LeBron James will carry the American flag during today's opening ceremony for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but he's not the only Ohio athlete to root for in the weeks ahead.

Why it matters: Fourteen Ohioans will compete for Team USA, including two who live in our region. Other competitors also have ties to Central Ohio.

Case in point: Ohio State University announced that 24 of its current, former and incoming student-athletes are competing, representing 10 countries — its second-largest contingent ever.

• Seven are on Team USA.

How to watch: The games are on NBC and Peacock and AMC Theatres at Easton will host watch parties.

Plus: Follow Axios' Olympics coverage and take note of key event dates.

The locals

💥 Joe Kovacs, track and field (shot put), lives in Dublin

• The "human cannon" is a two-time world champion and silver medalist who was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth — Pennsylvania, that is.
• His wife, Ashley Kovacs, coaches him and the U.S. women's team's throwers.

💪 Annette Nneka Echikunwoke, track and field (hammer throw), lives in Columbus

• A Nigerian-American who grew up in Pickerington and attended the University of Cincinnati, Echikunwoke holds the African record in hammer throw.
• She is representing Team USA for the first time.

⛳ Jason Day, golf, lives in Westerville

• The PGA Tour star missed the 2016 Olympics due to concerns about the Zika virus, but Day is ready to finally make his Team Australia debut.

The sort-of locals

⚽ Patrick Schulte, soccer

• The Crew's All-Star goalkeeper from Missouri made the U.S. men's national team in its first Olympics appearance in 16 years.
• ICYMI: Schulte's Best Day Ever.

🤼‍♂️ Kyle Snyder, wrestling

• The gold medalist, three-time world champion and Ohio State great is a Maryland native, but once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye.

🤸‍♀️ Simone Biles, gymnastics

• Biles is credited to Texas, where she lives and was raised. But the GOAT was born in Columbus, so technically we can claim her too.
• A new docuseries, "Simone Biles Rising," is available now on Netflix.

Other Ohioans to watch

With the Olympics officially kicking off this afternoon, it's a good time to brush up on key sports terminology.

🏊 Artistic swimming: Formerly a women-only event called synchronized swimming, artistic swimming now allows up to two men per country to compete in this team aquatic event that combines dance and gymnastic moves. (The duet competition is still women-only.)

🤸🏻‍♂️ Breaking: New for this Olympics, breaking will have competitors called B-Boys and B-Girls showcase fast footwork and acrobatic moves — like windmills and freezes — in solo battles to music.

• 😬 Just don't call it "breakdancing."

🏆 DD or difficulty score: DD stands for "degree of difficulty," a factor in an athlete's score for such sports as diving and gymnastics. The higher the difficulty score, the more points are on the table.

More terms to know

🎶 Enjoy live music and food trucks during Bicentennial Park's weekly summer concert series.

• 5:30pm tonight, 223 S. Civic Center Drive. Through Sept. 13. Free!

🩰 Take free dance classes offered at three venues during the New Albany Dance Festival.

• 8am-5pm Saturday and 8am-noon Sunday. Register.
• Full festival schedule, kicking off with a 7pm concert tonight.

🌍 Celebrate African culture and heritage, including music, food art and fashion, at the Columbus African Festival at Genoa Park.

• Noon-8pm Saturday and Sunday, 303 W. Broad St. Free!

🛞 Watch Nationwide Arena light up during the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party.

• 12:30pm and 7:30pm Saturday and 2:30pm Sunday. $21-50.

🍺 Compete in the Beer Olympics at Parlay Sporting Club + Kitchen, with over $5,000 in cash and prizes.

• 2pm Saturday, 570 N. High St. Free! Register a team.

⚽ Cheer for the Crew during a Leagues Cup Showcase match versus Aston Villa of England's Premier League.

• 8pm Saturday, Lower.com Field. Resale tickets start at $36.

🛶 Try kayaking with Metro Parks staff at Quarry Trails Metro Park.

• Noon-3pm Sunday, 2319 Quarry Trails Drive. Free!

🗓️ Reminder: The Ohio State Fair is all weekend long and 614 Restaurant Week ends tomorrow.

Three more events

Ohioans sure do love their chocolate, whether in candy or ice cream form.

Scooping the news: Chocolate chip, however, was the most-ordered special ice cream flavor in Ohio last summer, Instacart data shows.

• We join only Kansas and Kentucky with that distinction.

The big picture: Overall, classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and cookies and cream are the most popular flavors nationwide.

The bottom line: There's still time to grab a scoop for National Ice Cream Month and plenty of options along Ohio's newly expanded Ice Cream Trail.

🚄 Central Ohio leaders are mapping out potential Amtrak stations and service schedules in anticipation of passenger rail expansion. (WOSU)

Three teen suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with the recent carjacking death of Pickerington mother Alexa Stakely. (Dispatch)

😮 Take a look inside the stunning former Ohio National Bank building near the Columbus Commons, which has been vacant for decades but could soon transform into a restaurant or food hall. (Columbus Underground)

📸 Ajwa Coffee and Ice Cream, a new shop in Hilliard, serves giant waffles stuffed with ice cream and other Instagrammable desserts. (614 Magazine)

🍎 Teachers are often forced to spend their own money to stock up classrooms ahead of the new year. (WSYX-TV)

Quote du jour

"Throughout the year, it's a thousand. Some months are around $20, $30, $40. I have a love-hate relationship with Amazon."