Updated for 2024 Olympics
Summer is a busy season with outdoor concerts and cooling off at splash pads and spray grounds. However, the biggest athletic event of the year is here. The 2024 Summer Olympics: an event everyone will want to witness! Which team will take the Gold?
The 2024 Summer Olympics will kick off in Paris, France on July 26 and run through August 11. With over 10,500 competitors from 206 countries, athletes will get their chance to shine after years of practice and motivation, dreaming of stepping onto the podium in Paris. This year features over 45 sports, so be sure to keep an eye on the Olympic schedule for all the exciting moments.
In honor of the Summer Olympics, several athletes are competing this year in Paris with ties to Fairfax County and the National Capital Region. Here is a bit more about them, as well as a look back at a few other famous athletes from in and around Fairfax County.
Competing in Paris 2024
Claire Collins
Image Courtesy US Rowing
Sport: Women’s Four Rowing
Fairfax Connection: From McLean, VA
Fun Fact: After nearly 30 years, women’s four rowing will return to the Olympic games. Claire is a multi-medalist in a variety of prestigious national and international competitions, including the World Rowing Championships.
More about Claire
Hadley Husisian
Image Courtesy US Fencing's Facebook
Sport: Fencing
Fairfax Connection: Attended Potomac School in McLean, VA
Fun Fact: In 2022, Hadley was ranked No. 1 in the world for Junior Women’s Épée while also winning a bronze medal with Team USA. She was first introduced to fencing while watching the Nickelodeon show iCarly (Season 1, Episode 22: iFence).
More about Hadley
Noah Lyles
Sport: Athletics
Fairfax Connection: From Alexandria, VA and graduated from Alexandria City High School
Fun Fact: Lyles set his personal best in the 100m sprint at 9.83 seconds during the Olympic trials and aims to win not just one Gold Medal, but four in Paris, while also breaking the record in the 4x100m relay. Be sure to check back to see if he achieves his goal.
More about Noah
Torri Huske
Image Courtesy USA Swimming's Facebook
Sport: Swimming
Fairfax Connection: Grew up in Arlington, VA and graduated from Yorktown High School
Fun Fact: At the age of 19, Torri won the women's 100m butterfly world title, earning her the title of the queen of butterfly swimming. However, early in her career, she didn't enjoy swimming and preferred other sports instead.
More about Torri
Greg Duncan
Image Courtesy USA Diving's Facebook
Sport: Diving
Fairfax Connection: Grew up in Oakton, VA
Fun Fact: At the age of 12, Greg began diving just for fun. Now he and his partner has placed fourth place at the World Aquatics Championships, earning the United States a spot in the Olympics.
More about Greg
Griffin Yow
Sport: Soccer
Fairfax Connection: Grew up in Clifton, VA
Fun Fact: His biggest role model is Lists Kylian Mbappe and is the proud owner of two pugs named Puma and Pele.
More about Griffin
More Notable Olympian Athletes with Ties to Fairfax County
Grant Hill
Sport: Men’s Basketball
Fairfax Connection: Grew up in Reston, VA; Attended South Lakes High School
Fun Fact: Grant Hill played for five USA Basketball teams, winning two gold medals and one bronze medal. In the NBA, he played for four teams during his nearly 20-year professional career and was a 7-time NBA All-Star. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. After the Tokyo Olympics, Grant Hill will become the Managing Director of the USA Men’s National Team.
More about Grant Hill
Mia Hamm
Sport: Women’s Soccer
Fairfax Connection: Attended Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA
Fun Fact: In 1989, Mia Hamm played for Lake Braddock Secondary School, helping to lead the soccer team to a state championship. Today she is arguably one of the world’s most famous athletes, having won two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals in her career. She continues to be one of the most pivotal forces in the growth of women’s professional soccer, was a founding member of the first professional women’s soccer league in the U.S., and was the first woman to be inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame.
More about Mia Hamm
Allen Johnson
Sport: Track & Field
Fairfax Connection: Attended Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA
Fun Fact: Allen Johnson is a three-time Olympian who took home the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Games at the 110m hurdles event and is a four-time gold medalist in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. He officially retired in 2010.
More about Allen Johnson
Alan Webb
Sport: Track & Field
Fairfax Connection: Attended South Lakes High School in Reston, VA
Fun Fact: Alan Webb represented Team USA in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in the men’s 1500m race and still holds the American national record in the mile, with a time of 3 minutes. He retired from the sport in 2014.
More about Alan Webb
Michael Weiss
Sport: Figure skating
Fairfax Connection: Attended Woodson High School in Fairfax, VA
Fun Fact: From a family of champion figure skaters, Michael Weiss is a two-time Olympian, a two-time bronze medalist in the World Figure Skating Championships, and a three-time national champion who was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2018.
More about Michael Weiss
Maame Biney
Sport: Speed Skating
Fairfax Connection: Originally from Ghana and moved to Reston, VA
Fun Fact: Maame Biney was first introduced to the ice at Reston's SkateQuest and the rest is history. She made her mark as the youngest AND first African American woman to make the U.S. Olympic women’s short-track speed-skating team.
More about Maame Biney
Melissa Belote
Image Courtesy Public Domain/Wikipedia
Sport: Women's Swimming
Fairfax Connection: Grew up in Springfield, VA; Attended JAG High School
Fun Fact: Melissa Belote, initially considered an outsider at the U.S. Final Trials, won three gold medals in her first Olympic Games. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, she set a world record in the 200m and was the only female swimmer to win more than one individual title.
More about Melissa Belote
Special Events in Fairfax County Celebrating the Olympics
Image Courtesy Herndon Parks and Recreation Department's Facebook
Fairfax County is bringing the Olympic spirit to Virginia! In the Town of Herndon, visitors and locals can join the celebration as the “Herndon Torch” travels through Herndon from July 1 to August 9, symbolizing the Olympic torch relay. Be sure to snap a selfie at each stop with Herndon's passport for a chance to win a special prize pack. The day before the Opening Ceremony, come to the kickoff celebration for food, laughter, and, most importantly, Olympic trivia.
- Get your tickets to watch the U.S. Women's Soccer National Team play against Costa Rica in the Olympic Send-off Match at Audi Field on July 16 which will feature the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team. This will be the last game the team plays before hitting Le Stade de France.
- Celebrate the Paris Olympics with a French Wine Tasting at the Winery at Bull Run! Try six different French wines with a professional sommelier and discover what makes French wine so delicious.
- Want to test your knowledge? Shipgarten is hosting Olympics Trivia July 28, and the winning team will receive a special prize!
- Watch the Olympic games all together on the big screen at AMC Tysons Corner! AMC will have daily showings from July 26 through August 11 and don't forget to order a red, white, and blue frozen beverage as you cheer Team USA.
- You can also watch the games with a beer in your hand at Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. and Open Road.
- Join Dogwood Tavern on Friday, July 26th, to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony! Enjoy drink specials, food deals, and live music. Additionally, they'll be handing out gold medals to all guests!
Stay tuned for more events as they will be added as they are announced.
Do you know of other famous athletes from Fairfax County? Tell us in the comments below or join the conversation on social media using #FXVA and @VisitFairfax. Be sure to tune in to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in the City of Love from July 26 through August 11, 2024, to see if any of our hometown athletes bring home gold!
