Catalan athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Experts predict record medal haul for Catalonia, with high hopes for sailing, kayaking, football and water polo
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games officially kick off on Friday and there are several sports in which Catalan athletes could be on the podium.
The athlete with the best chance of winning a medal is Saúl Craviotto, the Catalan athlete with the most Olympic medals.
The sprint kayaker from the western city of Lleida has won two gold, two silver and one bronze in four Olympic Games. On August 6, he will go for his sixth medal in the men's K4 500m.
The sailing teams are also worth watching, especially the Catalan duo of Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman. They will be competing in the mixed 470 class and are among the favorites to win a medal in this event.
Football is another category with strong representation and medal prospects, given Catalonia's strong tradition in the sport.
In the women's team, the five Catalan players, including FC Barcelona stars Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, have a good chance of winning a medal.
The men's team, with seven Catalan players, including defenders Pau Cubarsí of FC Barcelona, Eric García of Girona FC and goalkeeper Arnau Tenas of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), also has a good chance of winning a medal.
There is no doubt that both the men's and women's water polo teams have plenty of chances to return home with a medal. Of the 26 Spanish players, 18 are Catalan and many of them have already won Olympic medals.
Sports Illustrated predicts record medal haul
A few days before the start of the Olympic Games, the prestigious magazine 'Sports Illustrated' published its predictions.
The magazine gives Spain 28 medals: 10 gold, seven silver and 11 bronze, a very optimistic result that would surpass the Barcelona '92 tally, the highest in history.
If the prediction comes true, it would also be a historic achievement for Catalan athletes and one of the best Olympic Games for the Catalan delegation, with 3 gold and 7 bronze medals for a total of 42 medalists.
Here is the full list of medals the Catalan athletes would win according to Sports Illustrated.
Gold: 10 Catalans in 3 sports
- Sailing (Mixed dinghy): Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugmann
- Women's football team: Ona Batlle, Laia Aleixandri, Laia Codina, Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas
- Marathon race walk mixed relay: Cristina Montesinos, Paul McGrath and Raquel González
Silver: None
Bronze: 32 Catalans in 7 sports
- Men's Handball: Ian Tarrafeta, Aleix Gómez and Joan Cañellas
- Rowing (Men's double sculls): Aleix García
- Men's water polo: Unai Aguirre, Marc Larumbe, Bernat Sanahuja and Roger Tahull
- Women's water polo: Martina Terré, Laura Ester, Judith Forca, Maica García, Bea Ortiz, Paula Leitón, Anni Espar, Paula Crespí, Nona Pérez, Elena Ruiz and Isabel Piralkova
- Men's football: Arnau Tenas, Joan García, Marc Pubill, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Adrián Bernabé and Sergio Gómez
- Women's artistic swimming: Iris Tió, Meritxell Ferré, Meritxell Mas, Paula Ramírez and Laura Heredia
- 49er Sailing - Florian Trittel