LGBTQ+ athletes made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 7th in the overall medal standings with a total of 42 medals—15 gold, 13 silver, and 14 bronze—marking their most successful Games to date.
If considered as a single nation, Team LGBTQ+, comprised of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer athletes, would rank 7th in the medal count. This is ahead of countries where homosexuality remains criminalized, according to OutSports. Japan narrowly surpassed them with 45 medals, while Italy trailed with 40. The United States dominated the tally with 126 medals.
This achievement surpasses the 32 medals Team LGBTQ+ won in Tokyo in 2021, where they finished 10th. The significant increase in medals reflects the growing visibility and success of LGBTQ+ athletes on the global stage.
Nearly 200 athletes make up Team LGBTQ+, including 11 from Team GB, such as diver Tom Daley, swimmer Daniel Jervis, and hockey player Fiona Crackles. As acceptance and representation continue to rise, this number is likely to grow in future Games.
Below is a summary of the standout performances from these trailblazing athletes:
Bronze Medalists
- Laura Aarts (Netherlands, Water Polo): Aarts led her team to a bronze victory over the U.S.
- Amandine Buchard (France, Judo): Buchard advanced from her Tokyo silver to take gold in Paris in the 52kg division.
- Natalya Diehm (Australia, BMX Freestyle): Diehm became Australia's first Women's BMX Freestyle medalist, securing bronze.
- Lauren Doyle, Alev Kelter, Steph Rovetti, Kristi Kirshe (USA, Rugby Sevens): This quartet helped the U.S. Rugby Sevens team clinch bronze.
- Beatriz Ferreira (Brazil, Boxing): Ferreira added another Olympic medal to her collection after an intense match.
- Carl Hester (Great Britain, Equestrian): Hester and his horse Fame earned bronze in Team Dressage, marking his fourth Olympic medal.
- Gabi Guimaraes, Ana Carolina Da Silva, Rosamaria Montibeller, Roberta (Brazil, Volleyball): Brazil’s women’s volleyball team triumphed over Turkey to secure bronze.
- Evy Leibfarth (USA, Canoe Slalom): Leibfarth, the first American to compete in three Olympic canoe/kayak events, captured bronze.
- Cindy Ngamba (Refugee Team, Boxing): Ngamba became the first athlete from the Olympic Refugee Team to win a medal, taking home bronze.
- Nesthy Petecio (Philippines, Boxing): Petecio earned bronze and announced her retirement plans after the Paris Games.
- Tabea Schendekehl (Germany, Rowing): Schendekehl's team won bronze in the women's quadruple sculls.
- Lea Schuller, Sara Doorsoun, Felicitas Rauch, Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Soccer): Germany’s soccer team, featuring four out players, defeated Spain 1-0.
- Rafaela Silva (Brazil, Judo): Silva earned bronze in the mixed-team judo event, adding to her illustrious career.
- Samantha Whitcomb, Amy Atwell (Australia, Basketball): Australia’s women’s basketball team won bronze, their first Olympic medal since 2012.
Silver Medalists
- Olivia Apps, Sophie de Goede, Maddy Grant (Canada, Rugby Sevens): Canada’s Rugby Sevens team secured silver.
- Perris Benegas (USA, BMX Freestyle): Benegas bounced back from knee surgery to win silver.
- Tom Daley (Great Britain, Diving): Daley secured his fifth Olympic medal with a silver in the 10-meter synchro.
- Raz Hershko (Israel, Judo): Hershko added a silver to her Tokyo bronze in the 78kg division.
- Michelle Kroppen (Germany, Archery): Kroppen earned silver in the mixed team archery event.
- Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (Denmark, Equestrian): Laudrup-Dufour’s dressage team won silver for Denmark.
- Marta, Adriana, Tarciane, Tamires, Luciana, Lorena, Taina, Lauren Leal (Brazil, Soccer): Brazil’s women’s soccer team, featuring numerous LGBTQ+ athletes, took silver.
- Emma Twigg (New Zealand, Rowing): Twigg, the former gold medalist, claimed silver in single sculls.
- Sha’Carri Richardson (USA, Track & Field): Richardson earned silver in the 100-meter sprint.
- Lauren Scruggs (USA, Fencing): Scruggs won silver in individual fencing and gold in the team event.
- Maria Perez (Spain, Track & Field): Perez took silver in the 20km racewalk, proving her speed on the track.
- Marianne Vos (Netherlands, Cycling): Vos, a seasoned Olympian, won silver in the women’s road race.
- Haleigh Washington (USA, Volleyball): Washington helped the U.S. women’s volleyball team secure silver.
Gold Medalists
- Alice Bellandi (Italy, Judo): Bellandi celebrated her judo gold with a kiss from her girlfriend, fellow judo competitor Jasmine Martin.
- Amandine Buchard (France, Judo): Buchard was part of the gold-winning mixed-team event for France.
- Svenja Brunckhorst (Germany, 3×3 Basketball): Brunckhorst helped Germany win gold in 3×3 basketball.
- Tierna Davidson (USA, Soccer): Davidson, the sole out player on Team USA, went from bronze in Tokyo to gold in Paris.
- Paola Egonu (Italy, Volleyball): Egonu led Italy to its first-ever Olympic gold in Volleyball.
- Kellie Harrington (Ireland, Boxing): Harrington became the first Irish female athlete to win consecutive Olympic golds.
- Ana Patricia (Brazil, Beach Volleyball): Ana Patricia and her teammate won gold in a nail-biting match against Canada.
- Maria Perez (Spain, Track & Field): Perez added a gold in the marathon walk relay to her silver in the 20km race.
- Sha’Carri Richardson (USA, Track & Field): Richardson added a gold in the 4×100-meter relay to her silver.
- Lauren Scruggs (USA, Fencing): Scruggs made history as the first Black American woman and the first openly lesbian to win an individual Olympic medal in fencing.
- Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper (USA, Basketball): This star-studded Team USA women’s basketball squad, half of whom are publicly out, narrowly beat France for the gold.
- Anne Veenendaal, Marleen Jochems (Netherlands, Field Hockey): The Dutch duo secured gold in field hockey.
- Lara Vadlau (Austria, Sailing): Vadlau and her partner captured Austria’s first Olympic gold in sailing.
- Frederic Wandres (Germany, Equestrian): Wandres led Germany’s equestrian team to gold with his horse Bluetooth.
- Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (New Zealand, Rugby Sevens): Woodman-Wickliffe earned her third Olympic gold, cementing her legacy.
As the Paris Olympics conclude, LGBTQ+ athletes have left an indelible mark on history, showcasing their talent and resilience on the world’s biggest stage.