Daniela Moroz, Formula Kite

Imagine hurtling across the ocean, pulled by the whimsy of the wind on a tiny board. This is just another day at the office for professional kiteboarder Daniela Moroz, who will rep the U.S. in the Olympic Games’s first-ever formula kite competition. Heralding from the Bay area, Moroz got her start in the sport early: Both of her parents are windsurfers. By age 15, Moroz earned the highly coveted—and competitive—U.S. Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year prize, becoming the youngest and first female kiteboarder to be awarded with the honor. She’s since added three more of these titles to her resumé, in addition to 2023 Pan Am Games gold medalist and six-time Formula Kite champion. Phew.

Dana Mathewson, Wheelchair Tennis

Dana Mathewson is no stranger to adversity. At 11-years-old, the California-native was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a rare neurological disorder that left her paralyzed from the waist down. After much coaxing from her mother, Mathewson tried wheelchair tennis when she was 13. It was the start of a new chapter. Excelling at the sport, Mathewson was awarded an athletic scholarship from University of Arizona. That was just the beginning: Mathewson has competed in two Paralympic Games, repping the U.S. in both Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro Olympics. What’s more, Mathewson is the first U.S. female wheelchair tennis player to win a Grand Slam and is currently ranked number one in the world for the sport. All of this goes to show, sometimes mother really does know best.

Emma Hunt, Speed Climbing

The first U.S. woman to qualify for Olympic speed climbing, Emma Hunt will be one to watch this summer. The national record holder is arguably in a class of her own: She continues to improve her personal best, smashing her previous times along the way. To date, she’s the only American woman to dip under seven-seconds per lap in speed climbing competitions. Hunt began climbing at five-years-old, embarking on competitions at the age of eight. Hunt has been a member of the Women’s Speed National Team since 2019 and most recently won the silver medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games.

Amit Elor, Wrestling

Winning the U.S. Olympic Trials is just the latest accomplishment for wrestling wunderkind, Amit Elor. The nine-time world champion has earned gold at a range of international events, including the 2023 Senior Worlds competition—the previous year she became the youngest world champion in U.S. history. And, while she competes like a seasoned vet, Elor will be the youngest female wrestler to ever belong to Team USA at the Olympics.

Jacyi Simon, Para Badminton

Jacyi Simon doesn’t back down from a challenge. Diagnosed with geleophysic dysplasia when she was seven, Simon was informed that she would never play sports again. That proved to be anything but true. Three years later, Simon was introduced to badminton at a Little People of America event and began playing the sport in her backyard. By 2018, when Simon was just 15, she represented the U.S. at the Pan Am Para Badminton Championships. Now, she and her doubles partner, Miles Krajewski, have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Currently ranked 14^th in women’s singles, Simon will also be able to compete in the solo category as well.

Alise Willoughby, BMX Racing

Despite countless injuries and heartaches, Alise Willoughby refuses to break. While what Willoughby has accomplished on the BMX track is nothing short of incredible, it’s how she’s handled life’s ongoing hurdles that’s awe-inspiring. Yes, her stats are ridiculous: At 15, she became the youngest athlete to win the U.S. BMX Professional Series—she would go on to win nine more. She’s competed in multiple Olympic Games including London, Rio (where she scored silver), and Tokyo.

But life off the track was anything but smooth. In 2014, Willoughby’s mother passed away from melanoma, a heart-wrenching loss for the cyclist. She’s also required a range of surgeries, making her comebacks even more impressive. Weeks after the Rio Games, Willoughby’s now-husband suffered a terrible accident, causing him to become tetraplegic. All of these obstacles seem only to reinforce Willoughby’s dedication to the sport—and her community—as she and her family help run Pineview Park BMX, a volunteer-run non-profit that encourages curious athletes to learn more about the sport.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue