On Saturday, three of the USA’s top athletes secured a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Gymnast Simone Biles won gold in the vault final, swimmer Katie Ledecky won gold in the 800m freestyle, and runner Sha’Carri Richardson won silver in the 100m.
Biles and Ledecky have added to their incredible Olympic medal total, while Richardson won her first ever. Amid the 2024 Paris Games, popular American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift had a message for these three stars, and she delivered it in a video posted on social media by NBC.
“Never be afraid to show them who you are, especially when the whole world is watching. Because there’s no one way to be the best,” Swift said. “No one way to inspire everyone else who will someday follow. You do what you love. You love what you do. You believe in your style, whatever it is. Katie, Sha’Carri, and Simone. Three American stars. Three different visions of greatness.”
"Never be afraid to show them who you are…especially when the whole world is watching." –@taylorswift13
Katie. Sha'Carri. Simone. They'll never go out of style.
Primetime in Paris: Tonight at 8/7c on NBC and Peacock. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/uc9ZZ9wGuT
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
With her latest Olympic gold medal, Biles now has a total of seven, including four she won back in 2016. This year, Biles won gold in the team, all-around, and vault finals.
Ledecky has won two gold medals in Paris and nine Olympic golds overall, the record for most won by a woman in Team USA history. She has also won four straight 800m freestyles since the 2012 London Olympics.
This year marks the first time Richardson has ever competed in the Olympics. In 2020, she was ruled ineligible due to a positive drug test for THC. In the 2023 Budapest World Championships, Richardson did win a gold medal in the 100m race.
