Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Hometown Hopefuls: Athletes across the U.S. journey to Paris Olympics, Paralympics

I1XPsJFfkPIJ
Follow 52 Olympic hopefuls as they work to achieve their dreams in the 2024 Paris Olympics in NBC's Hometown Hopefuls series.
Hometown Hopefuls Banner (1260 x 100)

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

Leanne Smith (Para Swimming, Massachusetts) - How Community Keeps Para Swimmer Leanne Smith Strong Anywhere She Goes

Tyler Merren (Michigan, Goalball) - Tyler Merren Is Goalball’s Biggest Advocate

Marco Arop (Mississippi, Track and Field) - World champion Marco Arop talks 800m gold and South Sudanese pride

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

Phillip Dutton (Pennsylvania, Equestrian) - Seven-time Olympian, who left Australia for Pennsylvania, eyes more Olympics in his 60s

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

Evy Leibfarth (North Carolina, Canoe Slalom) - How Leibfarth’s family played a major role in her Olympic journey

Nick Mayhugh (Virginia, Para Track and Field) - Paralympic gold medalist on how art and fashion inspire his confidence

Molly Reckford (New Jersey, Rowing) - Reckford Talks Jersey Roots Ahead of 2023 World Championships

Bella Sims (Nevada, Swimming) - Bella Sims’ rapid rise to success built on family, friends, and Dairy Queen

David Brown (Missouri, Para Track and Field) - David Brown talks faith, Paris 2024 goals, and his new passion

Mariah Duran (New Mexico, Skateboarding) - Duran looks forward to skateboarding’s ‘second first impression’ at 2024 Games

Chuck Aoki (Minnesota, Wheelchair Rugby) - Paralympic star on the village that raised him and leading others to adaptive sports

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

Paul Juda (Illinois, Gymnastics) - First-generation American Paul Juda talks family support, Michigan, and Olympics

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico, Track & Field) - The hurdler who turned heartbreak into elation

Paige McPherson (South Dakota, Taekwondo) - Olympic bronze medalist looks back at her career in a ‘family sport’

A’ja Wilson (South Carolina, Basketball) - Wilson credits success to church and community

Janee’ Kassanavoid (Kansas, Track & Field) - Kassanavoid’s Olympic journey driven by upbringing and native culture

Shelby Jensen (Utah, Parafencing) - Paralympic fencer on home state pride and overcoming bullying through sport

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

Frances Tiafoe (Washington D.C., Tennis) - Frances Tiafoe on the American dream, his ambition, and ‘DMV mentality’

Clara Brown (Maine, Para Cycling) - Cycling world champion Clara Brown shaped by Maine roads

Julia Gaffney (Arkansas, Para Swimming) - Arkansas’ Julia Gaffney shines at World Para Swimming Champs, looks ahead to Paris

Carissa Moore (Hawaii, Surfing) - Carissa Moore on ‘breathing life’ into Hawaii’s surfing legacy

Noah Malone (Indiana, Para Track & Field) - The Division I sprinter talks music, style, and Paris 2024

Historic Lookback (Georgia) - Former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young reflects on 1996 Atlanta Games

Allysa Seely (Arizona, Para Triathlon) - Paralympic champion pushes through health challenges for a chance at another gold

Lee Kiefer (Kentucky, Fencing) - Kiefer aims for Paris with fellow-fencer husband while on leave from medical school

Katie Ledecky (Maryland, Swimming) - Ledecky’s Maryland-rooted path across the country and back

Kieran Smith (Connecticut, Swimming) - The cellist from Connecticut who trains alongside swimming distance greats in Florida

Sophia Smith (Oregon, Soccer) - The USWNT star on mental health, honoring the memory of Stanford teammate

Ginny Thrasher (West Virginia, Shooting) - The first gold medalist of the 2016 Rio Olympics bids to return for the 2024 Paris Games

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

Stu McNay (Rhode Island, Sailing) - McNay aims for a record-tying fifth Olympics in sailing, this time in a new event

Monique Matthews (Oklahoma, Sitting Volleyball) - Matthews on women’s sitting volleyball aiming for a three-peat in Paris

Justine Wong-Orantes (Nebraska, Volleyball) - From a family game to an NCAA title to an Olympic gold medal

Trey Cunningham (Alabama, Track & Field) - World silver medalist reflects on first pro season, Paris dreams

Lydia Jacoby (Alaska, Swimming) - A teenage sensation on overcoming depression in and out of the pool

Aleia Hobbs (Louisiana, Track & Field) - Olympic sprinter’s life changed in the NICU

Jake Williams (Wisconsin, Wheelchair Basketball) - A Team USA star is coaching one of the top collegiate programs in the country

Brooke Raboutou (Colorado, Sport Climbing) - The daughter of world champion climbers discusses her unique connection to France ahead of Paris 2024

Cameron Wood (Montana, BMX Cycling) - How a toddler who took off his own training wheels became a BMX phenom

Matt Stutzman (Iowa, Para Archery) - The ‘Armless Archer’ on seeing more athletes like him as he trains for his fourth Paralympics

Kelly Cheng/Sarah Hughes (California, Beach Volleyball) - The top American beach volleyball duo on the unique origin of their partnership and the sport’s roots in California

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.