Perhaps the figure of Kevin Durant is one of the most intriguing in this regard among fans. The NBA star is on the brink of becoming the first male athlete in the world to win four Olympic golds in a team sport. With medals from London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo already in his collection, the Phoenix Suns forward will aim to stand atop the Parisian podium with the United States team on 10 August to become the undisputed king.

Durant's feat could last only 24 hours, as if France wins the men's handball competition the following day, Frenchman Nikola Karabatic, a player on this team, would equal the American's record. Karabatic, along with his teammates, won gold in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020, and if he repeats the achievement now, he would also make a grand exit, as the player is 40 years old and plans to retire after the Olympics.

Another player close to making history, without needing to be a multiple Olympic champion, is basketball player Jimmer Fredette. The American will only need to step onto the 3x3 court at Place de la Concorde on 30 July to become the first former NBA player to participate in this sport at the Games. Throughout his career, he has played for five regular season teams, and in 2022 he transitioned to 3x3, expressing his interest at that time in participating in Paris 2024 as part of the United States 3x3 basketball team.

Also in the 3x3 tournament but in the women's category, American players Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are close to becoming the first players in this competition to win two Olympic gold medals. The duo already helped the United States team secure the top spot in Tokyo 2020, the edition that first introduced this sport. At that time, Plum finished tied with Wang Lili as the tournament's top scorer with 55 points.

On the other hand, seven-time gold medallists Isabell Werth, a German equestrian competing in dressage, and Katie Ledecky, an American freestyle swimmer, have the opportunity to inscribe their names in the history books. If they win in Paris, they will become the women with the most Olympic gold medals in any sport. The current female record is held by gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won nine gold medals throughout her illustrious career.

The Chateauroux Shooting Centre will take centre stage on 27 July. Nino Salukvadze, the Georgian athlete competing in pistol shooting, will have the opportunity to extend her own record as the athlete with the most Olympic participations. In Paris, she will mark her tenth Games after being present at all the events since Seoul 1988. Salukvadze has three gold medals to her name.

Team records

Beyond individual achievements, teams will also have the opportunity to create milestones in this context. To start with, we find the Uzbekistan team, which will participate in a team sport at the Olympic Games for the first time. Their men's football team will make its debut in this category, playing at the Parc des Princes on 24 July, facing Spain in their first Group C match.

The same can be said for Azerbaijan, which will achieve an identical milestone after its women's 3x3 basketball team secured a spot at these Olympics by winning the Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Hong Kong earlier this year. Their first group stage match will be on 30th July, also against the Spanish team.

Also in basketball, but in the 5x5 format, the United States women's team has the chance to make history on the last day of competition. If they win the title at the Bercy Arena on 11th August, they will secure their eighth consecutive gold medal in the event since their amazing winning streak began in Atlanta 1996, thus breaking the record for consecutive Olympic gold medals in any team sport. The current record is tied with the United States men's basketball team, which won seven golds from 1936 to 1968.