Meet the Olympic Athletes from Los Angeles and OC on their way to Paris

Los Angeles is still four years away host the next Summer OlympicsBut Southern California will see some of our best local athletes perform on the world stage this month at the 2024 Paris Games. The region will send at least 39 athletes, including 24 from Los Angeles County, 13 from Orange County and two from Riverside County.

They will join nearly 100 athletes from across the state, giving California the largest Team USA delegation ever.

Announcements for the Paralympic track and field, Paralympic powerlifting and Paracycling teams will be released in the coming weeks, according to a Team USA spokesperson.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will begin on July 26 and the Paralympics on August 28.

Los Angeles County Athletes

Los Angeles County’s Olympic lineup includes a wide range of athletes, from longtime pros like Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers to rising stars like UCLA beach volleyball player Miles Partain.

A large portion of Los Angeles residents will be competing in men’s water polo, men’s basketball and women’s track and field. It’s no surprise that several local skaters will be joining Team USA in the new Olympic sport, skateboarding.

Three dark-skinned women run side by side on a track, wearing different colored uniforms. A crowd can be seen in the background cheering them on.

Orange County

The majority of Olympic athletes who have qualified for the OC compete in volleyball, beach volleyball or water polo. They include Kaleigh Gilchrist, Maddie Musselman and Rachel Fattal, who each played on the U.S. women’s water polo teams that won gold at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

Several newcomers will also be heading to Paris, including wheelchair rugby player Clayton Brackett of Irvine and surfer Griffin Colapinto of San Clemente.

A man wearing a yellow rashguard on a surfboard surfs a large wave during a competition.

Riverside County

Riverside County is home to two Olympians who qualified for the Paris Games. Michael Norman is a gold medal-winning sprinter who previously held the world record for the indoor 400 meters. Tara Prentice will be making her first Olympic appearance, but was part of the U.S. women’s water polo team that won gold at the 2022 and 2024 world championships.

A woman wearing a white swimming cap touches a multi-colored ball while treading water. Another woman is inside the pool to her right, wearing a yellow and black swimsuit.

What questions do you have about Southern California?