Three Things to Know in Early Preview of 2028 Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics ended with a glitzy closing ceremony on Sunday. Team USA ended the global event by dominating the medal standings with 40 Gold, 44 Silver, and 42 Bronze, a total of 126 medals. The nearest challenger to Team USA was China, with 91 medals which included 40 Gold medals. The performances were memorable for Team USA, with the Men and Women Basketball teams fulfilling expectations by winning Gold over the host nation, France. Also, the Women Soccer team won their first Gold in 12 years. On the track, Cole Hocker stunned the track world in the 1500m, and Quincy Hall showed grit in his teeth by powering to the finish line for dazzling finishes. However, the baton has been passed to Los Angeles and Team USA, who will host the world showpiece event in 2028. In this article, we will do an early preview of what to expect as Snoop Dogg welcomes the world to California.

1. Stars likely to return- the biggest name in gymnastics is Simone Biles. Biles has tallied 11 Olympic medals, including 7 Gold medals, making her the most decorated gymnast in history. Biles has not ruled out a return in 2028, when she will be 31 years old. If she does, she will still be a threat to add to her folklore. Did you know that Kevin Durant is the gold standard of basketball? The Slim Reaper won his fourth Gold Medal in Paris and is the all-time Team USA scorer with 518 points. In 2028, Durant will be 39, and his love for basketball will likely push him to return to defend his medals at home in L.A.

In the swimming pool, Katie Ledecky and Leon Marchand are poised to return in their continued pursuit of greatness. Ledecky debuted in London in 2012, and has won 14 medals including 9 Gold medals. Ledecky swam in her first Olympics as a 15-year-old and will only be 31 in 2028. On the other hand, the 22-year-old Marchand was the standout male performer at home in Paris, with 4 Gold medals and a bronze. However, in 4 years, he will be entering his prime at age 26 and will have the chance to continue chasing the records of his role model, Michael Phelps. On the track, Noah Lyles will look to return in 2028 with a vengeance after winning just Gold and Bronze medals in the 100m and 200m. Sha’Carri Richardson will be looking to go closer to capturing the elusive 100m Olympic Gold Medal at home. Finally, at age 25, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the 400m hurdles World Record in Paris, and she could be the first woman to shatter the 50 seconds mark in her prime in California.

2. Emerging talent that will shine- a pleasant surprise from the Olympics was the promising young talent that will grow in stature by 2028. Foremost among them is Carlos Alcaraz, already a four-time major champion and is only 21 years old. Despite the Spaniard losing the gold medal match to Novak Djokovic, you can expect his desire for redemption to fuel him for the next four years. A pleasant surprise from the Games was the performance of Fred Richard in men’s gymnastics. Taylor captured a bronze medal and, at 22, plans to elevate his skills and deliver on the big stage in 2028. On the track, look out for 16-year-old American Quincy Wilson, who propelled the 4*400 relay team to win Gold. Lyles’ path to the double sprint Gold medal will be difficult with the presence of Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson and Botswana’s Leslie Tobogo. Lyles defeated the 23-year-old Thompson in the 100m in a come-from-behind photo finish, while the 21-year-old Tobogo defeated Lyles in the 200m. We can expect fireworks on the track when these men hit the blocks in 2028.

3. The new and returning sports- the 2024 Paris Games welcomed new sports such as breaking, skateboarding, and surfing that will return in 2028. However, in 2028, we will see the reintroduction of cricket and lacrosse after nearly a century without the sports in the Olympic Games. After support from the NFL, flag football will be introduced in 2028 for the first time. Also, baseball returns to the Summer Games, and the MLB is considering a mid-season break to allow players to feature in their national teams. Finally, softball will return in 2028, but it will be played in the heart of softball country in Oklahoma City which is 1300 miles away.

The hardest part of previewing 2028 is that there will be twists, turns, disappointments, more emerging athletes, and the wait for the Olympics cauldron to be lit in 4 years an agonizing wait!