STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer

As the Paris Olympics are set to open this week, the United States goes in as the favorite to win the most medals. China is unlikely to overtake the U.S. in the overall medal haul, but has a chance to win more gold medals than the Americans.

Though the Games highlight great individual athletes, they are also a surrogate for geopolitical influence and national pride.

The United States is projected to win 112 medals overall — 39 gold, 32 silver, and 41 bronze. China is forecast to win 86 overall — 34 gold, 27 silver, and 25 bronze.

This forecast is by Nielsen’s Gracenot e Sports, which supplies statistical analysis for sports leagues around the world. It also tracks major competitions involving Olympic sports leading up to the Games.

The United States and China finished 1-2 in both categories in 2021 in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee does not compile medal rankings. Gracenote has calculated its standings on overall medals won, although others focus the rankings on gold totals.

The forecast for the Americans on top is no surprise. This would be the eighth consecutive time the United States has won the most overall medals at the Summer Games. The Unified team topped the overall count in 1992 at Barcelona, composed of athletes from the former Soviet Union just after it broke up as a sovereign state.

The last Summer Olympics in which the United States did not top the gold-medal table was in 2008 in Beijing.

After the United States and China, the next in line with overall totals and gold totals are: Britain (63-17), France (60-27), Australia (54-15), Japan (47-13), Italy (46-11), Germany (35-11), Netherlands (34-16), South Korea (26-9).

The next places 11 to 20 are: Canada (21-7), Hungary (20-7), Brazil (18-8), Spain (18-5), Poland (17-3), Denmark (14-5), Turkey (14-4), New Zealand (14-4), Ukraine (13-2), Ethiopia (12-6).

Countries always get a medal bump being the host nation, and France is expected to almost triple the number of gold medals it won in Tokyo.

This time the medals will be inlaid with a tiny piece of the Eiffel Tower.

Host nations spend more heavily for a home Olympics, and the home crowds also help with athletes competing in familiar surroundings.

Conversely, Japan won a record 58 overall medals three years ago in Tokyo, and 27 gold. It is sure to slip this time.

The unknown factor is the presence of Russian and — to a lesser extent — Belarusian athletes. They have been absent from most international competitions over the last two years because of the war in Ukraine. And, by order of the IOC, any medals those athletes win are not to be included in any medal table.

More than 300 Russian athletes competed three years ago in Tokyo. This time the total may be just a dozen or so.

Hassani Dotson’s assist on Tani Oluwaseyi’s goal against D.C. United last Wednesday was part of Minnesota United’s broader game plan.

The Loons’ scouting report included exploiting space in behind D.C.’s defense. MNUFC believed if it quickly moved the ball forward with a first touch, green grass would be there for players to run onto at Allianz Field.

In the 32nd minute, Dotson’s piercing header was well-timed by Oluwaseyi to have a breakaway in on goal, and he produced a clinical left-footed finish past goalkeeper Alex Bono.

“A coolie,” Dotson said about Oluwaseyi’s calm, cool and collected goal in the 3-2 loss to D.C.

That scoring connection also reflects Dotson and Oluwaseyi’s friendship.

The pair first bonded in the Loons’ training room at the National Sports Center in Blaine in 2022. Dotson was recovering from a ACL injury that derailed the starter’s season in April; Oluwaseyi was dealing with his own knee issues during a low-profile rookie year.

Their relationship deepened a year ago when they became roommates in preseason camp. Then when Oluwaseyi went on a season-long loan to USL Championship club San Antonio in April, Dotson would call and check in on him.

Oluwaseyi and Dotson stayed in touch this summer as well when Oluwaseyi joined the Canadian men’s national team for the Copa America tournament.

“Hassani is my guy,” Oluwaseyi said. “We will talk when I had a game … and vice versa. We talk through things. What we want to do in the game and what we expect from the game. … We just try to pick each other’s brain and see what the other thought about the game. I think it’s also good to have somebody like that, (to) be very honest with you about how they perform in games. It just makes me a better player as well.”

Bursting onto the MLS scene with seven goals in his first 15 league games this season, Oluwaseyi earned his first call-up to Canada in June. It was a dream the 24-year-old Oluwaseyi has had since he was a a teenager.

Dotson, 26, was able to share his own experiences with the U.S. youth national team, including the Under-23 team’s effort in Olympic qualifying in 2021.

“The first (call-up) you feel a little more exhausted just because your brain’s going pretty fast and you get pretty nervous,” Dotson said. “So stuff may seem harder than it actually is.”

Dotson’s advice to Oluwaseyi wasn’t complex, emphasizing self-belief and perspective. “They’re human, too,” Dotson said about teammates and opponents.

Oluwaseyi played 136 minutes across five matches in Copa America — four substitute appearances before one start in the third-place match against Uruguay. He didn’t score a goal on nine shots and three on target.

Dotson said one sequence in particular irked Oluwaseyi.

“He tracks a dude down, makes a tackle by the sideline, and then he tried to take a shot,” Dotson explained. “It was a tough angle. And obviously, like, when you watch it back, ‘Oh, maybe you could take another touch inside and do that.’ But the speed at the moment, first thing you see is an opening and you want to make that quick decision.”

Dotson tried to remind the self-critical Oluwaseyi to reward himself for the first play and learn from the next action.

“You have to look at it as your first minutes,” Dotson recalled saying. “You popped out on the screen. Other big players are playing, and you stood out being a sub. Just grow from that.”

Loons head coach Eric Ramsay relied on Dotson when Oluwaseyi was away from the club for six weeks this summer.

“I’m sure they missed each other,” Ramsay said. “I checked in with Hassani regularly over the course of Tani being away because I knew they spoke and I knew he had his finger on the pulse to how things were and whether Tani was going to play — all that sort of stuff. It was nice to have that source.”

Oluwaseyi often talks to his father about games; those conversations tend to take on a more-serious tone than his chats with Dotson.

“I feel like my face gives a little bit more intensity than the actual message sometimes, but we have such a good relationship,” Dotson said.

Minnesota United forward Tani Oluwaseyi (14) helps midfielder Hassani Dotson (31) during warmups before the start of MLS game against San Jose at Allianz Field in St. Paul on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

When Oluwaseyi was away from MNUFC, he would ask how the Loons were doing in what became a grueling nine-game winless skid. They discussed Dotson’s most difficult moments: his two straight yellow cards and a sending off 26 minutes into a June 22 match. The Loons, down to 10 players after Dotson’s expulsion, went on to lose 1-0 to Austin FC.

“It’s always tough seeing your brothers struggle,” Oluwaseyi said. “That is why I try to be in communication with one or two of them, just letting them know that I’m watching and supporting them.”

Dotson will bring a “level criticism” to Oluwaseyi — often on a daily basis. It can have a harder edge or sometimes a softer touch. It might lead to disagreements between the two.

“When you’re so close to someone, you can really — I always tell them: ‘Anything you have, lay it all out,’ ” Dotson said. “ So it’s all out there, and we can be honest in the moment and then look back at it and talk about it. We’re good. That’s the type of relationship I like. And I think people understand each other pretty well.”

If it gets contentious, Dotson and Oluwaseyi will reconnect once they have cooled off.

“We always reach back out in the day,” Dotson said. “… If we’ve gotten at it, then he talks to my daughter on FaceTime and whatnot.”

By Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times

Amid concerns about protests, strikes, security and whatever might be floating in the Seine, the City of Light is about to strike a pose on its yearslong Olympics runway. For the next 19 days, Paris will be in front of the international lens as more than 10,000 athletes and seemingly countless fans converge on France to witness and revel in the first Summer Games held in front of crowds in eight years.

That group will include the nearly 600 athletes competing for Team USA, many of whom are favorites for gold across the 329 events slated to be held.

Here’s everything you need to know about how and who to watch during the Paris Olympic Games:

When do the Paris Olympics begin?

The opening ceremony takes place Friday night in Paris, but the first events start Wednesday at 9 a.m. EDT (3 p.m. Paris time) when Argentina plays Morocco and Uzbekistan faces Spain in men’s soccer.

Rugby sevens, archery and handball also will start before the opening ceremony. The first medals will be awarded Saturday.

The Paris Olympics will end Sunday, Aug. 11, with the women’s basketball gold medal game slated to be the final event.

How to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

The Paris Olympics opening ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. EDT and will be shown live on NBC and Peacock. NBC will reair the ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The opening ceremony is scheduled to occur outside a stadium for the first time, with the “Parade of Nations” scheduled to take part on boats floating down the Seine River in front of the Eiffel Tower.

How to watch and stream the Paris Olympics

The daily window for events at the Paris Olympics runs from roughly 3 a.m. EDT until about 5 p.m. (Paris is six hours ahead of New York). Linear networks USA, E!, CNBC, Golf Channel, Telemundo and Universo will have coverage every day of the Olympics, with all live coverage ending around 5 p.m. EDT. “Paris Primetime” will air each night on NBC, usually at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m., offering a recap of the day’s biggest events and moments.

Though NBCUniversal networks will broadcast many live events, including viewer favorites such as gymnastics, swimming and track and field, a large portion of coverage will be exclusively on streaming platforms.

Peacock will broadcast every event live and will have replays and highlights on demand. Cable and satellite subscribers can log into NBCOlympics.com at no additional charge to watch any event.

Part of Peacock’s coverage will include Gold Zone, an NFL Red Zone-like show streaming from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT each day.

NBCUniversal also launched two temporary Olympics channels. “Paris Extra 1” will show a range of live and delayed events, with a focus on team sports such as basketball, handball, water polo and field hockey. “Paris Extra 2” will feature mostly combat and racket sports such as boxing, judo, taekwondo, badminton and table tennis. Both channels are available on DirecTV, Comcast, Cox, Dish/Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo and Hulu Live.

Who will be competing for Team USA?

There will be 592 athletes representing the United States in Paris, with 119 from California — the most of any state (Florida is next with 44 athletes and Texas third with 38). With baseball and softball not being played, the total number is down from the 613 U.S. athletes who competed in Tokyo.

Team USA’s Noah Lyles celebrates after winning the men’s 200 meter final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, on Aug. 25, 2023. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

The U.S. will compete in 31 of the 32 sports (U.S. handball teams will make their long-awaited return in 2028). There is one sport making its Olympic debut — breaking (don’t call it break dancing, though).

Women will comprise the majority of athletes competing for the U.S., with 314 (53% of Team USA) — the most women for any nation. There will be 157 medal events for men, 152 for women and 20 mixed-gender. Twenty-eight of the 32 events will be “fully gender equal,” the IOC said.

Here’s a look at the 2024 U.S. Olympic team:

Must-watch US athletes at the Paris Olympics

Every athlete at the Paris Games is probably worth watching, but here are some of the top contenders for gold.

Simone Biles, women’s gymnastics — The favorite in the women’s all-around competition and considered one of the greatest in the history of her sport, Biles has won seven Olympic medals, including four at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. After her shocking withdrawal from the team and all-around competitions in Tokyo, Biles is out to win gold in what could be the final chapter of her storied career.

Caeleb Dressel, men’s swimming — After winning five golds in Tokyo, Dressel nearly walked away from the sport in 2022. After rediscovering his passion for competitive swimming, he proved at the U.S. trials in June he is among the favorites to win gold in the 100-meter butterfly and 50 freestyle.

Katie Ledecky, women’s swimming — She is the most-decorated athlete competing at the Paris Olympics. Ledecky has 10 Olympic medals, including seven golds. She will be looking to add to her medal count in the 1,500-meter freestyle, 800 freestyle and 400 freestyle. Will this be her Olympic swansong, or will she be swimming at SoFi Stadium in four years?

Team USA’s Katie Ledecky reacts after winning gold in the final of the women’s 800 meter freestyle swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on July 31, 2021. (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

Noah Lyles, men’s 100 and 200 meters — Never camera shy, the Yu-Gi-Oh! card-carrying Lyles is the defending world champion in the men’s 100 and 200 meters. He set the world’s fastest time in the 200 at the U.S. trials last month and he’ll try to become the first man since Usain Bolt (2016) to win Olympic gold in the 100 and 200.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, women’s 400-meter hurdles —The overwhelming favorite for gold, McLaughlin-Levrone broke her world record in the event at the U.S. trials. She won gold in the 400 hurdles and 4×400 relay in Tokyo.

Sha’Carri Richardson, women’s 100 meters — After her controversial disqualification three years ago because of a positive marijuana test, Richardson won the U.S. trials in June and is considered a favorite for gold. She’ll face tough competition in Jamaican sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

U.S. women’s gymnastics team — They’re the favorite to win the team competition, with four of the five having previous Olympic experience. Suni Lee won gold in the all-around and Jade Carey took gold in floor exercise in Tokyo. Jordan Chiles played a critical role in helping the Americans take silver in the team championship then.

Other gold contenders worth watching: Ryan Crouser (men’s shot put), Lilly King (women’s swimming), Simone Manuel (women’s swimming), Carissa Moore (women’s surfing), Ryan Murphy (men’s swimming), Gabby Thomas (women’s 200 meters), U.S. women’s basketball team, U.S. men’s basketball team.

From 16 to 59

The youngest athlete at the Olympics will be gymnast Hezly Rivera. She turned 16 just before competing in the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials and is the only first timer on the squad (other than the reserves). While she is the youngest, 16-year-olds Paige Heyn (skateboarding street) and Quincy Wilson (4×400 mixed relay) will also be in Paris. Wilson is the youngest man to ever qualify for the U.S. in track and field.

The oldest U.S. Olympian in Paris? That goes to equestrian rider Steffen Peters, who will compete in team and individual dressage at age 59. Peters is appearing in his sixth Olympics after making his debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Basketball star Diana Taurasi and equestrian competitor McLain Ward have appeared in six consecutive Olympics dating to the 2004 Athens Games.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.