LOS ANGELES: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Comm­ittee (USOPC) on Wedn­esday formally named a star-studded 592-member team for this month’s Olympic Games in Paris.

The US squad, which comprises 314 female athletes and 278 male athletes, will be aiming to top the Olympic medals table for a fourth straight games.

The team includes Olympic stars such as gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky and NBA icon LeBron James.

“It is with immense pride and excitement that we announce the 2024 US Olympic Team and the exceptional athletes that embody the spirit of dedication, resilience, and excellence, continuing the proud history of Team USA at the Olympic Games,” USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland said in a statement.

The US team includes more than 250 returning Olym­pians, including three five-time Olym­pians, four four-time Olympians and 16 three-time Olym­pians.

The squad includes 122 Olympic medallists, inclu­ding 66 Olympic champions who boast a combined 110 gold medals.

Forty-five athletes on the team have won multiple Olympic medals, while 23 of them have claimed multiple Olympic golds.

The youngest member of the team is gymnast Hezly Rivera, 16, while the oldest member of the squad is equestrian Steffen Peters, the 59-year-old rider.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2024