The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris begin with the Opening Ceremony on Friday 26 July – less than two weeks – and the excitement is palpable. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games, the Opening Ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Paris 2024 is breaking new ground and the Opening Ceremony will be held in the heart of the city on its main artery: the Seine, with the traditional parade of athletes in boats.

Team GB has selected 174 women and 153 men across all Olympic sports, targeting a record 70 medals. The athletics programme in the Stade de France runs from Thursday 1 August to Sunday 11 August 2024, with the marathons following an out-and-back route from Hotel de Ville (City Hall – pictured above) to Chateau de Versailles on the final weekend.

British Athletics has selected 34 women and 30 men in an exciting squad. There are a few distance running omissions, and some controversy as always, but there are some outstanding medal prospects. We list the selected athletes, with their personal bests, as of 14 July 2024:

Women:

800m: Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh Harriers, 1:55:19); Jemma Reekie (Kilbarchan AC, 1:56.90); Phoebe Gill (St Albans AC, 1:57:86) 
1500m: Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, 3:53.79); Georgia Bell (Belgrave Harriers, 3:56.54); Revee Walcott-Nolan (Luton AC, 4:00.43)
3000m steeplechase: Lizzie Bird (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, 9:07.87); Aimee Pratt (Sale Harriers Manchester, 9:15.64)
5000m: No athletes selected
10,000m: Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, 30:00.86); Megan Keith (Inverness, 30:36.84)
Marathon: Calli Hauger-Thackery (Hallamshire, 2:22:11); Charlotte Purdue (Aldershot, Farnham and District, 2:22:17); Rose Harvey (Clapham Chasers, 2:23:21)

Men:

800m: Ben Pattison (Basingstoke & Mid-Hants, 1:42.27); Max Burgin (Halifax Harriers, 1:43.52); Jake Wightman (Edinburgh AC, 1:43.65)
1500m: Josh Kerr (Edinburgh AC, 3:29.05); Neil Gourley (Giffnock North, 3:30.60); George Mills (Brighton Phoenix, 3:30.95)
5000m: Sam Atkin (Lincoln Wellington, 12:54.66); George Mills (Brighton Phoenix, 12:58.68); Patrick Dever (Preston Harriers, 13:04.05)
3000m steeplechase: No athletes selected
10,000m: Patrick Dever (Preston Harriers, 27:08.81)
Marathon: Emile Cairess (Leeds City, 2:06:46); Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton, 2:07:05); Phil Sesemann (Leeds City, 2:08:02)

Keely Hodgkinson is the fastest female 800m runner globally this year, with 1:55.78. Phoebe Gill (17) will be the youngest GB track athlete to participate in an Olympics for over 40 years, after finishing her A Levels just in time!

Laura Muir has found scintillating form at just the right time and her 3:53.79 PB in the Paris Diamond League earlier this month was a new British record. The women's team's biggest disappointment is the lack of 5000m runners as none of the leading athletes met the tough UK Athletics criteria.

In the men's events, the 800m is insanely fast this year, with several athletes peppering the world record set in the London 2012 Games (1:40.91) by David Rudisha. Ben Pattison moved to second all-time on the British list with his 1:42.27 PB in the Monaco Diamond League on Friday (12 July).

But the favourite for a medal – hopefully the gold – is 2023 World Champion Josh Kerr in the men's 1500m, despite arch-rival Jacob Ingebrigsten breaking the European record three days ago in the Monaco Diamond League with 3:26.73 – just 0.73 away from the world record held by Hicham El Guerrouj for 26 years!

It's going to be epic...

Photo of Hotel de Ville by FASTILY on Wikipedia