US & Canada's Most Searched Olympians Ahead of Paris 2024

Summer is upon us, and with it comes an event the world has eagerly waited for, for what feels like a lifetime. Over 10,000 athletes are heading to the City of Light, each dreaming of bringing home gold, silver, or bronze. With qualifications now officially closed, the countdown begins: 35 different venues, 16 action-packed days, 32 sports, and for the first time ever, an equal number of male and female athletes. Let the games begin!

In honor of the 2024 Paris Games (July 26th – August 11th), we're revealing America and Canada’s most searched for athletes partaking in this year’s Olympics, according to Google Trends.

US Key Findings:

• Brittney Griner takes the crown as America’s top Olympian, according to 16 states
• Katie Ledecky ranks 2nd with 11 states agreeing, whilst Sha’Carri Richardson in 3rd place, according to 9 states

CA Key Findings:

• Simone Biles is Canada’s most searched for Olympian, agreed by 7 provinces/territories
• Nikki Hiltz ranks 2nd, with a joint tie for 3rd place between Summer McIntosh and Gretchen Walsh

Backflips, Hoops & Sprints: America’s Most Searched for Olympians:

The countdown is on, the torch is lit, and the roster is set – so, let's find out the America’s most searched for athletes in this year's Olympics.

Longtime WNBA star, Brittney Griner ranks #1 as America’s most searched for 2024 Olympian, as voted by 16 states. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time WNBA All-Star heads to Paris this year, and the nation is clearly showing their support. Google Trends data revealed a remarkable 525% surge in searches over the five days leading up to May 7th, coinciding with the release of Griner’s memoir, "Coming Home." The search term experienced a "breakout" spike, growing over 5000%. Trends indicate that this WNBA superstar has captured the hearts of many, especially in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and her home state of Texas.

Next up, we have the swimming enthusiasts' favorite: Katie Ledecky, who ranks as America’s #2 trending Olympian according to 11 states. Katie boasts an impressive haul of 7 Olympic gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 21 world championship gold medals – a historic first for female swimmers. The Washington, D.C.-born athlete saw a significant surge in interest this June when she officially qualified with a spectacular 400m freestyle win. The nation is cheering on this legendary 27-year-old star as she heads to this year’s Olympics.

Ranking as the #3 most searched for 2024 Olympian is Dallas's very own track and field star, Sha’Carri Richardson. The nation is rallying behind Richardson, hoping for Team USA’s first gold in the women’s 100m since 1996. With the Texas athlete clocking the fastest women’s 100-meter time in the world this year at 10.71 seconds, their confidence is well-placed. Richardson saw a remarkable 1566% increase in searches over the four days leading up to her track trials, with a breakout spike on the day she won. America is loving Sha’Carri.

Rounding off the top 4 is Simone Biles, the iconic gymnast who ranks as America's #4 highest trending 2024 Olympian. Biles, no stranger to the Olympics, boasts a total of 7 Olympic medals (4 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze). As the most decorated gymnast in World Championships history with 30 medals, it’s no wonder states are eagerly searching for Ohio’s own superstar. Biles also saw breakout searches on Google Trends, with a staggering 1900% increase in searches leading up to the announcement of her qualification for this year’s Olympics.

Canada's Olympian Stars: Who's Trending This Year?

As we cross over to Canada, the excitement ahead of July 26th continues. Canadians are searching for some of the biggest names in the space, as they anticipate who will be the proud owner of a gold medal this year.

There was a standout star among Canadian searches for Olympians, as the gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles lands the #1 spot. Seven provinces and territories showed the most interest in this star. In anticipation of Simone's qualification for Paris 2024, Canadian searches surged by +203%, with a breakout search spike on July 1st. Clearly, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador are eagerly gearing up to support Biles in her third Olympics appearance, leading the search interest over the past 90 days.

Coming in at #2 as a most searched for Olympian is Nikki Hiltz, recognized by 4 provinces and territories. Hiltz, a trailblazing transgender American runner, secured their spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics with a record-breaking performance in the women’s 1,500-meter final. Born in California, Hiltz has clearly captured the hearts of Canadians, evidenced by a breakout search at the start of July, with searches spiking by +9900% over two days. Interest soared when Hiltz qualified for this year’s Olympics, proudly coinciding with the final day of Pride Month.

Tied for #3 place are Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh and American swimmer Gretchen Walsh. Residents of British Columbia showed the most interest in Toronto-born McIntosh, who earlier this year ended Katie Ledecky’s 13-year win streak in the 800m freestyle, securing her spot in this year’s Olympics. McIntosh saw a significant spike in searches in late May when she shattered the world record.

American swimmer Walsh captured the hearts of Nova Scotians, who searched for her the most leading up to this year’s Olympics. Walsh set a world record in the 100m butterfly on her journey to Paris, solidifying her place on the US Olympic team. There was a surge in searches ahead of her qualifying competition, highlighting the excitement surrounding her achievements!

Which Team Canada Stars are Canadians Backing the Most?

Interestingly, it seems Canadians are the most captivated by American Olympians this year, seeing as they were searching for Team USA stars the most (bar one). However, we wanted to find out which Canadian Olympians were stealing the hearts of each province/territory. It seems Jamal Murray (basketballer) is the nation's most trending, searched for the most by Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Québec, whilst track and field star Andre De Grasse won over British Columbia.

Summary:

The 33rd Summer Olympics are right around the corner, promising the grandest opening ceremony yet. With the torch ablaze and viewers eagerly poised to cheer on their favorite teams, there are evidently some clear favorites to watch out for this year.

Methodology:

We used Google Trends to identify the most searched for Olympians in each state and province/territory. Our parameters were set to the last 90 days to reflect the lead up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Data is accurate as of 04/07/2024.

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