The Paris 2024 Olympics looks set to provide another historic show of sporting action, but few events will draw more interest than the slew of track and field medals up for grabs throughout the games in France.
Arguably, the discipline is most synonymous with Olympic success among all sports, and the large plethora of athletics stars who will arrive in the capital looking to write their name into history will be among the biggest proportion of NOC contenders overall.
Several men and women have written their names into cultural folklore around the globe for their exploits in these arenas, with Usain Bolt’s legendary success for Jamaica arguably still among the most transcendent sporting images of this century.
Held at the Stade de France, the home of French sport, there will be no shortage of familiar faces looking to back up their other feats, while plenty will be chasing either a first or final shot following on from the delayed Tokyo 2020 three years ago.
So, who will partake in Paris 2024? What will the schedule be? And how will you be able to watch it all unfold? Allow GOAL to guide you through how to see all the track action from the Paris 2024 Olympics this year.
What is the schedule for track and field at Paris 2024?
Getty ImagesThe track and field events at Paris 2024 will take place at Stade de France over the latter half of the games.
Below, you can find the current schedule for events and disciplines as it stands:
Paris 2024 track and field schedule
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| Friday, August 2 | Women's 100m Preliminary Round, Women's 100m Round 1, Men's 1500m Round 1, Women's High Jump Qualification, Men's Hammer Throw Qualification, Men's Decathlon 100m, Men's Decathlon Long Jump, Men's Decathlon Shot Put, Women's 800m Round 14 x 400m Relay Mixed Round 1, Women's Triple Jump Qualification, Women's Discus Throw Qualification, Men's Shot Put Qualification, Men's Decathlon High Jump, Men's Decathlon 400m, Men's 10,000m Final |
| Saturday, August 3 | Men's 100m Preliminary Round, Men's 100m Round 1, Women's 800m Repechages, Men's Decathlon 110m Hurdles, Men's Decathlon Discus Throw, Men's Decathlon Pole Vault, Women's 5000m Round 1, Men's 1500m Repechages, Men's Pole Vault Qualification, Women's 100m Semifinals, Men's Decathlon Javelin Throw, Women's 100m Final, Women's Triple Jump Final, Men's Decathlon 1500m, Men's Shot Put Final, 4 x 400m Relay Mixed Final |
| Sunday, August 4 | Women's 200m Round 1, Women's 1500m Round 1, Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1, Men's 110m Hurdles Round 1, Women's Hammer Throw Qualification, Men's Long Jump Qualification, Men's 400m Round 1, Women's 800m Semifinals, Men's 100m Semifinals, Men's 1500m Semifinals, Women's High Jump Final, Men's 100m Final, Men's Hammer Throw Final |
| Monday, August 5 | Women's 400m Round 1, Men's 400m Hurdles Round 1, Women's 200m Repechages, Women's 400m Hurdles Repechages, Men's 400m Repechages, Women's Pole Vault Qualification, Men's Discus Throw Qualification, Men's 200m Round 1, Men's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1, Women's 200m Semifinals, Women's 800m Final, Women's Discus Throw Final, Men's Pole Vault Final |
| Tuesday, August 6 | Women's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1, Women's 400m Repechages, Men's 110m Hurdles Repechages, Men's 400m Hurdles Repechages, Men's 200m Repechages, Women's Long Jump Qualification, Men's Javelin Throw Qualification, Women's 400m Hurdles Semifinals, Men's 400m Semifinals, Women's 200m Final, Women's 5000m Final, Women's Hammer Throw Final, Men's 1500m Final, Men's Long Jump Final |
| Wednesday, August 7 | Women's 100m Hurdles Round 1, Men's 800m Round 1, Men's 5000m Round 1, Women's 1500m Repechages, Women's Javelin Throw Qualification, Men's High Jump Qualification, Men's Triple Jump Qualification, Women's 400m Semifinals, Men's 200m Semifinals, Men's 110m Hurdles Semifinals, Men's 400m Hurdles Semifinals, Women's Pole Vault Final, Men's 400m Final, Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final, Men's Discus Throw Final |
| Thursday, August 8 | Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1, Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1, Women's 100m Hurdles Repechages, Men's 800m Repechages, Women's Shot Put Qualification, Women's Heptathlon 100m Hurdles, Women's Heptathlon High Jump, Women's 1500m Semi-Finals, Women's Heptathlon Shot Put, Women's Heptathlon 200m, Women's 400m Hurdles Final, Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final, Women's Long Jump Final, Men's 200m Final, Men's 110m Hurdles Final, Men's Javelin Throw Final |
| Friday, August 9 | Women's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1, Men's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1, Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinals, Men's 800m Semifinals, Women's Heptathlon Long Jump, Women's Heptathlon Javelin Throw, Women's 400m Final, Women's 10,000m Final, Women's Heptathlon 800m, Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final, Women's Shot Put Final, Men's 400m Hurdles Final, Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final, Men's Triple Jump Final |
| Saturday, August 10 | Women's 1500m Final, Women's 100m Hurdles Final, Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final, Women's Javelin Throw Final, Men's 800m Final, Men's 5000m Final, Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final, Men's High Jump Final |
How can I watch the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Getty ImagesIn the US, the Olympic games will be shown on several channels, including NBC, USA Network, MSNBC, and CNBC. NBC is also available on Peacock, FuboTV, and SlingTV.
How to watch the Paris Olympics 2024 with a VPN
If you're outside the US, don't worry - you can still watch the Paris Olympics 2024 with a VPN. The best of the bunch is NordVPN, which has excellent speed and reliability, which is necessary for live-streaming sports.
Plus, if you're on holiday, you can also use NordVPN to watch your usual free Olympics stream from abroad.
When and where is the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Getty Images / GOALThe Paris 2024 Olympics will take place in France between Friday, July 26, and Sunday, August 11, 2024.
The track and field events, with the exception of road races, will run between Friday, August 2 and Saturday, August 10. All men’s and women’s events are due to take place at the Stade de France, located in the commune of Saint-Denis.
The largest stadium in France, with a capacity of 80,698, is the home of the French national football and rugby union teams. It is one of only two venues to have hosted respective World Cup finals for both sports, having hosted the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final and the 2007 and 2023 Rugby World Cup Finals.
It has also hosted the UEFA Champions League Final on three occasions and the final in 2016.
Who are the competitors qualified for track and field at Paris 2024?
Getty ImagesMore than a hundred competitors have already qualified for track and field at Paris 2024, and plenty more are set to book their places before the Opening Ceremony kicks off the games in earnest in late July.
With 48 events - and 144 medals - up for grabs in total, plenty will head home as national heroes, but for many more, the journey will be the destination as they look to compete on some of the biggest stages.
Andre De Grasse, the men’s 200m gold winner in Tokyo, will be back to chase another success for Canada, while Dina Asher-Smith will compete in both the women’s 100m and 200m for Great Britain.
But some big names have yet to officially reserve their place in the French Republic, and the race is on to ensure they will walk out under their flag when it all kicks off.
The United States is looking to improve on its haul of seven gold medals and 26 overall from Tokyo and will hope to build on an already impressive tally once again.
Below, GOAL brings you 10 athletes likely to step out on the track and field at Paris 2024:
Mutaz Essa Barshim - High jump (Qatar)
One of the enduring images of Tokyo 2020 was when two-time silver medalist Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi tied for the lead in the high jump. Instead of opting for a jump-off, they agreed to share gold.
It marked Qatar's historic first gold medal and won the hearts of fans around the globe for its sportsmanship. Barshim may feel he has a great chance to stand atop the podium outright this time around, however, after winning gold in the 2023 Asian Games.
Neeraj Chopra - Javelin (India)
Just one of two gold medal winners from India in history, Chopra became a national hero when he threw for first place in Tokyo 2020, etching his name into folklore with his efforts.
After placing first at the 2023 World Championships last year, he is considered the frontrunner to make successive triumphs in Paris. However, he will have to see off the threat of Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who is chasing a first Olympic medal.
Christian Coleman - 4 x 100m (United States)
The 2019 world champion in the 100m, Coleman looked primed to build on a sixth-place finish at Rio 2016 and anoint himself as one of the modern greats at Tokyo 2020, only to be derailed by a suspension for a missed drugs test.
Back in competitive action, he took gold as part of the USA’s 4 x 100m team at the 2023 World Championships, and that could well be his best chance of success in France later this year, too.
Ryan Crouser - Shot put (United States)
Few people win Olympic gold, and fewer still take two, especially in single-medal disciplines. So, the fact that Crouser could make it a hat-trick on the podium's top step after victory at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 makes this one to watch in Europe.
The 2023 world champion is considered among the greatest in his field in history, and rightfully so. His terrific power helps him rise to new heights with every event. This isn’t a foregone conclusion, but stopping him will take something big.
Mondo Duplantis - Pole vault (Sweden)
Another man defending the gold he won in Tokyo 2020, the Swedish-American star - who represents his mother's country despite being born in Louisiana - is one other star looking to join the exclusive two-gold club.
Back-to-back golds at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships ensure he is the clear favourite for success here once again, but he will not take anything for granted as he chases another podium finish.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - 100m (Jamaica)
The legendary track star has confirmed Paris 2024 will be her last Olympics, but the question is whether she has enough left in the tank to add to the eight medals she has amassed over four prior games.
Debuting with 100m gold at Beijing 2008, she has taken at least one medal from London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 - and having added a silver and bronze in last year’s World Championships to her record, she might hit double-digits if at her best.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson - Heptahlon (Great Britain)
Two world golds in 2019 and 2023 make Johnson-Thompson the frontrunner for success at Paris 2024, but the weight of expectation will sit heavy on the Briton. In an event synonymous with Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, she has her work cut out here.
Johnson-Thompson finished sixth at Rio 2016 but was disqualified after she fell during the Tokyo 2020 event and strayed out of her lane. If she can keep her fitness up, she stands an excellent chance of finally securing a medal finish.
Eliud Kipchoge - Marathon (Kenya)
In another world, Kipchoge’s countryman Kelvin Kiptum would be considered the frontrunner after victory at the 2023 London and Chicago Marathons. Still, the latter’s shock death in January has opened the event up.
It would be foolish to write off the two-time gold winner, who, in addition to his Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 success, scored medals at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 in the 5000m race. He will hope he can power through to a third win here.
Wojciech Nowicki - Hammer throw (Poland)
Victorious at Tokyo 2020 but unable to go better than silver in two subsequent World Championships, Nowicki will be feeling the weight and pressure of expectation on his shoulders when he arrives in France this year.
He has been pipped twice by countryman Paweł Fajdek and then Canada’s Ethan Katzberg a year later, but returning to the Olympic cauldron may allow him to reset and recalibrate as he pursues another successful finish.
Sha’Carri Richardson - 200m (United States)
Another athlete who saw their Tokyo 2020 dream scotched by drug issues, Richardson, was suspended from the Olympics three years ago after testing positive for cannabis.
Since then, she has underlined her credentials as one of the fastest women in the game and is expected to challenge for medals in multiple events. The 200m race, in which she is yet to secure a major finish, could be her surprise ace.
List of Tokyo 2020 gold medal winners by nation for track and field
Want to know who won at the last Olympic games? Here's an in-depth breakdown of gold medals per nation:
| Nation | Event |
|---|---|
| United States | Men’s 4 x 400m relay, Men’s shot put, Women’s 800m, Women’s 400m hurdles, Women’s 4 x 400m relay, Women’s pole vault, Women’s discus throw |
| Italy | Men’s 100m, Men’s 4 x 100m relay, Men’s 20km walk, Men’s high jump, Women’s 20km walk |
| Kenya | Men’s 800m, Men’s marathon, Women’s 1500m, Women’s marathon |
| Poland | Men’s 50km walk, Men’s hammer throw, Women’s hammer throw, Mixed 4 x 400m relay |
| Jamaica | Men’s 110m hurdles, Women’s 100m, Women’s 200m, Women’s 4 x 100m relay |
| Netherlands | Women’s 5000m, Women’s 10000m |
| Canada | Men’s 200m, Men’s decathlon |
| China | Women’s shot put, Women’s javelin throw |
| Uganda | Men’s 5000m, Women’s 3000m steeplechase |
| Norway | Men’s 1500m, Men’s 400m hurdles |
| Sweden | Men’s pole vault, Men’s discus throw |
| Bahamas | Men’s 400m, Women’s 400m |
| Germany | Women’s long jump |
| Ethiopia | Men’s 10000m |
| Portugal | Men’s triple jump |
| ROC | Women’s high jump |
| Belgium | Women’s heptathlon |
| Greece | Men’s long jump |
| India | Men’s javelin throw |
| Morocco | Men’s 3000m steeplechase |
| Puerto Rico | Women’s 100m hurdles |
| Qatar | Men’s high jump |
| Venezuela | Women’s triple jump |
Paris 2024 Olympics FAQs
Getty ImagesHas Paris hosted the Olympics before?
The Paris 2024 Olympics will be the third time the city has hosted the games, joining London as the only other host to welcome it on as many occasions.
They previously welcomed the event in 1900 and 1924, making it an entire century since they last played host.
What sports will make their debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Four new sports will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with climbing, skateboarding, surfing, and breakdancing all added to the programme.
However, karate and baseball have been dropped from the programme, with fewer individual events on the schedule than in Tokyo 2020.
Where will the 2028 Olympics be held?
Following the Paris 2024 Olympics, the following games will be held in Los Angeles, and the United States will welcome them back for the first time since Atlanta 1996.
It will mark the third occasion that the city has hosted the games, following London and Paris, having brought them to California in 1932 and 1984.