Olympics and Paralympics

Summer Olympics recap: Team USA’s Minnesota star athletes bring home 12 medals

collage of minnesota medal winners
Top left to right: Sarah Bacon, Anthony Edwards and Suni Lee. Bottom left to right: Regan Smith, Jordan Thompson and Napheesa Collier.
Getty Images

After two weeks of nail-biting competitions, the Olympic Games 2024 are over. Minnesota athletes gave outstanding performances in various disciplines, bringing home 12 medals including golds from gymnastics, basketball and swimming events.

Here’s a recap:


Napheesa Collier, 27

Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx shared gold with Team USA after a win over France in the women’s basketball final game.

This is Collier’s second Summer Olympics and Team USA’s eighth consecutive gold.

a woman bites a medal
Gold medalist Napheesa Collier poses for a photo during the Women's basketball medal ceremony at Bercy Arena on Sunday in Paris, France.
Gregory Shamus via Getty Images


Anthony Edwards, 22

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards won gold with Team USA after defeating France in the men’s basketball finals. This win extended one of the most dominant streaks in international sports.

This is Edwards’ first Olympics competition.

four men pose with medals
U.S. gold medalists (from L) Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Derrick White and Kevin Durant pose on the podium after the men's Gold Medal basketball match between France and USA at the Bercy Arena on Saturday.
Aris Messinis | AFP via Getty Images


Sunisa Lee, 22

St. Paul’s Suni Lee had a successful return to the Olympics, winning three medals. She won a bronze in the all-around and uneven bars and a shared gold with Simone Biles and the rest of Team USA in the artistic gymnastics competition.

Lee now has six Olympic medals, including three from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she took home a gold, silver and bronze.

a gymnast poses with a medal
Bronze medalist Sunisa Lee looks on from the podium during the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Uneven Bars Final at Bercy Arena on Aug. 04, in Paris, France.
Jamie Squire via Getty Images

Regan Smith, 22

Regan Smith of Lakeville added five Olympic medals to her collection.

She won three silver medals in the women’s 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter backstroke and two gold medals in 4x100 meter medley relay races.

At the Tokyo Olympic Games, Smith won two silver medals — one in the 200-meter butterfly race, the other in the 4x100 medley relay — as well a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke.

a swimmer poses with a medal
Silver Medalist Regan Smith poses following the Swimming medal ceremony after the Women's 200-meter Butterfly Final at Paris La Defense Arena on Aug. 01, in Nanterre, France.
Clive Rose via Getty Images


Sarah Bacon, 27

Diver Sarah Bacon of the University of Minnesota won a silver medal in the synchronized 3-meter springboard with diving partner Kassidy Cook. It was the first time the U.S. has medaled in the event since 2012. The pair’s last names inspired a fun nickname: Cook N’Bacon.

a woman takes a selfie with a medal
Silver medalist Sarah Bacon takes a selfie with fans at Champions Park on Aug. 9 in Paris, France.
Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images


Jordan Thompson, 27

Edina native Jordan Thompson took silver in the women’s volleyball gold medal match against Italy on Sunday.

This is Thompson’s second Olympic games representing team USA after her golden debut in Tokyo beating Brazil.

four women pose with a medals
(L-R) Chiaka Ogbogu, Jordan Thompson, Justine Wong-Orantes and Haleigh Washington celebrate their silver medal during the Women's Gold Medal Match at Paris Arena on Sunday in Paris, France.
Jari Pestelacci | Eurasia Sport Images via Getty Images

Don’t miss the Paris Paralympic Games to begin Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 8. Check back as MPR News will track how the athletes with Minnesota ties are doing throughout the Paris Games.

Digital producer Matt Mikus contributed to this story.