Ranking the 7 best track and field performances at the Paris Olympics ft. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas

The 2024 Paris Olympics has produced many moments of magic and then some. American Gabby Thomas won the most gold medals by a track and field athlete, and pole vaulting sensation Armand Duplantis set a new world record. At the same time, Arshad Nadeem threw an eye-boggling 92.97m obliterating the previous Olympic record.

It was medals galore in Paris with nations like Saint Lucia tasting a podium finish for the first time while usual suspects USA topped the athletics medal tally with a whopping 34 medals, 23 clear of second-best Kenya with 11.

With the curtains coming down in Paris after a two-week high from elite sporting action, let us look at the seven best performances from track and field athletes at the 2024 Summer Games:

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#7 Julian Alfred

A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Julian Alfred made history at the Paris Olympics as she secured Saint Lucia's first-ever Olympic medal at the Paris Olympics by winning the Women's 100m final in exhilarating fashion.

Before this, the sprinter had never stood on the podium at a major outdoor championship. But, all that counted for little as she produced one of the most electrifying runs seen in the history of the event as she blazed through her competition.

Finishing with a time of 10.72 seconds, 0.15 seconds ahead of closest rival Sha'Carri Richardson, Alfred's margin of victory was the biggest since Beijing 2008. She then doubled her country's Olympic medal tally, following her historic win with a silver in the Women's 200m final.

#6 Letsile Tebogo

Hailing from Botswana, a country in the south of Africa, Letsile Tebogo created history by winning the country its maiden Olympic gold at the Paris Olympics. He won the Men's 200m final, finishing with a blistering time of 19.46 seconds and beating fierce favourites - Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles.

Tebogo also became the first African to win the event, with Botswana's president even declaring a half-day holiday to honour the occasion.

#5 Arshad Nadeem

Humongous. Gigantic. Formidable. These are the words that come to mind when you think of Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's javelin powerhouse.

Having finished fifth with a best throw of 84.62m, he had some redeeming to do especially as close and competitor Neeraj Chopra had taken the gold home.

Now 27 and at the peak of his abilities, Nadeem needed something out of this world to dethrone reigning Olympic and World Champion Neeraj. That is just what he delivered as the man from Pakistan broke the existing Olympic record, not once but twice, with a best throw of 92.97m as he demolished his opposition and took the victory in some fashion at the Paris Olympics.

#4 Noah Lyles

In arguably the most nerve-wracking end to an event at the Paris Olympics, American sprinter Noah Lyles came out on top in the coveted Men's 100m final as he edged past Jamaican Kishane Thompson with the finest of margins.

The first American to win the event since Justin Gatlin at Athens 2004, Lyles finished with a time of 9.784 seconds while Thompson ran the course in 9.789s.

The difference of 0.005s is the closest in modern history. Lyles also won bronze at the Men's 200m final and was later found to be carrying the COVID virus.

#3 Gabrielle Thomas

American Gabrielle Thomas performed a golden hat-trick at the Paris Olympics, triumphing in the Women's 200m, Women's 4x100m Relay, and the Women's 4x400m Relay. She also ended her campaign as the athlete with the most gold medals in track and field in the Paris Olympics.

Thomas raced to a win in 21.83s in the 200m final, ahead of Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred and teammate Brittany Brown.

#2. Armand Duplantis

Fondly known as "Mondo", the Paris Olympics was just another feather in the hat for the Swedish athlete who is in a galaxy of his own.

As he ever so indifferently, soared over and above the bar and landed perfectly, Mondo had broken his own world record. Defending Olympic champion. Current world record holder. Nine of the ten best vaults of all time. The Swede already had it all, but he did it all over again anyway, demonstrating to the world why he is the best to ever do it.

#1 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Substituting her achievements with even greater ones, American athlete McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world and Olympic records at the Paris Olympics as she stormed to victory in 50.37s in the Women's 400m hurdles.

In the last three years, she has broken the world record a total of six times. Her win also continues her five-year winning streak in the event with her last finish that wasn't in first, coming at the 2019 World Championships in Doha where she finished second!

With every stride, McLaughlin-Levrone seems to be going leaps ahead of her competition, cementing her status as an all-time great.