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The Paris Olympics 2024 are just around the corner, with just five days left until the opening ceremony of the event in the French capital. An estimated 10,000 athletes from around the world are expected to participate in the French Games.
Athletes like Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Kishane Thompson have produced some spellbinding performances throughout the 2024 season, setting new sprinting records and thus adding to the excitement ahead of the quadrennial event. Here is a combined list of the fastest athletes in the 2024 season in the 100m, 200m, 100m hurdles, 400m, 400m hurdles, 1500m, 800m, 5000m, and 10000m domains.
The list of fastest times for different sprinting events clocked just before the Paris Olympics
#9 10000m
The 26-year-old Yomif Kejelecha of Ethiopia, who is a 2019 World Championships silver medalist, clocked the season-best time of 26:31.01 in the men's 10,000m at the Ethiopian Olympic trials. Not only was this the fastest time of the year, but it was also a new personal best for the runner.
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On the women's side, Kenya's Beatrice Chebet smashed the world record, clocking the season best of 28:54.14 at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic, which was held at the Hayward Field Stadium in Eugene.
#8 5000m
Ethiopia's long-distance running sensation Hagos Gebrhiwet won the 5000m race in 12:36.73 at the Oslo Diamond League. It was the second-fastest time ever and the fastest overall of the ongoing season.
Tsigie Gebreselama, Gebrhiwet's compatriot, is the 2024 women's 5000m fastest runner with a time of 14:18.76, set in May at the Hayward Filed Stadium.
#7 800m
Djamel Sedjati of Algeria finished the 800m race in 1:41.46 in the Monaco Diamond League in July, setting both a world lead and a season-best time. Meanwhile, English middle-distance prodigy Keely Hodgkinson won the London Diamond League on Saturday, July 20, clocking the sixth fastest 800m time and the season best of 1:54.61.
#6 1500m
Norwegian 1500m Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the Monaco Diamond League in July, clocking a new season best time of 3:26.73.
In the women's 1500m, Kenya's two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon shattered her own world record at the Paris Diamond League, finishing the race in 3:49.04.
#5 400m Hurdles
Rai Benjamin, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist from the United States, posted a new meet record and season-best time of 46.46 seconds at the US Olympics Trials to win the 400m hurdles finals.
In contrast, reigning 400m hurdles Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record, clocking 50.65 seconds, to win the women's finals at the Olympic trials.
#4 400m
Both men's and women's 400m season bests were recorded at the London Diamond League on Saturday, July 21. Nickisha Pryce of Jamaica stunned the world by shattering Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's world lead time to win the event in a new season best and world lead finish of 48.57.
Meanwhile, British runner Matthew Hudson-Smith broke the European and national records to win the men's 400m in 43.74, a new season best as well.
#3 100m hurdles
America's Masai Russell and Grant Holloway won their 100m hurdles finals in season best times of 12.25 seconds and 12.86 seconds, respectively, at the US Olympic Trials in June to secure their ticket to the Paris Olympics.
#2 200m
The reigning world champion and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Noah Lyles won the 200m finals in this year's world lead time of 19.53 seconds at the US Olympic trials in June to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Lyles' compatriot, Gabby Thomas, also posted the season-best finish of 21.78 seconds at the trials to secure her ticket for the Paris Olympics.
#1 100m
Jamaica's Kishane Thompson astounded the track-running world to win the 100m event in the Jamaican Olympic trials finals in a new world lead time of 9.77 seconds.
Meanwhile, American world champion Sha'Carri Richardson clocked a season-best 10.71 seconds to win a ticket to the Paris Olympics at the US Olympic trials in June.
