Next summer, Paris - the City of Light, of love, a global hub of food, fashion and culture, and the capital of France - will play host to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. Paris will host the Games for the third time, after an Olympic debut in 1900 and and a follow-up gig in 1924, becoming the second city to host three editions of the modern Games (after London, with Los Angeles set to join that list in 2028).
With a first of its kind Opening Ceremony on boats cruising down the Seine, 329 Olympic events, 549 Paralympic events and a debut Olympic sport in breaking, next summer in Paris promises many highlights. But the group that has always given force and meaning to the Games is the athletes themselves: Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from across the United States and around the world who train at the highest level for a shot at glory that only comes around every four years.
RELATED: NBC, Peacock to break Olympic broadcast coverage records at 2024 Paris Games
Throughout the summer, in a series called Hometown Hopefuls, NBC will spotlight the stories of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from all fifty states, as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, as they work towards the opportunity to represent their country in France. We’ll learn about their path to their sports’ biggest stage, and the towns and communities that have been formative along the way. Stay tuned to NBCSports.com for stories from across America as these Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls prepare for Paris in summer 2024.
Hometown Hopefuls - Stories State by State
Stay tuned - new stories will be published (and linked here) all summer long.
Kate Shoemaker (Para equestrian, Idaho) - For Paralympian and equine vet Kate Shoemaker, it’s horses from sunrise to sundown (and often beyond)
Rulon Gardner (Wrestling, Wyoming) - Olympic Wrestling Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner Isn’t Done Yet
Tyler Merren (Michigan, Goalball) - Tyler Merren Is Goalball’s Biggest Advocate
Jessica Parratto (New Hampshire, Diving) - Why Diver Jessica Parratto Came Out of Retirement
Caroline Marks (Florida, Surfing) - Newly-crowned world surf champion Caroline Marks reflects on year of growth
Elena Delle Donne (Delaware, Basketball) - Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne is Back and Better Than Ever
Historic Lookback (North Dakota) - Ethel Catherwood: North Dakota’s Largely Unknown Olympic Champion
Molly Reckford (New Jersey, Rowing) - Reckford Talks Jersey Roots Ahead of 2023 World Championships
Shilese Jones (Washington, Gymnastics) - Jones back home to finish what she started
Sunny Choi (New York, Breaking) - Choi brings a unique flare to a new Olympic sport
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico, Track & Field) - The hurdler who turned heartbreak into elation
A’ja Wilson (South Carolina, Basketball) - Wilson credits success to church and community
Wes Kitts (Tennessee, Weightlifting) - Kitts carries memory of his father to the Olympic stage
Jennifer Lozano (Texas, Boxing) - “La Traviesa”, brings family and Texas pride to every punch
Clara Brown (Maine, Para Cycling) - Cycling world champion Clara Brown shaped by Maine roads
Carissa Moore (Hawaii, Surfing) - Carissa Moore on ‘breathing life’ into Hawaii’s surfing legacy
Historic Lookback (Georgia) - Former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young reflects on 1996 Atlanta Games
Katie Ledecky (Maryland, Swimming) - Ledecky’s Maryland-rooted path across the country and back
Rose Lavelle (Ohio, Soccer) - Rose Lavelle prepares for second World Cup, reflects on Ohio roots
Ilon Maher (Rugby, Vermont) - Ilona Maher on the post-Olympic blues and body image
Aleia Hobbs (Louisiana, Track & Field) - Olympic sprinter’s life changed in the NICU
Alabama l Alaska l Arizona I Arkansas l California l Colorado l Connecticut l Delaware l Florida l Georgia l Hawaii l Idaho l Illinois l Indiana l Iowa l Kansas l Kentucky l Louisiana l Maine l Maryland l Massachusetts l Michigan l Minnesota l Mississippi l Missouri l Montana l Nebraska l Nevada l New Hampshire l New Jersey l New Mexico l New York l North Carolina l North Dakota l Ohio l Oklahoma l Oregon l Pennsylvania l Rhode Island l South Carolina l South Dakota l Tennessee l Texas l Utah l Vermont l Virginia l Washington l West Virginia l Wisconsin l Wyoming l Puerto Rico l Washington, D.C.
RELATED: 2024 Paris Olympics dates, schedule information, athletes to watch
When are the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The Paris Olympics begin July 26th and run through August 11th in the summer of 2024.
When are the 2024 Paris Paralympics?
After a brief break following the Olympic Games, the Paris Paralympics will begin August 28th and conclude September 8th.
RELATED: Paris 2024 Olympic day-by-day competition schedule
What are the new sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
One new sport will debut at next summer’s Olympic Games: breaking, featuring dancers competing head-to-head to progress through a bracket. The United States will have strong medal contenders in both the men’s and women’s fields, including B-Boy Victor, the men’s gold medal favorite, and B-Girl Sunny, who could contend for a medal on the women’s side.
How can I watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics?
The Olympic and Paralympic Games in summer 2024 will air across the networks of NBC and on Peacock. Every day, NBC will provide Olympic fans with at least nine hours of daytime coverage of the Games’ most exciting events, including live finals coverage of swimming, gymnastics, track & field, and more. With Paris six hours ahead of the United States’ eastern time zone, the daytime takeover will feature that day’s most popular events live on NBC in the morning and afternoon. NBC will also deliver an enhanced Olympics primetime show every night of the Games. Paris 2024 will have more programming hours on the NBC broadcast network than any previous Olympics.
RELATED: Athletes to watch for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games
Peacock will be the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing fans with the most comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history. In a summer Games first, the service will stream every sport and event, including all 329 medal events, and will feature full-event replays; all NBC programming; curated video clips; virtual channels; exclusive original programming; and more.
Telemundo will provide extensive Spanish-language coverage of the Summer Games throughout the competition day with additional coverage on cable channel Universo. In addition to the most high-profile sports and events, the Telemundo broadcast network will be the home to the men’s and women’s soccer competitions in Spanish, with a special focus on Team USA.
NBCU’s coverage of the Paris Paralympics will take place Aug. 28 – Sept. 8, 2024, with details to be released at a later date.