The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics will likely be remembered as one of the best Olympics. Stunning venues transformed the two-week sports extravaganza into a visual feast. Memorable performances, iconic photographs, and fierce competition culminated in a beautiful closing ceremony. It was also where the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach handed over the Olympic flame to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Canada’s overall performance

Team Canada delivered a memorable performance in Paris, with 315 Canadian athletes competing in 15 different sports. With a total of 27 medals — nine gold, seven silver, and 11 bronze — Canada ranked 12th on the official medal standings. From the swimming pool to the track — and everywhere in between — Canadian athletes shone brightly and made Canada proud.

Rising star: Summer McIntosh

At just 17 years old, swimmer Summer McIntosh emerged as one of Paris 2024’s brightest stars. She amazed everyone with her incredible performances in the swimming pool, winning three gold medals and one silver medal. She also set new Olympic records in the 200-metre butterfly and 400-metre individual medley. The joy and pride on her parents’ faces after each race made her victories even more special. Now, like her parents, fans everywhere eagerly look forward to the next Olympics, knowing that McIntosh is a rising star poised to dominate in the coming years.

Next-gen sports: Skateboarding and breakdance

Skateboarding, one of the newest Olympic sports, made its second appearance in Paris 2024. Canada competed with four skateboarders, including 14-year-old Fay De Fazio Ebert, who represents this rapidly growing sport’s next generation of talent. 

The Canadian skateboard team had quite a memorable tournament in Paris. Rain delays disrupted their events, and to add to the chaos, their bus broke down on the way to the venue. The team found a very creative solution to this problem: they got off the bus, skated to the venue, and had a great time along the way.

Breakdance made its Olympic debut in Paris in a unique event that will likely be the first and last time the event is featured in the Olympics. Canadian athlete Philip “Phil Wizard” Kim delivered a spectacular performance, winning the gold medal and making this unique event more special for Canadians.

Relay victory: The 4×100 metres relay surprise

Just a few months before the 2024 Paris Olympics, American sprinter Noah Lyles didn’t seem to fear Team Canada. When reporters asked if Canada was a threat to Team USA, he responded with a dismissive “Who?” multiple times and laughed. 

However, the Canadian sprinting team had the last laugh. Anchored by Andre De Grasse, the Canadians executed a flawless race, clinching gold and defeating the favoured American team. After the victory, De Grasse said, “It feels pretty amazing. To be out with these guys, my brothers, I’ve been with them since the beginning of time, so it’s amazing.” On the importance of this medal, he said that, “We talked about this moment for years. It feels good to bring it to fruition. I’m super grateful.”

Hammer throw: A historic double-double

Canada achieved a historic “double-double” in the hammer throw event — “a track-and-field sport where athletes throw a “hammer,” a metal ball attached to a grip by a steel wire,” according to the World Athletics — at Paris 2024. Hammer throwers Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers both secured gold medals for Canada in their respective events. This was the first time in Olympic history that Canada won gold in both men’s and women’s hammer throw events, making it one of the standout moments of the Games. 

However, the success was no surprise — it resulted from a well-developed British Columbia (BC) system that has been nurturing elite hammer throwers. This system was greatly enhanced when Olympic medalist and highly celebrated Ukrainian coach, Dr. Anatoliy Bondarchuk, moved to Canada and began training athletes in Kamloops, BC, ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

Bondarchuk’s expertise was crucial in establishing a strong training system in BC. Now, Canada boasts two Olympic champions and has a bright future ahead for its athletes.

Celebrating Canada’s performance

While we’ve highlighted some of Paris 2024’s most unforgettable moments, it’s important to remember that every Canadian athlete who competed deserves recognition and pride. 

Each moment contributed to Canada’s Olympic legacy, from the women’s beach volleyball team’s impressive silver medal to Katie Vincent’s heart-stopping photo finish — a race finish so close that the winner can only be determined by a video or photo review — in canoeing. The women’s rugby team delivered an incredible performance, winning silver, while the doubles tennis pair of Gabriela Dabrowski and Félix Auger-Aliassime secured bronze with a thrilling run. And who could forget the emotional moment when “Imagine” played during a beach volleyball game? 

Though we couldn’t cover every story, we proudly celebrate each of our athlete’s incredible efforts who represented Canada with excellence and passion.