The Olympic Games in Paris did not only have medals, but also athletes who reminded us that every spectacle must have its protagonist. Here are the 16 prominent characters of this edition.
1. Thomas Cecon
The reason why the Italian gold medalist has gone viral on social networks is certainly not just the medal. The swimming star, born only in 2001, did not stop at the display of his supernatural abilities, but due to the difficult conditions in which the athletes lived in the Olympic village, Cecon was forced to take a nap in the park of Olympic Village, next to a bench and his video became the most viral on the Internet.

2.Simone Biles
Only 1.42 tall, but with incredible moves that fill stadiums and screens, Simone Biles is a phenomenal athlete not only because of medals, but also a name that has given gymnastics its old glory. Her fears were confirmed in the most dramatic way the next day when she lost her balance during her round, handing the gold medal to her Italian rival. She stood out at these games as she didn't hesitate to talk about the problems she had with her mental health, opening a huge debate around the world.

3. Luana Alonso
She is perhaps the only athlete who has posed dancing with glasses of champagne in an expensive restaurant in the center of Paris, and flown to Disneyland to see Mickey and Minnie, without worrying too much about her performance. Although Luana Alonso was kicked out, the sexy photos she posted on social media in a swimsuit certainly show that she wasn't too upset.

4. Novak Djokovic
The Serb's unimaginable persistence, even when everyone was against him, made him persevere and take the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. After the victory, he jumped into the stands to cry in the arms of his little daughter, knowing that now he is not only a complete person, but also a complete athlete. He also decided to donate 200 euros for the education of children in need in his homeland.
5. Yusuf Dikeç
They called him an agent, they compared him to James Bond, they have already made him a star in comic books and murals all over the world, as far as Bogota. The Turkish Olympian managed to get the silver medal in the shot, with his hand in his pocket and only a T-shirt, instead of special jackets that increase the stability of the body, not even gloves, the noises making him stand out from the others.

6. Armand Duplantis
“Your dances look great. Let's climb the podium together", said the SMS sent by the Swedish champion and now Olympic gold medalist in pole vaulting, who threw down all records by breaking the 6.25 barrier, to his Greek friend Emmanuel Karalis.

7. Arisa Trew
She is the youngest Olympian in the history of the Games and she won gold in women's skateboarding at the age of 14, a difference from her rivals. Arisa Trew wowed the crowd with her tricks, but she said she's happy she won the gold medal, but also that her mom will get her wish to finally get her a pet duck!

8. Alyssa Schmidt
She may not have been able to walk away from the Olympics with a medal, but she certainly won gold in the hearts of her fans, being the most popular athlete on social media with 5.1 million followers on Instagram and 2.1 million on TikTok. She admitted she turned down a six-figure check from a well-known brand for a single campaign on the grounds that it didn't fit her profile.

9. Elena Kulichenko
Even if you didn't know the records that Russia broke, you would say that the Cypriot flag was more than worthy of it. Although she only recently obtained Cypriot citizenship through her father, who holds a "golden visa" to the island. In an interview with "Time", the Russian-Cypriot jumper stated that it was neither an easy nor a spontaneous decision to take Cypriot citizenship and compete with the Cyprus team, since the participation of Russians in the Paris Olympics was banned.

10. Nina Kennedy
Overcame depression, won gold, Katerina Stefanidis had little chance of a medal Everyone says she deserved it, not only because she lived through the absolute nightmare of being excluded from the Tokyo Olympics due to suspected COVID, but also because of injuries. However, the most important thing for her, according to her statements, is that she managed to overcome periods of depression that left her out of social life for a while.

11. Quan Hongchan
"Her drop looked like a Da Vinci touch on a great work of art," said the French Games commentator, unable to believe that the perfectly executed 3.4-turn dive with minimal water entry was real. . For diving experts, China's Quan Hongchan is what one imagines when talking about an "ideal athlete" who takes the sport to the top. The enthusiasm, in fact, did not take long to be noticed in practice, as the Chinese won unanimously 10 of the judges, something unimaginable in the history of the sport and the Olympic Games in general.

12. Leon Marchand
Basketball legend LeBron James may have thought the standing ovation during the USA-Brazil quarterfinal match was for him, but it was actually for the last medal star Leon Marcin. His countrymen went wild when they saw the French swimmer enter the court, giving the American basketball star the wrong impression that the cheers were for him.

13. Noah Lyles
In the Netflix documentary series "Sprint", Noah Lyles appears as the latest superstar in a white sequined suit, the famous pearls in his hair and painted nails, as he usually does in every appearance. The athlete who seems to love expensive brands as much as athletics, it's no coincidence that he has a personal stylist and spends hours studying his every outing at the stadium. However, for a big star in America, he did a lot by winning gold in the men's 100m and bronze in the 200m, yet the world's attention came not from the medals or his eccentric performances, but from the acceptance his honest that he has "asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADHD" and in spite of everything he managed to fulfill his dream in the most ideal way.

14. Kelly Hodgkinson
She was not even 20 when she broke all the British Junior records in Tokyo, laying the foundations for a bright future that continued on and off the court. She, however, seemed to be enjoying her popularity by constantly posting pictures from her training sessions and trips to favorite destinations such as Malia, Crete. Her visit is said to have greatly increased British interest in the Greek island, as has her posing with various popular products. However, the most popular is the photo of her wearing the shirt of Manchester United, where she comes from, which caused a stir on social networks, as well as the one with the gold medal she won in Paris in the 800 meters.

15. Jaroslava Makhutsich
Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Makhutsykh won an army of new fans with her original way of focusing and resting in the final of the competition. A nap between jumps with her head resting on her backpack was probably the secret of success for the athlete who finally took gold last Sunday. She herself a month ago, in Paris, had achieved a new world record with 2.10, breaking after 37 years the record of the Bulgarian Stefka Konstantinova.

16. Imani Khalif
Kelifi may have been through a lot in her country, where they struggle to understand the concept of an intersex person, but now they are rushing to celebrate the gold medal she won on Friday night in boxing. In the process, the conflict may have been resolved with statements from both sides and various announcements about the difference between an intersex person and a transgender person, but debates about the criteria for participation in the games still continue.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) therefore accepted Kelif's participation, unlike the International Boxing Association (IBA), which is still said to be much more negative on rights issues and run by Putin's men. Kelif's father, however, says that his daughter was born a girl and that she has made it through difficult conditions and with bullying that is a daily issue for her.

Therefore the International Olympic Committee (IOC) accepted Kelif's participation, unlike the International Boxing Association (IBA). Kelif's father, however, says that his daughter was born a girl and that she has made it through difficult conditions and with bullying that is a daily issue for her.