PARIS, France — The Olympics may be officially over, but we are not quite over the amazing moments that make the event so special.
Here in North Texas, fans were treated to watching a wide variety of hometown heroes in Paris each with their own inspirational stories and triumphant Olympic moments. A whopping 22 athletes from North Texas were on Team USA and 14 of those athletes received a medal in the games.
With all that talent, there were plenty of gold-medal-worthy moments for North Texans to enjoy. We narrowed those down to the top five triumphant moments we will be thinking about until the Paralympics begin Aug. 28 and the Summer Olympics makes its way to Los Angeles in 2028.
Top 5 North Texas moments from the 2024 Olympics
5. North Texas skeet shooters dominate the event
Three North Texans were a part of Team USA's skeet shooting team and came home with lots of hardware. In a year where shooting events caused some unexpectedly viral moments, these North Texan's success may have flown under some people's radar. But we are so proud of Vincent Hancock, Austen Smith and Conner Prince for a dominant performance in the single and team Skeet shooting events.
Vincent Hancock of Argyle took home Gold in the Men's Skeet Final. The victory made him a four-time Olympic gold medalist in the men's skeet event. He's already looking ahead to 2028.
“You have to be mentally and physically focused on every shot," Hancock said ahead of the games. "You need to have the most perfect day out there. I’m constantly trying to get better. If I’m not getting better I’m falling behind.”
Hancock also earned a Silver medal in the Mixed Team Skeet Final alongside fellow North Texan Austen Smith.
Smith, who is from Keller, also earned a Bronze medal in Women's Skeet.
And if that wasn't already enough hardware coming back to North Texas, Burleson's Conner Price earned a Silver medal in the Men's Skeet final -- taking home a medal and a pretty cold photo taken of him in the heat of competition.
4. Southlake's Sam Watson breaks speed climbing world record
Speed Climbing is a fairly recent addition to the Olympic Games but Southlake's Sam Watson has been preparing for the Olympics most of his life. The 18-year-old started climbing when he was just 5 years old.
He made his mark on the Olympic stage not only by bringing home a Bronze medal but also by breaking the world record time in the qualifying rounds.
3. Scottie Scheffler gets emotional after winning gold in the Men's Golf Final
Dallas' own Scottie Scheffler has got to be used to winning by this point, but winning a gold medal while representing his country (in front of his wife and baby, at that) seemed to hit home even harder than usual.
After coming from behind to win the gold medal, Scheffler let the tears flow on the podium, the perfect punctuation to a winning streak that still has no end in sight.
2. Tara Davis-Woodhall wins gold and shares a victorious moment with her husband
Warning: If you get emotional seeing beautiful people deeply in love, read no further.
Tara Davis-Woodhall, who lived in Wylie and attended the University of Texas, had a long road to the gold medal. So, when she got it, it would be one of our favorite moments no matter what. Then, cameras captured her and her husband Hunter Woodhall celebrating her success.
Is there a Taylor Swift song playing right now or is that just in my head?
Along with having a supportive husband, Davis-Woodhall is known for sporting a cowboy hat at competitions. She brought the hat to the Olympics and captured some iconic photos after winning gold. There's even more to celebrate though, because Grand Prarie native Jasmine Moore is bringing home a Bronze medal in the Women's Triple Jump Final and a Bronze medal in the Women's Long Jump Final.
1. Sha'Carri Richardson -- that's it. Just her.
After not being allowed to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Sha'Carri Richardson was one of the most anticipated athletes in the Paris Games. From her blazing-fast 100-meter times to her intricate hair and nails, we knew Richardson would create some amazing moments.
Boy, did she deliver. For starters, she earned two medals, silver in the 100-meter and gold in the 4x100-meter races. On the podium, we saw her tear up alongside her relay teammates as the national anthem played, the culmination of a lifetime worth of hard work.
Beyond the medals, there is the style. From the no-sweat nail flick in the qualifying heats for the 100-meter, to the final look back as she passed the competition to win in the 4x100-meter relay gold, Richardson managed to look impossibly cool while delivering world-class athleticism.
Finally, a moment for the nails. As Richardson blazed through finish lines she always had a fresh set on, part of her uniform to let the world know she's not just back, she's better.
What was your favorite moment from the Paris Olympics?