2024 Olympics: Will the U.S. cruise to gold medals in track? Not if the Jamaicans have anything to say about it

There will be 206 countries represented at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But two nations are expected to take center stage in the track and field competitions: the U.S. and Jamaica.

Starting at the Berlin Games in 1936, when U.S. Olympian Jesse Owens won four gold medals, American athletes, including Carl Lewis, Florence Griffith Joyner and Allyson Felix, dominated for years in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter events. But the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics put Jamaica on the map.

Although Team USA won gold in the men’s and women’s 4×100 relays in Beijing, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt stole the show when he ran everyone off the track with world records and gold in the 100- and 200-meter races. Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown captured gold in the women’s 100- and 200-meter races. 

At the London Games four years later, Americans Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross won gold in the women’s 200- and 400-meter races. However, a defining moment in the rivalry took place in the men’s 4×100-meter relay. 

Coming into the competition, Team USA had a record of 15 wins and was the early favorite when sprinter Ryan Bailey readied to receive the baton. Bolt had other plans that night, propelling Jamaica to a come-from-behind triumph and establishing a world record, ultimately leaving the American team behind.

Jamaica’s success continued at the 2016 Rio Games, where Bolt — in his final Olympics — won the 100 meters over American rival Justin Gatlin, as well as the 200 meters. Meanwhile, Jamaican Elaine Thompson, who has world records in the 100 meters and the 200 meters, won gold in both events. Team USA did not walk away empty-handed, though, claiming gold in the women’s 4×100 and 4×400 relays and the men’s 4×400 relay.

At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Thompson defended her gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter events while helping Jamaica win the 4×100-meter relay. Meanwhile, Team USA won gold in the men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relays.

Now attention turns to the 2024 Paris Games, where the rivalry will feature American Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone competing against Jamaica’s biggest stars, including Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.