As the 2024 Paris Olympics come to an end, we’re already thinking about who could be representing their respective countries in Los Angeles come 2028.
More than likely, there will be a mixture of new and familiar faces by the time the 33rd Olympiad rolls around in four years time. With Texas stars like Sha’Carri Richardson only turning 28 by the time the LA Games occur, she is more than likely to feature prominently. However, we may see some fresh faces that will be hitting their athletic prime like South Garland High School graduate Tyrese Maxey.
Below we’ve outlined who might star at the 2028 Olympics from Texas:
Hezly Rivera
After a couple of injuries to more seasoned gymnasts occurred prior to Paris this summer, it cleared the way for Plano teenager Hezly Rivera to compete for the U.S. at the Olympics alongside gymnastic titans like Simone Biles and Suni Lee.
Rivera didn’t go home from these Olympics empty-handed either. She played a part in the U.S. women winning the gold medal in the team final.
By the time we get to the Olympics four years from now, Rivera will be turning 20, and around the same age that Biles was when she took the world by storm at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Could the same sort of meteoric rise be in store for Rivera come Los Angeles 2028?
Sha’Carri Richardson
Richardson will be 28 by the time LA hosts the Games, and theoretically hitting her athletic prime. The Dallas native had a mixed-bag, but mostly successful Olympics in Paris, coming home with two medals. Going in as the favorite, especially with Jamaican sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah pulling out of the Games altogether, Richardson was the heavy favorite to win back-to-back global titles in the 100m after her victory in Budapest at the world championships last summer.
That didn’t happen. Former Texas Longhorn Julien Alfred stormed away with the gold medal, leaving Richardson to settle for silver. However, Richardson bounced back with gold in the 4x100m relay, anchoring the U.S. women to victory.
Richardson will hope to continue her rise to the top of the sport by the time that the next Olympics roll around, and based on what we’ve seen thus far, there’s no reason to doubt that she can.
Tyrese Maxey
The Dallas-born, South Garland High School graduate is rising to superstardom status in the NBA fast. Maxey signed an eye-watering $204 million maximum contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason after his most successful year as a pro in 2023-24. The spritely guard won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award this past year and became an NBA All-Star as well.
Looking ahead to 2024, Maxey could be a key player for Team USA. He’ll be 27 years old and it’s likely that the NBA legends we just saw win a gold medal in Paris like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry will be making way for a newer and younger generation of stars to represent the U.S. The Americans will need the likes of Maxey to continue his upward trajectory if they want a sixth straight gold medal with Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the rapidly improving international basketball community ready to knock off the champs.
Athing Mu
Mu, a former Texas A&M Aggie, was all but expected to feature prominently at this summer’s Olympics Games in Paris. That was until a fall at June’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials effectively ended her bid to become a two-time Olympian and back-to-back 800m gold medalist.
One can imagine that the now 22-year-old will be back with a vengeance, looking to reassert herself on the global track stage by the time LA 2028 takes place. However, Mu has certainly expressed the complicated relationship she has with the sport, despite being the American record holder at 800m. If Mu decides that she wants to stand back atop the podium and take the half-mile crown back from Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, who’s a rival of Mu’s and won Olympic gold, capitalizing off Mu’s absence in the event at Paris.
Asher Hong
The Plano native made his name known to the global sports audience at the 2024 Summer Games with his boisterous celebrations after his U.S. teammates’ big performances. Hong helped Team USA secure a bronze medal in the men’s gymnastics team final in Paris.
Hong will only be 24 years old by LA 2028. Like many of the previously mentioned athletes here, that likely means he’ll be in his athletic prime. While gymnasts’ prime and careers are certainly more truncated than athletes in other sports, it’s likely that we could see Hong competing for medals yet again in four years.
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