The 2024 Summer Olympics is right around the corner and soon enough, athletes from every corner of the world will be competing in Paris during the XXXIII Olympiad. Team USA will look to capture several gold, silver, and bronze medals during Paris 2024.

While every Team USA member represents our country, athletes also represent their state and hometown. Over the years, athletes from almost all 50 states have helped contribute to winning Team USA a gold medal. Some states have produced more athletes than others including the state of Illinois.

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Paris 2024 will have its opening ceremony on Friday, July 26th, and will have the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 11th. During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Team USA will have more than 500 athletes competing for gold medals. Amongst Team USA are 31 Illinoisans who will help try to get America the gold medals it needs to win this year's Olympics.

But over the past 32 Summer Olympic games, Illinois has produced a lot of Olympic gold medal-winning athletes. The Sports Geek has looked into the history books to find out which state produces the most gold for the USA. Illinois ranks 4th and has produced 40 Olympic gold medals for Team USA. The most notable athlete from Illinois is none other than Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

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Regarded as one of the legends and all-time best in the heptathlon and long jump, Joyner-Kersee won three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from 1988 to 1996.

At the Seoul Games in 1988, she broke the world record in heptathlon, and then won the gold in the long jump. Still, Joyner-Kersee remains the only woman to win two heptathlon gold medals and record 7,000 points, according to The Sports Geek.

We can't wait to cheer on Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games!

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