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Nikki Hiltz is the US’ first non-binary track and field champion. They won the 1,500m at the Olympic Trials in June, and in usual exciting fashion they wrapped themselves in both the US and trans flag after the victory.
US sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson can be more formally known as the current fastest woman in the world. Vogue magazine claims that she can technically run on water, so it came as a surprise when St. Lucian runner Julien Alfred beat her in the women's 100 m! Richardson still took home silver, but was surely expecting gold.
In 2020, Quinn became the first-ever openly non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal when the Canadian women’s soccer team took home the gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Sadly, Canada was knocked out in the quarter-finals and left Paris without a medal this time.
Hailing all the way from New Zealand, Robbie Manson came out in 2014 and was one of only 11 openly queer men to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Fans of Manson are also thrilled to know that he set a record in 2017 for single sculls that remains uncontested to this day. At Paris 2024, he finished in sixth place in the finals.
Here is another LGBTQ+ New Zealander who rowed at the Olympics! Emma Twigg already has a gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and has now won silver in Paris. It was her fifth time as an athlete in the Games, and the second since she came out.
British diver Tom Daley (pictured, left) has already made history at the Paris Olympics after winning silver for the men’s synchronized 10m platform diving, which is his fifth-ever Olympic medal. He shares the achievement with fellow diver Noah Williams.
US athlete Raven “Hulk” Saunders is known not only for their iconic nails and personal style, but also for their amazing proficiency in shot put and discus throw. Saunders is openly lesbian, uses the pronouns they/them, and has been outspoken about their struggles with depression and their advocacy for racial justice.
Competing for Germany is Timo Cavelius, who is the first openly gay man to compete in Olympic judo. Cavelius, now 27, has been out since he was 15, and the Paris Olympics were his first-ever appearance at the Games. Sadly, he didn't take home a medal in either the mixed team or solo events.
Australian surfer Tyler Wright is a two-time world champion, and openly bisexual. The Paris Olympics are set to be her first time competing at the Games. She has been one of the few athletes in the surfing world to protest the violence against black and brown people.
Although the Paris Olympics is Arthur Nory’s third appearance at the Olympic Games, it's his first as an openly gay athlete. At 30 years old, the Brazilian is one of the oldest gymnasts competing in Paris, and is also one of the only few who are out.
Australian Campbell Harrison is making his first Olympic appearance in Paris this year as a sport climber. Even though the sport made its Olympic debut in the 2020 Games, Harrison was unable to attend because he was taking care of a sick family member. He is now the first out gay athlete to compete in sport climbing.
Although Cindy Ngamba hails from Cameroon, she is competing at the Paris Olympics for Team Refugee, a group made up of refugee athletes. In fact, she made history at this year's Olympics as the first Team Refugee member to secure a medal when she made it to the semi-finals. She is a three-time English national boxing champion, and she’s been living in the UK since being granted asylum. After all, homosexuality is a punishable crime in Ngamba’s home country.
Trailblazing gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz is one of the first two women of color to represent South Africa in gymnastics. And what makes her even more spectacular is that she’s the first openly queer athlete to compete in women’s artistic gymnastics at the Olympics. Sadly, she couldn't compete for a medal in Paris due to a ligament injury.
Nicknamed “The Black Wolf,” Ebrar Karakurt is an endearingly tall Turkish volleyball player who is attending her first Olympics in Paris. Her incredible gender-defying style has been the subject of harassment and digital abuse over the years, but she has truly stood above it all and ensured positivity for herself.
For the first time since appearing at the Athens Olympics in 2004, Spanish equestrian Juan Antonio Jiménez returned to the Games in Paris. The 65-year-old won a silver medal for dressage in 2004, but didn't reach the podium this year.
Nesthy Petecio is a queer Filipino boxer who made her debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she became the first-ever Filipina woman to medal a sport after winning silver in the women’s featherweight division.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Jack Woolley was the first Irish athlete to qualify for the Games in taekwondo. He was also the first openly LGBTQ+ Irish Olympic athlete after he came out as bisexual in a documentary.
Jumping straight from Wimbledon to the Paris Olympics is Dutch doubles tennis player Demi Schuurs. The Paris Games are her second attendance at the Olympics.
Jolyn Beer competed in her second Olympic Games this year, and although she didn't take home a medal, she is certainly one of the most decorated athletes in sport shooting. Beer holds multiple world and European championships, and she also received the highest athletic honor awarded by the German government: the Lower Saxony Sport Medal.
Dutch multi-discipline cyclist Marianne Vos is considered to be the best women’s cyclist of all time, having won two Olympic gold medals, three elite road world titles, eight elite cyclocross world titles, and two world titles on the track. Incredibly impressive! She came second in the Women's Road Race this year, earning a silver medal.
Canadian volleyball athlete Justin Lui came out in 2020 shortly before his university cut volleyball from their program. He has inspired many other athletes over the years. Paris was his first time competing at the Olympics, but sadly, Canada was eliminated in an early round.
Hailing from the US, Lauren Doyle is not only a prolific rugby sevens player, but she also hosts a podcast with teammate Kristi Kirshe, where they discuss everything to do with USA Rugby. The 2024 Olympics was Doyle’s third appearance at the Games, where served as co-captain to earn Team USA a bronze medal!
Coming back for her second Olympics is Welsh athlete Sarah Jones, who won the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Nico Young, at only 21 years old, qualified for his first-ever Olympic Games this year, making him the first openly gay US male track and field athlete to make the team. Young is a two-time National Collegiate Athletics Association champion and holds multiple collegiate records in long-distance running. He came fourth in the men's 10,000 m finals.
Of the 12 women in the US women's 5x5 basketball team, more than half are openly queer, including Kahleah Copper, Brittney Griner, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi (who will be trying for a record-breaking sixth Olympic gold medal), and Alyssa Thomas. The head coach Cheryl Reeve is also openly gay.
At least eight of the players on the Brazilian women’s national soccer team are openly queer: Adriana Leal da Silva, Marta (playing in her sixth, and last, Olympics), Tarcianne Lima, Tamires Cássia Dias de Britto, Luciana Maria Dionizio, Lorena da Silva Leite, Tainá Borges, and Lauren Eduarda Leal Costa.
Six of the athletes in the US women’s rowing team are openly queer, pansexual, gay, or bisexual, which truly makes them one of the queerest teams at the Olympics. The athletes include Regina Salmons, Nina Castagna, Teal Cohen, Grace Joyce, Jessica Thoennes, and Alina Hagstrom.
US athlete Lauren Scruggs made an incredible Olympic debut in Paris this year. She won silver in the Women’s Individual Foil Fencing division, and added a gold after clinching the win for the US in the Women's Team Foil. What's more, she is the first black American woman to win a fencing medal in the individual event.
Every time the Olympic Games come around, more and more openly queer athletes join the roster, and the 2024 Paris Olympics are certainly no exception. There are more than 190 proudly out LGBTQ+ athletes competing at these Olympics, the most ever. Even though international athletics has a long way to go toward being entirely inclusive, this is truly a groundbreaking record.
Curious? Click through this gallery to discover some of the most popular queer athletes making waves in Paris.
Italian athlete Alice Bellandi came to the Paris Olympics to compete in judo in the -78kg division, and she smashed it. She won the gold medal and went viral when she celebrated her win by kissing her girlfriend in front of the cameras.
Sources: (Them) (Out Magazine) (Outsports) (AP News)
See also: The most impressive images from this year’s Olympic Games (so far)
The LGBTQ+ athletes to keep your eyes on at the Paris Olympics
How are the queer stars performing at this year's Games?
LIFESTYLE Sports
Every time the Olympic Games come around, more and more openly queer athletes join the roster, and the 2024 Paris Olympics are certainly no exception. There are more than 190 proudly out LGBTQ+ athletes competing at these Olympics, the most ever. Even though international athletics has a long way to go toward being entirely inclusive, this is truly a groundbreaking record.
Curious? Click through this gallery to discover some of the most popular queer athletes making waves in Paris.