Top 10 athletes who will not feature in Olympics 2024
Over 10,000 athletes are set to grace the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will get underway on July 26. However, several prominent stars will be absent from the games. These athletes have either been sidelined due to injuries or failed to qualify for their respective sports. Here we look at the top 10 athletes to miss out on a berth in the upcoming mega event.
Alex Morgan and Kawhi Leonard
Alex Morgan, a long-standing leader of the USA's women's national soccer team, did not make the 18-player roster for the 2024 Olympics. This marks Morgan's first absence from a major tournament since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In men's basketball, six-time NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard was initially announced as part of the USA's men's basketball team roster but was later removed ahead of the team's first pre-Olympic scrimmage.
Athing Mu and Dalilah Muhammad
USA's track and field star Athing Mu, who won an 800m gold medal at just 19 years old in the Tokyo Olympics, will not compete in Paris after falling during the 800m final at the US trials. Dalilah Muhammad, another track and field athlete from USA who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and silver at Tokyo Olympics in women's 400m hurdles, also failed to qualify for the Paris Games.
Gabby Douglas and Shilese Jones
In the gymnastics arena, USA's Gabby Douglas was forced to withdraw from her Olympic pursuit due to an ankle injury. Shilese Jones, another American gymnast, also saw her Olympic hopes dashed due to a knee injury sustained at the Olympic trials. These injuries mark significant losses for Team USA's gymnastics lineup, as both athletes have previously demonstrated exceptional performances in their respective disciplines.
Lydia Jacoby and Bill May
American swimmer Lydia Jacoby, who won a gold medal in the women's 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo Olympics, did not qualify for Paris after placing third in the event final at the US Olympic swim trials. Artistic swimmer Bill May, who was hoping to become the first man to compete in artistic swimming at the Olympics, also did not make the US roster.
Murali Sreeshankar and Rudrankksh Patil
A couple of Indian stars also feature on this list. Murali Sreeshankar (long jump) met the qualifying standard and would have marked his presence. However, a knee injury has ruled him out of the entire 2024 season. Shooter Rudrankksh Patil had secured a quota for the men's 10m air rifle event but was replaced by another athlete after national trials.
