Meet the contenders: American athletes to watch ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics

The 2024 Summer Olympics are exactly one year away, with the world's best athletes set to converge in Paris for what they − and all of us − hope will be a return to normalcy.

After the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Olympics were hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict masking requirements and the complete or partial absence of spectators at stadiums, Paris 2024 organizers are hoping these Games will represent a fresh start. And for a wave of up-and-coming athletes, they will also represent a new opportunity.

Team USA is likely to feature plenty of well-known stars, from Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on the track to Katie Ledecky in the pool and maybe even Simone Biles in the gym. Yet as Paris 2024 beckons, here are 10 American athletes on the rise, whom you might not already know − each of them in contention to not only make Team USA, but also perhaps win their first Olympic medal in Paris.

Griffin Colapinto (men's surfing)

Colapinto didn't qualify for surfing's Olympic debut at the 2021 Tokyo Games, but he'll be in Paris next summer after cementing himself as the top male surfer in the U.S. The 24-year-old California native was the second American athlete to officially book his ticket to the 2024 Olympics earlier this month, by virtue of his performances to date in the World Surf League. He was ranked No. 1 in the world earlier this year and figures to challenge the Brazilian men for a spot on the Olympic podium.

Yianni Diakomihalis (men's wrestling)

The U.S. has won multiple medals in men's freestyle wrestling at each of the past three Olympics, including a whopping five medals in Tokyo. And Diakomihalis is one of the country's top up-and-coming talents. The 24-year-old won four NCAA titles at Cornell and silver at the 2022 world championships in Belgrade, Serbia. If he can qualify for Paris, which is no certainty given the depth of the American field at his weight class, he could have a strong chance of earning an Olympic medal.

Nic Fink (men's swimming)

Fink, 30, has been competing for more than a decade but only recently turned the corner to become a legitimate Olympic medal threat in the breaststroke. After placing fifth in his only event at the Tokyo Games (200 meters) he went on to win four medals at the 2022 world championships and national titles in two breaststroke events earlier this year. If he can maintain his place as the top American man in the breaststroke, he could very well have a shot at multiple medals in Paris, including relay opportunities.

Jimmer Fredette (men's 3-on-3 basketball)

Fredette is another veteran looking to make his mark at the Olympic Games for the first time. After spending a few years playing professionally in China and Greece, the BYU legend has latched on with Team USA's 3-on-3 program, helping it win silver at the most recent FIBA World Cup. It seems highly unlikely that Team USA will fail to qualify for Paris n this event, like it did ahead of the Tokyo Games. So if Fredette can keep his place on the team, he'll have a realistic shot at making an Olympic podium.

Katie Grimes (women's swimming)

Grimes was the youngest member of Team USA at the 2021 Tokyo Games at age 15, and it's since become clear that those Olympics will certainly not be her last. Still just 17, Grimes finished second behind Ledecky in the 1500-meter freestyle at both the 2022 world championships and the most recent U.S. championships, while also turning in strong performances at both events in the 400-meter individual medley.

Anna Hall (women's track and field)

The heptathlon isn't one of track and field's most glamorous events, but Hall appears destined to blossom into one of its stars. She won a bronze medal at the 2022 world championships before even turning pro, which she did late last year, and her score at a meet earlier this year (6988) was among the highest ever. Among Americans, only the great Jackie Joyner-Kersee has scored higher.

Shilese Jones (women's gymnastics)

The opening ceremony for the Paris Games will be held on Jones' 22nd birthday − and, if she can maintain her 2022 form, she'll without question be in contention to be there. Jones won silver in the individual all-around and uneven bars at the 2022 world championships, behind reigning Olympic gold medalist Rebeca Andrade. And just as importantly, she played a key role on the U.S. team that won gold there. Jones' primary challenge will be making the Olympic team. If she does, she'll more than likely return home with a medal.

Victor Montalvo (men's breaking)

Breaking, or breakdancing as it is more commonly known, will be making its Olympic debut in Paris. And Montalvo, who competes as B-boy Victor, is arguably the top American man in the sport. More than a decade after making his competitive debut, Montalvo had a banner year in 2022, with wins at the World Games and Red Bull BC One, plus a bronze medal at the most recent world championships.

Sha'Carri Richardson (women's track and field)

Richardson might be the most well-known athlete on this list, and she likely would already own an Olympic medal had she not tested positive for marijuana following the Olympic trials in 2021. After falling into a bit of a slump later that year and into 2022, the LSU product has re-established herself as a world-class talent in 2023. Only six women in history have run the 100-meter dash faster than she did earlier this month (10.71 seconds), and she is favored to win at least one medal at next month's world championships.

Sophia Smith (women's soccer)

Given the youth movement within the U.S. women's soccer team, there are several up-and-coming stars who could be chasing their first Olympic medal in Paris. Smith, 22, is among the most prominent. A natural and persistent scorer, she scored 11 goals for the U.S. national team and a club single-season record 14 more for the Portland Thorns in 2022. The ongoing World Cup could prove to be her coming out party.

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.