Beginning July 26, all eyes will be on Paris as the 2024 Summer Olympic Games kick off. The most revered tournament in sports takes the grandest stage, with athletes competing in events ranging from the classics – like track and field, gymnastics, and swimming – to newer sports including skateboarding, breaking (aka breakdancing), and surfing.
Team USA fields an impressive squad for the 2024 Games, and this year many Latinx athletes are here to represent and bring home a few medals! Judging by the variety of events and backgrounds of these Olympians, this is yet another sign of the growing presence, power, and success of Latinos across the U.S. At Lu, our ongoing mission is to empower and support Latinas, and in that spirit we invite you to meet seven Latina Olympians to watch at the Paris Games. Their stories serve as an inspiration for all Latinas!
1. Anita Alvarez
Event: Artistic Swimming
You could say the Olympic spirit runs through Anita Alvarez’s genes. Her mom, an artistic swimming coach, competed in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials, and her dad has coached two Olympians. She is also no stranger to being an athlete. Fun fact: she was a stunt performer in the movie “Wakanda Forever.”
Before she could even swim, Anita was in love with the sport of artistic swimming. And it wasn’t long before she started taking the sport seriously. At the young age of 14, she competed in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She then represented her country in 2016 and 2021. Now, the 27-year-old from Buffalo, NY, is heading to her third Olympics.
2. Hezly Rivera
Event: Gymnastics
Did you know the youngest Olympian on Team USA is Latina? At only 16, Hezly Rivera heads to her first Olympic games in rarified company, with the legendary Simone Biles and Suni Lee among her teammates. The New Jersey native is a bit of a wild card entry, having made the team in only her first year of senior elite competition. Yeah, she’s that good on the beam and bars.
Rivera may not be the biggest name to head to Paris (it will be her first time visiting the city, too!), but she might be one of its brightest stars by the time the games conclude.
3. Natalia Grossman
Event: Sport Climbing
Whether she medals or not, Natalia Grossman has already made history as Team USA's first Latina climber. She earned a spot after taking gold at the Pan American Games in 2023, establishing her as an athlete at the top of her game. The 23-year-old from Santa Cruz, California, moved to Boulder, Colorado (because what climber wouldn’t?), and at the age of 20 became the top-ranked boulderer in the world.
4. Diana Taurasi
Event: Basketball
Basketball fans need no introduction to Diana Taurasi. Considered the WNBA’s GOAT, this legend has done it all. Rookie of the Year, three-time WNBA champion, MVP, ten-time all-star … the accolades go on. Taurasi is one of the most influential ambassadors of the game. And still, at the age of 42, she’s hooping and putting up numbers for the Phoenix Mercury. Now she’s heading to Paris in search of a sixth gold medal. We wouldn’t bet against her.
5. Alyssa Mendoza
Event: Boxing
The first qualified Olympic boxer from the state of Idaho is a Latina named Alyssa Mendoza, a rising star in her sport. Alyssa comes from a boxing family. Her father and grandfather boxed and passed their skills on to the next generations. Alyssa was a natural from an early age. Now, at just 20, she might be the youngest boxer on Team USA, but she has taken competitive boxing by storm. After winning gold at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championship, she brought home a medal in three international tournaments in 2023 before punching her ticket to Paris.
6. Angelica Delgado
Event: Judo
Miami native Angelica Delgado learned judo from her dad, who had once been on Cuba’s National Judo Team. In fact, one of the only items he bought with him from Cuba was his judo gi, or uniform. Obviously, like father, like daughter! Delgado is now a three-time Olympian after representing Team USA in 2016 and 2020. At 33, this grizzled veteran might call herself “old,” but we prefer to call her an inspiration.
7. Jennifer Muciño-Fernandez
Event: Archery
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Mexico City, Jennifer started learning archery after watching the London Olympic Games in 2012. She was 9 years old. Since then, all she has done is represent Team USA in two Olympic Games. The 21-year-old who was coached by her mom has wanted to be an Olympic athlete since she was a child, and now has her sights set on taking the next step in a remarkable career.
