The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have kicked off, with the city investing over $8.2 billion in preparation for the global event. Over 10,000 athletes from around the world have dedicated the past three years to training and qualifying for this year's competitions, showcasing a diverse range of talent.
Among the competitors are some of the youngest and oldest Olympians at the Games. Haohao, a 12-year-old skateboarder from China, is the youngest athlete, while Sukasem, a 12-year-old Thai skateboarder, also made her Olympic debut. Finland's youngest Olympian, Sirviö, at 13, is set to compete in the women's park event.
Canadian skateboarder Ebert, aged 14, is making her Olympic debut after winning a gold medal in the 2023 Pan American Games. Brown, at 16, aims to defend her bronze medal in the women's park event. Rivera, a 16-year-old US gymnast, contributed to her team's gold-medal win, while Wilson, also 16, is the youngest male on the US track-and-field team.
Other young Olympians include Tambling, a 16-year-old British skateboarder, and Banevic, a 17-year-old Lithuanian breaking athlete. Shackell, a 17-year-old US swimmer, is the third-youngest competitor on Team USA.
On the other end of the spectrum, Jiménez, a 65-year-old equestrian from Spain, is the oldest qualifying Olympian at the Games. Bengtsson, a 62-year-old Swedish equestrian, has participated in five Olympic games, winning two silver medals. Schwizer, a 61-year-old Swiss equestrian, is returning to the Olympics after over a decade.
Deslauriers, a 59-year-old Canadian equestrian, is competing in his fourth Olympic games, while Peters, also 59, has participated in five Summer Games. Zeng, a 58-year-old table-tennis player from Chile, made her Olympic debut after a career in coaching. Hester, a 57-year-old British equestrian, is the country's oldest rider in Paris, with seven Olympic Games under his belt.
Salukvadze, a 55-year-old shooter from Georgia, is participating in her 10th Olympics, becoming the first woman to achieve this milestone. Macdonald, a 50-year-old skateboarder representing Great Britain, is the oldest Olympic skateboarder at the Games.
