Are you ready to meet the top French athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The French capital will be hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics. Are you ready for this exciting event? You’ll find action in 35 different venues and 14 sites. 24 Olympic sports will be showcased within 10 kilometers of the Olympic Village.
The Olympic Games will be spread across various locations like Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, les Yvelines, and Seine-et-Marne, and Seine-Saint-Denis. But that’s not all – more games will also be held beyond the City of Lights. Football matches will take place in Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, Nantes, Marseille, and Saint-Etienne.
Sailing will take place in Marseille, while surfing will catch some waves at the Teahupo’o site in Tahiti. It’s going to be an incredible sports event the world simply cannot miss!
With the upcoming exciting summer sports event happening in France’s capital, all have high expectations of the talented athletes competing on their home turf.
Check out these 9 French athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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9 Top French Athletes Participating in 2024 Paris Olympics
1. Kylian Mbappé
The French Football Federation is making it a top goal to have Kylian Mbappé participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He’s considered one of the world’s top football players, known for his amazing dribbling, incredible speed, and impressive finishing skills.
He was on the French national team that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup, becoming the youngest French player ever to play and win in the final. He received the Best Young Player award. He was 19 at the time.
Born in Bondy, just a stone’s throw from the Stade de France, where the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held, Kylian Mbappé has openly shared his passion for the Olympics and his dream of competing in his hometown.
France’s most memorable Olympic achievement was their gold medal win at Los Angeles 1984, when they defeated Brazil 2-0 in the final. The upcoming Olympic Games in Paris will celebrate the 40th anniversary of that historic French Olympic victory, so it’s going to be pretty special for France’s national team!
RELATED READ: Interesting Facts About Kylian Mbappé
2. Laëtitia Guapo
Laëtitia Guapo is a popular basketball player from France. You might remember her from the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Well, get ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics because she’s definitely someone to keep an eye on!
Originally from La Roche-Blanche in Puy-de-Dôme, France, Laëtitia was offered a spot on the 3X3 French national team in 2018. However, she turned down the offer to focus on her studies. A year later, she proudly represented her country, clinched her first championship title, and even reached the top spot as the world’s #1 player.
From 2019 to 2021, Guapo held the title of world number 1 in the FIBA 3×3 ranking. In 2022, she was also named the MVP of the 3×3 Basketball World Cup. She was awarded an Alain Gilles Trophy in the same year, 2022.
3. Victor Wembanyama
The awesome French basketball player stands tall at 7’4″. He was chosen as the No. 1 draft pick by the San Antonio Spurs in 2023.
Born in Le Chesnay, France, in 2004, Victor Wembanyama hails from a family of athletes. His mom, who coached youth teams, taught him how to play basketball. Before he dove into basketball, he tried his hand at soccer as a goalkeeper and even dabbled in judo.
Wembanyama is excited about playing for France in the 2024 Paris Olympics and taking on Team USA. This is a huge deal for him because he’s aiming to grab his first victory with the French national team. Back in 2019, he won a silver medal at the FIBA Under-16 European Championship, and in 2021, he snagged another silver at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup.
RELATED READ: Fun Facts About Victor Wembanyama
4. Rudy Gobert
Currently playing professional basketball for Minnesota Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert is a native of Saint-Quentin, France, who has won 3 NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Gobert has represented France on the international scene. He was part of the French national team in the 2012 Summer Olympics and was a key player during their bronze medal win at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. In the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Gobert contributed in 5 games for his country.
Gobert also helped secure a bronze medal for France at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he led the French national team to a silver medal, and he’s now determined to turn that silver into gold at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
5. Léon Marchand
Hailing from Toulouse, France, Léon Marchand clinched his 3rd individual gold medal at the world championships, solidifying his position as one of the best swimmers in the world.
At the Fukuoka, Japan worlds, he secured the 200m individual medley in an impressive 1 minute and 54.82 seconds. This achievement ranks him as the third-fastest man in history for this event, following Ryan Lochte (1:54.00) and Michael Phelps (1:54.16).
The French swimmer has garnered acclaim from various swimming experts. His achievements include a bronze medal in the 400-meter individual medley event at the 2019 World Junior Championships, as well as two bronze medals at the 2019 European Junior Championships.
RELATED READ: Fun Facts About Leon Marchand
6. Coline Devillard
French artistic gymnast Coline Devillard won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships. She’s also been a European champion in 2017 and 2023, and she scored a European silver medal on the vault in 2019.
Born in Saint-Vallier, Saône-et-Loire, France, Devillard became the first French female gymnast to win the European vault title. Plus, she played a big role in helping the French team earn a silver medal at the 2018 European Championships, their best team finish ever in the competition.
7. Earvin Ngapeth
Tokyo 2020 marked a historic moment for French men’s volleyball. They clinched their first-ever gold medal in a thrilling five-set final. Spearheading the scoring was Earvin Ngapeth, whose dominance persisted throughout the event. His stellar performance earned him the second spot on the tournament’s list of top scorers.
Volleyball runs in Ngapeth’s blood. His father had proudly represented France at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Earvin has made his own mark, transforming a 9th-place finish in Rio de Janeiro into an amazing victory in Tokyo. This gold is quite remarkable, especially when you consider that France had only qualified four times before in Olympic history!
8. Clara Copponi
Clara Copponi, a French professional road racing cyclist, began her biking journey at the young age of four, inspired by her older brother, French junior champion Thomas Copponi.
Born on January 12, 1999, in Aix-en-Provence, France, Clara has achieved impressive milestones in the world championships:
• 2020 Berlin: Silver medal
• 2021 Roubaix Madison: Silver medal
• 2022 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines: Silver and bronze medals
• 2023 Glasgow Madison: Bronze medals
She’s excited about the possibility of clinching her first gold medal at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics!
9. Clarisse Agbegnenou
Clarisse Agbegnenou is a successful French judoka who proudly represents her country. She achieved remarkable victories, clinching the European title in 2013 and the world title in 2014.
She also secured an Olympic silver medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and reached the pinnacle by winning an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Born in 1992 in Rennes, France, to Togolese parents, Agbegnenou’s journey is really inspiring. She’s aiming to win another medal for her collection at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries and lived in 4 continents in the last 10 years, including France. A self-proclaimed Francophile, I love everything France.