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Next week, all eyes will be on Paris as the 2024 Olympic Games begin.

The summer sporting festival, which will be live on talkSPORT, sees the best athletes from around the world fight for gold, but this year's edition is set to be even more star-studded than usual with some truly iconic names set to compete.

Basketball legend LeBron James will be one of the megastars competing at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer
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Basketball legend LeBron James will be one of the megastars competing at the Olympic Games in Paris this summerCredit: Getty

The greatest sporting spectacle on earth will be staged from July 26 to August 11, with thousands of spectators travelling to the French capital to get a glimpse of their favourite athletes.

For among the participants at the Olympics will be some of sport’s biggest stars – here’s a list of the top ten to set to compete at the Games.

Simone Biles (Gymnastics)

Biles was hardly able to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after suffering from a case of the 'twisties', a mental block sometimes experienced by gymnasts. It meant she went home with a silver and bronze instead of the six gold medals she was targeting. 

Many expected Biles, already a four-time Olympic champion, to announce her retirement from gymnastics, but the 27-year-old is looking better than ever as she prepares for Paris 2024 - claiming four gold medals at last year’s World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. 

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Biles is already considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, but she could really solidify this status with a dominant performance at the Olympics this summer.

Biles is the most decorated gymnast in the sport's history with 37 medals - including four Olympic golds
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Biles is the most decorated gymnast in the sport's history with 37 medals - including four Olympic goldsCredit: Getty

Novak Djokovic (Tennis)

Djokovic has won it all – apart from an Olympic gold medal. The men’s world number one and 24-time Grand Slam champion has said Paris 2024 is a priority for him this year, and it is easy to see why.

The Games will arguably be Djokovic’s last chance to claim the title that has evaded him throughout his career. 

Djokovic has played at four Olympic Games so far but has only medalled once. His bronze medal at Beijing 2008 was followed by fourth-place finishes at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, and a shock opening-round exit at Rio 2016. 

The 37-year-old suffered a bruising straight sets defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on grass.

However, Djokovic should feel right at home at Paris 2024, with the tennis tournament taking place on the clay courts at Roland-Garros, where the Serbian has earned three French Open titles. 

Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, but has yet to win a coveted Olympic gold medal
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Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, but has yet to win a coveted Olympic gold medalCredit: Getty

LeBron James (Basketball)

NBA star James will represent the United States in the Olympic basketball team - his first outing at the Games since London 2012.

The 39-year-old, who is the NBA all-time leading point scorer, headlines a star-studded squad with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

“I told myself before the season, when I committed to being part of the Olympic team, obviously it was all predicated on my health,” James said prior to this year’s NBA All-Star Game.

“As it stands right now, I am healthy enough to be on the team and perform at a level that I know I can perform at.”

James has competed at the Olympic Games three times before, finishing with gold at London 2012 and Beijing 2008, and bronze at Athens 2004.

LeBron James does his best Patrick Mahomes impression with full-court touchdown pass to Anthony Davis in Los Angeles Lakers game

Eliud Kipchoge (Marathon)

Arguably the biggest name in distance running, Kipchoge will be aiming to become the first athlete to earn three Olympic gold medals in the marathon after success at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. 

The 39-year-old may even seek to regain his status as the fastest marathon runner in the world, having held the world record from 2018 until he was surpassed by Kelvin Kiptum last year. 

The marathon is not the only event Kipchoge has competed in at the Olympic Games.

He also raced in the 5000m at the start of his career, finishing with a bronze medal at Athens 2004 and a silver medal at Beijing 2008.

Kipchoge is regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time and held the record between 2018 and 2023 with a time of 2:01:09
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Kipchoge is regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time and held the record between 2018 and 2023 with a time of 2:01:09Credit: Getty

Elaine Thompson-Herah (Athletics)

Thompson-Herah is aiming to become the second sprinter after Usain Bolt to win gold medals in the 100m and 200m at three Olympics in a row.

Currently, she is the only female athlete to win the 'sprint double', having triumphed in both events at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. 

The 32-year-old is the fastest woman alive in the 100m and the second fastest alive in the 200m.

Her rivalry with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a five-time 100m world champion, has made women’s sprinting one of the most entertaining sporting spectacles in recent years. 

Thompson-Herah will have one last showdown with Fraser-Pryce, who is set to retire after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Jamaican star Thompson-Herah is a five-time Olympic champion and the fastest woman alive in the 100m
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Jamaican star Thompson-Herah is a five-time Olympic champion and the fastest woman alive in the 100mCredit: Getty

Tom Daley (Diving)

Daley will be competing at his fifth Olympics this summer, having first featured at the Games when he was just 14. 

The British star had to wait until Tokyo 2020 before becoming an Olympic champion, having taken a bronze medal from both London 2012 and Rio 2016 previously.

Daley’s wait for gold ended in the 10m synchro, before he claimed another bronze in the 10m individual. 

The 30-year-old then stepped away from diving, but came out of retirement last year after his young son expressed a desire to see him compete at the Games.

No British diver has ever competed at five Olympics before.

Daley finally won Olympic gold in the men's synchronised 10-metre platform event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan alongside Matty Lee
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Daley finally won Olympic gold in the men's synchronised 10-metre platform event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan alongside Matty LeeCredit: Getty

Noah Lyles (Athletics)

Lyles is often touted as the next Usain Bolt, and it is easy to see why. The 27-year-old is currently the reigning world champion in the men’s 100m and 200m, becoming the third fastest runner of all time across the latter event. 

Lyles was a favourite for an Olympic gold medal heading into Tokyo 2020 after claiming a 200m world title for the first time in 2019, but he had to settle for a bronze.

He will be looking to upgrade this in Paris after raising his game over the past few years. 

The star sprinter has admitted he often represents the US with a 'heavy heart' due to his experiences of racism in the country, but wearing the red, white and blue of the Star-Spangled Banner still makes him 'extremely proud'. 

Team USA star Lyles will be going for gold this summer after winning bronze at Tokyo 2020
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Team USA star Lyles will be going for gold this summer after winning bronze at Tokyo 2020Credit: Getty

Aitana Bonmati (Football)

While the men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games is predominantly for under-23 players, the women’s tournament is one of the most prestigious events in the calendar. 

Reigning world champions Spain have qualified for the Olympics for the first time and at the heart of their team will be midfield maestro Bonmatí. 

The 26-year-old was crucial as Spain won the Women’s World Cup last year, taking home the Golden Ball after scoring three goals and setting up two more during the tournament.

She was then named the Ballon d'Or Feminin winner, consolidating her status as the best women’s football player in the world right now. 

After winning the Women's World Cup last year, Bonmati will be looking to take Spain to gold in their first-ever Olympic Games
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After winning the Women's World Cup last year, Bonmati will be looking to take Spain to gold in their first-ever Olympic GamesCredit: Getty

Katie Ledecky (Swimming)

Ledecky has an incredible seven Olympic gold medals to her name, earned across three Games so far. 

The 27-year-old first came to prominence when she won the women’s 800m freestyle at London 2012, aged just 15. This started a remarkable Olympic journey which currently has no end in sight. 

Ledecky’s impressive haul at the World Aquatics Championships – 21 titles in total – means she is the most decorated individual female swimmer in history.

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The American still holds world records in the women’s 800m and 1500m freestyle, and she will be the swimmer to beat at Paris 2024.

Ledecky won her first Olympic medal at the age of 15 and will be looking to add to her haul of seven golds in Paris
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Ledecky won her first Olympic medal at the age of 15 and will be looking to add to her haul of seven golds in ParisCredit: Getty

The Olympics are on talkSPORT this summer, and you can tune in via our free online streaming service at talkSPORT.com

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