Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Rhythmic – Individual All-Around – Final – Rotation 4 – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – August 7, 2021. Linoy Ashram of Israel in action with ribbon. Photo: REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson.

With less than one year to go until the 2024 Paris summer Olympics, qualification across a number of sports have already begun. So far, 41 Israelis in six sports have already secured their place at the Olympics.

Israel’s team at the 2016 Rio competition was 47 athletes, which was a record number for an Israeli contingent. By the time the 2024 team heads off to Paris, the number of competitors should break the record of 90 that went to Tokyo in 2020.

So far, 18 of the 41 Israeli Olympic athletes are soccer players. The men’s football team memorably punched their Olympic ticket when they made the final four of this summer’s U21 European Championships. It will be their first Olympic appearance since 1976.

Israel has never won an Olympic medal in athletics, but that could change in Paris. Long-distance runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter will be competing there, and just finished fourth at the World Championships. On the men’s side, Israel has already locked in three spots, but it is still unclear who these spots will go to; runner Maru Teferi should most definitely be there, after winning silver at the recent World Championships.

Returning after their Olympic debut in Tokyo, the Israeli equestrian team qualified as a team in the jumping competition, as well as three individual spots.

Israel’s golden sport at Tokyo — gymnastics — was responsible for both of the gold medals that Israel won there. In rhythmic gymnastics, 17-year old Daria Atamanov is the heir apparent to Linoy Ashram, and will be in the individual tournament, while a team of six Israeli athletes will be in the group event. Israel just won the group event at the World Championships, so expectations will be high.

There will also always be a special relationship with Israel and sailing, because that sport produced Israel’s first Olympic gold medal ever. For 2024, Israeli athletes have already qualified in men’s and women’s IQFoil (Windsurfing), as well as the Women’s Formula Kite (kitesurfing). Noa Lasri and Nitai Hasson also secured their spot in the Mixed 470 (double handed dinghy) event.

Five Israelis have already locked up spots for swimming in Paris — Meiron Cheruti, Tomer Frankel, Denis Loktev, Gal Cohen, and Anastasia Gorbenko. Gorbenko finished 10th in the 200m Individual Medley at Tokyo, and will be looking to improve on that

Hopefully, Israel will also be sending athletes in archery, cycling, fencing, shooting, tae-kwon-do, triathlon, weightlifting, and, of course, judo. Paris could also see Israel make its Olympic debut in sports such as skateboarding and climbing.

It’s a lot to look forward to.

David Wiseman is the co-founder of Follow Team Israel, and the head of online reputation management at Buzzdealer.