World beaters: Women athletes ruled the Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics achieved gender parity, with U.S. women winning a record 67 medals. Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky led the charge.

: The 2024 Paris Olympics were historic for achieving gender parity in the numbers of male and female athletes. U.S. women dominated with 67 medals, surpassing their male counterparts. Notable performances included Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky, who became the most decorated U.S. female Olympic swimmer.

The 2024 Paris Olympics made history by achieving gender parity, with an equal number of male and female competitors for the first time. Women shattered records, and American women athletes particularly stood out, winning 67 of Team USA’s 126 total medals, surpassing the men by seven medals.

Simone Biles and the women's gymnastics team, known as the “Golden Girls,” and swimmer Katie Ledecky were among the prominent U.S. athletes. Biles and Suni Lee took gold and bronze in the all-around competition, while Lauren Scruggs made history as the first openly out and Black woman to medal in fencing.

There were controversies as well, including allegations against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s gender, which led to a legal battle. Khelif, who won gold in women's welterweight, faced online harassment but received support from her home country and the IOC. Her case highlighted issues of misinformation and gender discrimination.

OlympicsGender ParityAthletics