For the fourth time in a row, the United States dominated the Summer Olympics and won the medal tally.
This year was more exciting than hoped: Team USA finished tied with China for gold medals, but ultimately won more medals than any other country.
This summer in Paris, we saw old and new American Olympic heroes exploring the pool, the mat, the track and more.
With the sights set on Los Angeles in 2028, many of these top-form athletes will have to make decisions about a potential return over the next four years.
DailyMail.com takes a look at some of Team USA’s most notable names and what’s in store for them.
Team USA impressed at the Paris Olympics, topping the medal table once again
Simone Biles
If Simone Biles were to decide to compete in Los Angeles, it would defy all previously accepted age standards for gymnastics.
Anyway, we’re talking about Simone Biles here.
At a time when the best gymnasts of all time are long past their “use by” dates (see: Tom Brady, Lionel Messi, etc.), Biles’ participation in Los Angeles could break a huge standard for gymnasts when it comes to their age.
However, it is not yet clear whether Biles will participate in the 34th Olympiad and it will probably take some time before we get an answer to that question.
“Never say never,” Biles said. “The next Olympics are at home, so you never know. But I’m getting really old.”
In the meantime, she may want to start a family with her husband Jonathan Owens, who the gymnast says “would have had them yesterday if he could.”
She also has a tour of the United States planned and will likely spend some time watching Owens’ NFL games on Sunday.
These could easily have been Simone Biles’ last Olympics if we’re going by age standards for gymnastics, but she’s left the door open for a possible return to the mat for Los Angeles.
In the meantime, she could start a family with her husband and NFL player Jonathan Owens
Noah Lyles
After a disappointing Olympics that ended with “only” one gold medal in the 100 meters and a bout of COVID, some might feel that Noah Lyles’ grip on the sport has loosened.
He strongly disagrees and says: NBC Insider: ‘I’ve definitely made my mark as the World’s Fastest Man… the titles of world champion and Olympic champion in the 100 meters belong to me. So for the next four years you’re stuck with me.’
Lyles, who is sponsored by brands including Adidas, Red Bull and Omega, will continue to try to thrive on the track and increase the profile of his profession.
‘I will try to use my influence as much as possible to take the sport to new heights.’
Noah Lyles is the fastest man in the world after his gold medal in the 100m sprint in Paris
Lyles now plans to ‘use my influence as much as possible to take the sport to new heights’
Katie Ledecky
It’s been a predictably tiring summer for the 14-time Olympic medallist. So after winning gold in the 1500m and 800m freestyle at the Paris Olympics, the 27-year-old has vowed to take a break from the pool at the end of 2024.
“I have no idea how long it’s going to last,” she said, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports. “I’m sure I’ll be back by the pool soon.”
Ledecky, who has sponsorship deals with Adidas and swimwear giant TYR, also hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, when she’s 31. Of course, she still has some time to prepare for that.
“I’m really taking it year by year at this point,” Ledecky said. “I haven’t really thought much further than this week in terms of what my fall is going to look like, what my next year is going to look like … I don’t feel like I’m done with the sport yet.”
While she hasn’t released any information about future public appearances, fans might catch her watching the NHL’s New York Islanders, her uncle Jon’s hockey team.
Swimming machine Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in the pool in Paris
Ledecky won gold in the 800m and 1500m freestyle and two other medals
Sha’Carri Richardson
Richardson, who missed the Tokyo Games after failing a drug test for marijuana, made her Olympic debut in Paris, winning gold in the 4×100-meter relay and silver in the 100-meter final.
The Nike athlete has been quick to capitalize on that success, announcing on Thursday that she’s collaborating on a specially designed band with wearable fitness coach brand Whoop.
She – like Lyles – is also looking forward to the next world championships, which will take place in Tokyo in September 2025.
Sha’Carri Richardson runs for gold after missing Tokyo Olympics due to doping test
Quincy Hall
His victory in the 400-meter sprint inspired the entire country and ensured that the United States took home another gold medal.
Quincy Hall became the first American since LaShawn Merritt in 2008 to win the one-lap race.
By the time Los Angeles starts, he will be 30 years old. He could still be at his best in 2028 and will look to continue his momentum in Tokyo for the 2025 World Championship.
Quincy Hall’s victory in the 400 meters was the first American gold in the event since 2008
Jordanian Chiles
The Olympic Games in Chile ended with a controversy that continues to this day and may take some time to resolve.
The gymnast was awarded bronze on the floor exercise after an appeal against her difficulty rating, leapfrogging two Romanian gymnasts to finish in third place.
But after Romania filed a complaint, the IOC demanded that Chiles return her third-place medal and give it to Romania’s Ana Barbosu. The IOC said the U.S. appeal fell outside the allotted timeframe.
Team USA has denied that claim and plans to challenge the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling all the way to the Swiss Supreme Court. Any medal awards could therefore remain on hold for the time being.
Jordan Chiles has a battle on her hands to retain her bronze medal on the floor exercise
Caeleb Dressel
Caeleb Dressel has a tough decision to make after the disappointing Games in Paris, where he failed to win a single individual medal.
He was the favorite in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly, but finished sixth in the former event and did not even reach the final in the latter event.
However, he did win a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay and a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay.
Like Ledecky, Dressel will be 31 when the Summer Olympics return to Los Angeles and he could still compete for the United States.
But as he told USA Today, “I’m definitely going to take some time off. I haven’t been to the beach in a while. That sounds really good.”
For Caeleb Dressel, the Olympic Games in Paris were not as successful as he had hoped