Noah Lyles to win the Men’s 100m @ 9/5
Sha’Carri Richardson to win the Women’s 100m @ 1/2
Jakob Ingebrigtsen to win the Men’s 1500m @ 1/2
Armand Duplantis to win the Men’s pole vault @ 1/33
Keely Hodgkinson to win the Women’s 800m @ 1/3
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Sports needs stars. The bigger the better. The kind that are instantly identifiable around the world, by people who don’t even follow sports. The hypergiants that promote and elevate their chosen disciplines simply by existing. Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo.
And for athletics, in recent times, this lead character was Usain Bolt. It wasn’t just that the Jamaican sprinter won his races, he won them in a manner that hadn’t really been seen before. Using all possible meanings of the word, he won comfortably.
It’s about winning in a manner that will cause your image to appear on front pages as well as the back.
Bolt’s personal gold rush of major medals came to an end at Rio 2016, and no-one has been able to take the baton and match his status since that event. The Olympics provides the biggest platform for athletics and, unfortunately, Tokyo 2020’s impact was severely dented by COVID-related disruption and cold, empty stadia.
The stage is set, then, in 2024. Now is the time for someone to truly announce themselves on a global level; to significantly raise their engagement strata; to become an iconic superstar for their sport. And where better to consummate a thrilling new relationship status with the world, than in Paris?
The contenders I am about to list are already favourites to win their chosen events. But it is not just about winning an Olympic gold medal – anyone can do that! – it’s about winning in a manner that will cause your image to appear on front pages as well as the back; that will inspire imitators; and, of course, generate thousands and thousands of internet memes.
First up, given that he will be, like Bolt, competing in the 100 and 200m, is Noah Lyles. The American struggled to produce his best in atmosphere-free Tokyo – one wonders how Bolt would have fared without a crowd to perform before? – but he appears primed to make amends in Paris; the Floridian just posted a new PB at the London Stadium.
Also taking a slightly circuitous route to the very top is USA’s female 100m gold medal hope, Sha’Carri Richardson. After missing out on Tokyo due a (non-performance enhancing) drug suspension, Richardson will feel now is her time to become a household name. Combining the confidence of Noah Lyles with the flamboyance of Florence Griffith Joyner, it is hard not to foresee major headlines for this American in Paris.
With unsurmountable, snow-capped levels of self-belief, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen recently stated that retaining his Olympic 1500m gold medal would be a ‘walk in the park’. Choosing to also pursue 5000m gold may make his Parisian stroll a little trickier, but only a little.
The women’s high jump might not be the most high-profile event in sports, but all eyes should be on Yaroslava Mahuchikh. In setting a brand-new world record of 2.10m in Paris a few weeks ago – the previous record had stood for some 37 years – expectation will be similarly high that the Ukrainian can make more history in the Olympic city.
Louisiana-born but representing Sweden, Mondo Duplantis has exerted a vice-like grip on the pole-vault for the last four years. Bringing outrageous athleticism and movie-star good-looks to the feast – favourable comparisons have been made to Dune heart-throb Timothée Chalomet – gold medals should continue to flow in the field for years to come.
Keely Hodgkinson is already one of Britain’s top athletes, but an 800m Olympic gold medal should put her in an unassailable position at the very summit. Having just posted the fastest time of the year, Hodgkinson was already favourite to triumph in Paris; but with defending champion, Athing Mu, falling foul, literally, of USA’s rigid qualification criteria, her task has become a tiny bit easier.
So if/when these athletes feel that great golden rush of Olympic elation, will they also seek to occupy the empty throne at the head of the track and field table?
For all your bets at Paris 2024 visit our dedicated Olympics page.
