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It’s not a true sporting event without some underdogs upsetting the favorites to win gold. And the Paris 2024 Olympics were proof of that. While everyone is cheering for the defending champions or the touted best players in the world, it’s a different kind of euphoria when the rulers of the sport are toppled and a new champion sits atop the hill. Here are a few astonishing upsets at the Paris 2024 Olympics:
China’s Zheng Qinwen dethrones Tennis Queen Iga Swiatek:
Zheng Qinwen of China defeated the top-seeded Iga Swiatek in the women’s singles semifinals. Swiatek, who is unbelievably powerful at Roland Garros with four French Open titles and a 25-match winning streak, was widely expected to win gold. However, Zheng, who was seeded sixth, won the opening set 6-2, and although Swiatek took a 4-0 lead in the second set, Zheng staged an incredible comeback to win the set 7-5 and the match. Zheng’s victory over Swiatek was followed by her win against Donna Vekic in the final, making Zheng the first Asian player to win Olympic gold in singles tennis.
Noah Lyles loses out on 200m Gold:
The highly anticipated men’s 200m final took an unexpected turn when Noah Lyles, the favorite to win gold, finished with a bronze medal. Lyles, who had already won the 100m gold earlier in the Games, was expected to dominate the 200m event, having previously won gold in this discipline at the World Championships in 2019, 2022, and 2023. However, in a surprising twist, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed the gold, while Lyles’ teammate Kenny Bednarek took silver. Lyles later revealed that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 just two days before the race.
Vinesh Phogat ends Yui Susaki’s wrestling reign:
India’s Vinesh Phogat defeated Japan’s Yui Susaki, the reigning Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020. She had never lost an international match and had only suffered three defeats in her entire career. Her dominance in the sport was such that she didn’t drop a single point during her gold medal run in Tokyo. Phogat delivered a performance for the ages by overcoming Susaki. However, the euphoria was short-lived as Phogat was disqualified from the competition after failing to make the weight cut for her final bout, resulting in her missing out on a medal entirely.
China topples over USA in 4x100m relay swimming medley:
This was definitely one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history. The United States, which had maintained an unbeaten streak in this event for 64 years, saw their run come to an end at the hands of China. The Chinese team, featuring Pan Zhanle, Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang, and Sun Jiajun, delivered an unbelievable performance, clocking in at 3:27.46 seconds to take the gold. Pan Zhanle, a 20-year-old world record holder in the 100m freestyle, swam the anchor leg and executed a remarkable comeback. Entering the water with his team in third place, Pan overtook swimmers from both the United States and France in the final 100 meters, securing victory with the fastest split ever recorded in the men’s 100 freestyle at 45.92 seconds.
Wang Chuqin of China is not the king of table tennis anymore:
Wang, who came into the Olympics as the world’s top-ranked player and had already secured a gold medal in mixed doubles, was expected to cruise through the singles competition. However, Swedish player Truls Moregard had other plans. He took the first two games, and although Wang managed to level the score by winning the next two, Moregard fought back to win the match 4-2. Wang had to settle for the silver medal.
Make way for USA’s Cole Hocker:
In the men’s 1500m final in athletics, the spotlight was on world champion Josh Kerr and Tokyo gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The race, dubbed a ‘race for the ages’ by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, was expected to be a fierce battle between these two athletes. However, it was USA’s Cole Hocker who stole the show by setting a new Olympic record and claiming the gold medal. In a further twist, another American, Yared Nuguse, overtook Ingebrigtsen to win the bronze, leaving the defending champion without a medal and without his Olympic record.
Sprinting nation Jamaica’s dismal run in Paris:
Jamaica failed to win a medal in the men’s 100m for the first time since 1998, the 200m for the first time since 1976, and the 4x100m relay for the first time since 2008. Legendary sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was forced to withdraw from the Games after missing her warm-up for the 100m semifinals because she was held up outside the venue.
No medals for US women’s water polo:
The U.S. women’s water polo team, considered the most dominant in the world, also experienced a stunning upset. After winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals, the team was knocked out in the semifinals by Australia and later lost to the Netherlands in the bronze medal match, leaving Paris without a medal.
USA Basketball not the champions in 3×3:
Finally, in 3×3 basketball, the U.S. men’s and women’s teams struggled. The men’s team failed to qualify for Tokyo and finished with a disappointing 2-5 record in Paris. The women’s team, which won gold in Tokyo, had to settle for bronze this time.