Paris 2024: A Moment in History
“Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history.” - Baron Pierre de Coubertin
Food for Thought
Since 1896, when the first modern Olympiad was held in Athens, Greece, with 241 athletes from 14 countries, this quadrennial event has evolved into a premier international sporting competition and a celebration of athleticism and fortitude of spirit. In 2024, the honor of hosting the Olympic Games fell to the capital of France – Paris. The city had already held the revived tournament twice before, once in 1900 and a second time in 1924. It took a century for the Olympic Games to return to France; on July 26, 2024, Paris - renowned for its elegance, high fashion, rich culture, and fine sense of beauty - organized the XXXIII Summer Olympics which certainly set itself apart from former competitions.
The opening ceremony was not held inside the usual stadium: this way, the entire city was integrated into the joyful celebration. French President Emmanuel Macron officially opened the Olympic Games in Paris. Around 300,000 spectators enjoyed the parade of athletes sailing along the Seine in 100 boats with just under 11 thousand participants on board who made their grand arrival into the city center. It rained heavily throughout the ceremony, though this did not spoil the festive mood.
In addition to the parade of sports teams, the program included an artistic performance introducing the cultural heritage of France and the Olympic Torch Relay followed by the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony. Thomas Jolly directed the musical part of the show, which included performances by Lady Gaga, a cancan performed by the artists of the Moulin Rouge cabaret, the French metal band Gojira, in which the actress appeared as a beheaded Marie Antoinette, and John Lennon's iconic "Imagine" performed by Juliette Armand and Sofiane Pamar. The Olympic anthem was performed by the Radio France Choir and the National Orchestra of France. The world-famous Céline Dion headlined the show with Edith Piaf's "Hymne à l'amour".
The Olympic flag was carried at the flag-raising ceremony by a rider depicting Joan of Arc in armor, galloping atop a metal horse down the River Seine. Many famous athletes and celebrities took part in the Olympic Torch Relay, such as footballer Zinédine Zidane and tennis players Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. 100-year-old 1948 Olympic champion Charles Coste passed the torch to three-time Olympic champions Judoka Teddy Riner and track and field athlete Marie-Josée Perec to light the Olympic flame in a touching gesture of continuity and connection between generations of athletes. The sportsmen lit a tank at the base of a giant hot air balloon, which rose into the air, dramatically illuminated by the Olympic flame.
Despite the mixed critical impressions of the event's organization, as well as some controversy surrounding incidents like the incorrect raising of the Olympic flag, the mispronunciation of South Korea's name, and the alleged parody of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece “The Last Supper,” the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris were still rich in historical events and will be remembered for their innovation.
The Games paved a path to a more youthful and modern future in sports. The program included 32 sports, 4 of which were added with an emphasis on young athletes. The new sports were breakdancing, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing, the latter of which took place in Teahupoo, Tahiti. The 2024 Olympics have also proven their openness and support for female athletes. This was demonstrated by several moments, such as Egyptian saber fencer Nadia Hafez competing in the tournament while being seven months pregnant. “What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three! It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come-to-our world, little baby!” the athlete shared in her Instagram post. Hafez reached the 1/8 finals, where she lost to Korean Jeon Hayoung with a score of 7:15. Another expectant mother from Azerbaijan, Yaylagul Ramazanova, competed 6.5 months into her pregnancy and reached the 1/16 finals, where she lost to German athlete Michelle Kroppen.
The German team is proud of the new record in the 100m freestyle, set by the local 25-year-old swimmer Joscha Salchow from SV Nikar Heidelberg, who finished 6th in the final. German rhythmic gymnast of Russian origin Darja Varfolomeev, a six-time world champion and two-time European champion, became the absolute German champion of the Olympic Games in Paris, winning the first gold in rhythmic gymnastics in the history of Germany. 21 records were set in Paris this year in athletics, swimming, archery, shooting, weightlifting, climbing, track cycling, canoeing, and modern pentathlon. Several countries won Olympic medals for the first time: Carlos Yulo won the first gold medal in artistic gymnastics (floor exercise and vault) for the Philippines; Julien Alfred earned the first gold medal in the women's 100m for Saint Lucia; Thea LaFond won gold and the first medal in the triple jump for Dominica; Kaylia Nemours of Algeria became the first gymnast in the history of the country to win an Olympic medal in the uneven bars; and Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba became the first refugee athlete to win the first victory and bronze medal for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team.
The Paris 2024 Olympics will be remembered for several awesome moments and victories that have spread across the internet as memes, such as the cool Turkish silver medal shooting winner Yusuf Dikeç, who has already been the subject of a manga and is jokingly tipped to be the next James Bond, or the knitting of British diver Tom Daley, who won silver in the men's synchronized 10m platform at Paris 2024. There were also romantic gestures, such as the engagement of Chinese badminton gold medalist Huang Ya Qiong to her teammate Liu Yuchen. The athlete did not just arrive home with a victory in the form of a gold medal but also became a champion of love with a diamond ring as her trophy.
In the overall standings, the United States took first place, with a total of 126 medals (40 gold, 44 silver, 42 bronze). China finished second with 91 medals (40 gold, 27 silver, 24 bronze). Japan finished third with 45 medals overall (20 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze). Germany is in 10th place with 33 medals (12 gold, 13 silver, 8 bronze). One of the main American Olympic stars whose triumphant return and victories attracted widespread media attention was American artistic gymnast Simone Biles. The 7-time Olympic champion and 23-time world champion won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics – in the team event, individual all-around, and vault. In the floor exercise, she took second place, losing only to Brazilian athlete Rebeca Andrade.
The closing ceremony of the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games took place at the Stade de France stadium on August 11, 2024. The ceremony traditionally included the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, which was carried out by French swimmer Léon Marchand, four-time gold medal champion at the Paris Olympic Games. The flags of the participating countries were carried out, including the flag of the refugee team, and a parade of athletes took place. The German flag was carried by two of the Olympic champions in Paris; triathlete Laura Lindemann and canoeist Max Rendschmidt.
The award ceremony for the winners of the women's marathon followed, as well as the lowering of the Olympic flag and its transfer to the representative of the XXXIV Summer Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The closing ceremony culminated with Tom Cruise's epic Hollywood-style descent from the stadium roof. The famous actor took the Olympic flag and proceeded to ride with it on a motorcycle through Paris, driving straight into a Los Angeles-bound plane, where a beach party dedicated to the next Summer Olympics kicked off. The internationally famous musicians of varying genres Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and the Californian band Red Hot Chili Peppers took to the stage during the celebration.
The XXXIII Summer Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 made history in the world of international sports and will be remembered for the brilliant, bright victories and new records, all of which honored the Olympic Games motto: “Faster, higher, stronger – together!”
