After the final medal count was tallied for the 2024 Paris Olympics, women were the undeniable winners of this year’s Games. For Team USA, women bested the men by seven medals, taking home 67 out of the total 126; however, one of these is in contention after the International Olympic Committee asked Jordan Chiles’ to cede her bronze medal to Romania.
As ESSENCE previously reported, Black women earned 38 of those medals for Team USA, and while the Olympics might be over, we can’t stop re-living these top tier Black Girl Magic moments.
Women’s gymnastics ended with a bang with Brazil’s gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, and Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles with silver and bronze respectively for the individual floor event. Even though Jordan Chiles’ medal in this event is now being contested, this photo will live on forever. The three athletes were aware they were making history, with Biles telling Olympics.com, “As soon as we were standing there, me and Jordan looked at each other…We were kind of all cherishing that together because we knew how special it would be, and we knew the impact that it would make on all the little girls around the world that are trying to do what we’re doing, just for them to know that it’s possible.”
In addition to winning gold, Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas and Alexis Holmes set a new American record with their time of 3:15:27. Incredibly enough, they were only one tenth of a second away from setting a new world record. 400m world record hurdler and gold medalist McLaughlin-Levrone ran second leg, as opposed to her usual anchor, providing the U.S. with a large lead after coming in at 47.70. “We knew it was gonna look a little unconventional, but we knew if we did our parts it was going to be fun,” said McLaughlin-Levrone.
In her Olympics debut, Lauren Scruggs earned a silver medal in women’s individual foil, making her the first Black woman in the U.S. to secure an Olympic medal in fencing. Ahead of the Games, the Harvard student told NCAA.com, “Fencing has largely, historically been a non-Black sport,” adding “So I hope to inspire young Black girls to get into fencing and to think that they can have a place in the sport. I just hope that more people who look like me, little girls like me, feel they have a place in the sport.” The Queens native is doing just that and she also helped Team USA secure their first gold medal in the team foil competition.
No one in 40 years has attempted to run the 5,000, 10,000 and marathon distances at the Olympics…until the Netherland’s Sifan Hassan. Incredibly, Hassan won bronze in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races and even managed to break an Olympic record for the marathon, finishing at 2:22:55, after she’d already run 50 laps around the Stade de France track in the previous two races. “From the beginning to the end, it was so hard. Every step of the way. I was thinking, ‘Why did I do that? What is wrong with me?’ If I hadn’t done it, I would feel so comfortable here,” said Hassan after the race. This wasn’t Hassan’s first treble—in Tokyo, she won bronze in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000.
St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred won the first ever Olympic medal for her home country, after beating out American favorite Sha’Carri Richardson’s in the 100m dash with a 10.72 second finish. This was the culmination of a lifelong dream. As Alfred told Olympics.com, “Growing up, I always said I wanted to be one of St. Lucia’s first medalists… first gold medalists.”
Coco Gauff was selected to be the female flag bearer for Team USA during the opening ceremony, becoming the youngest and first tennis star to receive this honor. “I never thought in a million years I would have the honor of carrying the American flag for Team USA in the Opening Ceremony,” stated the 20-year-old. “I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is – at a moment where we can bring athletes and fans together from around the world.”
Sprinter Allyson Felix, has 11 Olympic medals, 7 gold, and is the most decorated American track and field athlete of all time. Last Thursday, the now-retired Felix was elected by and to represent athletes at the IOC for an eight-year term. She will be responsible with key decision making, including helping to pick the host city for the 2036 and 2040 Summer Olympic Games. “My biggest goal is to hear, and take some time to listen to what is going on,” stated Felix. Prior to the election, Felix was an IOC-appointed member of the Olympic athletes commission, where she helped instate a first for the Paris Games: a nursery for parent-athletes in Olympic village.
The Refugee Olympic Team won its first ever Olympic medal after boxer Cindy Ngamba won bronze. The IOC created this team in 2015, in order “to draw attention to the plight of refugees worldwide and offer a symbol of hope” and has almost tripled going from 10 athletes at the Rio Games to 37 competing in Paris. The Cameroonian born boxer took up the sport when she was 11-years-old, and when she qualified for this year’s Games, this was the first time the Refugee Olympic Team sent a boxer to the Games. Because of her sexual orientation, she has been unable to return to her home country where she could face prison time. “If I was sent back, I can be in danger,” stated Ngamba. “So, I was given the refugee status to be safe and protected.”
When Thea LaFond captured gold in the triple jump, it was the first time the Caribbean nation has ever won an Olympic medal. After her win, LaFond said, “It’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal…Sometimes you wonder if being from a small country means that you have less accessibility to resources…But we’ve been really big on (prioritizing) quality and just executing it.”
This was Brittney Griner’s third Olympic gold medal, but it also marked her first since the WNBA star returned home to the U.S. after spending ten months in a Russian prison. During the medal ceremony, Griner was unable to hold back tears as the national anthem played while she looked on at the American flag. “This one meant a lot to me…I mean, just having a chance to play for gold, represent my country, what my country did for me? Yeah, this is the highest on the pinnacle right here,” Griner passionately stated.
