Nearly 600 Americans will be heading to Paris to compete in this year’s Olympic Games, and a new map showcases which states lead the pack in nurturing athletes who climb to the pinnacle of international competition.
The U.S. hopes to retain its crown at what is arguably the world’s biggest sporting event, which kicks off on Friday evening.
With 2,629 total medals, of which 1,061 have been gold, the U.S. is far and away the most successful country at the games. Russia takes the silver with 1,886 medals, followed by Germany with 1,386.
Using data from Team USA, Newsweek created a map showing the home states of the 2024 Olympians and Paralympians, underscoring the demographic and cultural variables which contribute to athlete development.
California dominates the squad, with 142 Olympic athletes hailing from The Golden State.
As the nation’s largest state, with some 38 million residents, California’s position at the top of the pile is unsurprising.
However, California’s success also owes thanks to its strong college sporting culture.
The three top universities which have produced the most 2024 Olympians are in California: USC with 16, UCLA with 17, and Stanford with 38 athletes, more than the entire state of Pennsylvania.
Florida is in second place with 46 athletes, followed by Texas with 44 athletes.
The University of Texas in Austin has produced 14 athletes alone, tied for fourth place with Pennsylvania’s Penn State.
Martin Meissner/Associated Press
Predictably, California, Florida and Texas are also the three largest in the country in terms of population. Despite only having 6.2 million residents, Maryland is home to an impressive 24 U.S. Olympians.
The state is the also the birthplace of Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals, of which 23 were gold.
Abbie Parr/Associated Press
Ohio has produced 17 Olympians, and two of this year’s must-watch athletes were born in the Buckeye State.
Born in the state capital of Columbus, Simon Biles is considered by many to be among the greatest gymnasts of all time.
She is also one of the most decorated athletes on the 2024 squad, having won four golds, one silver and two bronzes across two Olympics.
Biles was conspicuously absent from two gymnastics finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and was unable to defend her gold medal from Rio due to mental health concerns.
Ohio is also the birthplace of LeBron James, who will lead the U.S. men’s basketball team, a perennial favorite aiming to secure their 17th gold medal out of the 20 tournaments in which they have competed.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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