2024 Paris Olympics Highlights

The 2024 Paris Olympics have delivered a captivating display of athletic excellence, historic achievements, and unforgettable moments that will be etched into the annals of sports history. From Simone Biles’ triumphant return to gymnastics glory, to Eliud Kipchoge’s unparalleled marathon hat-trick, and Ireland’s groundbreaking victories in swimming and rowing, this year’s XXXIII Olympiad Games have showcased the pinnacle of human achievement. As the world’s greatest athletes converged in the City of Light, their extraordinary performances and record-breaking feats have not only inspired awe but also reaffirmed the Olympic spirit of perseverance, innovation, and unity. The Olympic Games ran from 26 July to 11 August 2024 with 10,500 athletes across 35 venues.

The Olympic rings were mounted to the iconic Parisian landmark on Friday June 8, 2024 to mark 50 days until the sports world gathers in the French capital for the quadrennial sports festival. After the 2024 Paris Games, Mayor Hidalgo. the Eiffel Tower is to keep Olympic rings onb display. The rings are displayed on the south side of the 135-year-old landmark in central Paris, overlooking the Seine River. Each ring is 9 meters (30 feet) in diameter and made of recycled French steel.

Highlights from the Games Wide Open 2024 Paris Olympics:

Simone Biles’ Historic Comeback

Date: July 29, 2024
Athlete: Simone Biles
Country: USA
Sport: Gymnastics
Story: Simone Biles returned to the Olympics after stepping back during Tokyo 2020. She won the gold medal in the women’s all-around and on the balance beam, further solidifying her status as one of the greatest gymnasts in history.
Source: The Guardian
Eliud Kipchoge’s Marathon Hat-Trick

Date: August 11, 2024
Athlete: Eliud Kipchoge
Country: Kenya
Sport: Marathon
Story: Eliud Kipchoge won his third consecutive Olympic marathon gold, an unprecedented achievement in Olympic history, reaffirming his dominance in long-distance running.
Source: BBC Sport
French Handball Team’s Triumph

Date: August 10, 2024
Team: French Men’s Handball Team
Country: France
Sport: Handball
Story: The French men’s handball team defended their Olympic title on home soil, defeating Denmark in the final and thrilling the Parisian crowd with a close match.
Source: France 24
China’s Diving Dominance

Date: August 9, 2024
Team: Chinese Diving Team
Country: China
Sport: Diving
Story: China continued its strong tradition in Olympic diving, sweeping gold medals in synchronized and individual events, further cementing their global dominance in the sport.
Source: Xinhua News
Australian Women’s Swim Team Sets World Record

Date: August 8, 2024
Team: Australian Women’s Swimming Team
Country: Australia
Sport: Swimming
Story: The Australian women’s swimming team broke the world record in the 4x100m freestyle relay, securing a gold medal and continuing Australia’s legacy in Olympic swimming.
Source: ABC News Australia
India’s First Olympic Gold in Archery

Date: August 6, 2024
Athlete: Atanu Das
Country: India
Sport: Archery
Story: Atanu Das won India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in archery, a historic achievement that brought immense pride to the nation.
Source: The Times of India
Spain Wins Women’s Football Gold

Date: August 9, 2024
Team: Spanish Women’s Football Team
Country: Spain
Sport: Football (Soccer)
Story: Spain’s women’s football team clinched their first Olympic gold medal, defeating the United States in a dramatic final that went into extra time.
Source: El País
Japan’s Judo Success Continues

Date: August 3, 2024
Athlete: Shohei Ono
Country: Japan
Sport: Judo
Story: Shohei Ono successfully defended his title in the men’s 73kg judo event, adding another gold to Japan’s impressive tally in their national sport.
Source: The Japan Times
Great Britain’s Record-Breaking Cycling Performance

Date: August 7, 2024
Team: Great Britain’s Track Cycling Team
Country: United Kingdom
Sport: Cycling
Story: Great Britain’s track cycling team broke world records in both the men’s and women’s team pursuit events, continuing their dominance in Olympic cycling.
Source: The Independent
Brazil’s Beach Volleyball Gold

Date: August 10, 2024
Team: Brazilian Men’s Beach Volleyball Team
Country: Brazil
Sport: Beach Volleyball
Story: The Brazilian men’s beach volleyball team won gold in a thrilling match against Norway, marking Brazil’s return to the top of the podium in the sport.
Source: Globo Esporte
Shane Ryan’s Swimming Sensation

Date: August 10, 2024
Athlete: Shane Ryan
Country: Ireland
Sport: Swimming
Story: Shane Ryan captured the gold medal in the 100m backstroke, marking Ireland’s first-ever Olympic gold in swimming. His impressive performance not only brought a historic win to Ireland but also showcased his remarkable speed and technique in the pool.
Source: RTÉ Sport
Grant Holloway’s Victory in 110m Hurdles

Date: August 11, 2024
Athlete: Grant Holloway
Country: USA
Sport: 110m Hurdles
Story: Grant Holloway claimed gold in the men’s 110m hurdles with a commanding performance, demonstrating his unparalleled speed and technique. This victory solidified his reputation as one of the top hurdlers of his generation.
Source: ESPN
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Triumph in 400m Hurdles

Date: August 10, 2024
Athlete: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Country: USA
Sport: 400m Hurdles
Story: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone captured gold in the women’s 400m hurdles, continuing her dominance in the event. Her performance set a new Olympic record and highlighted her exceptional athleticism and grace over the barriers.
Source: NBC Sports
Sofia Raffaeli’s Rhythmic Gymnastics Performance

Date: August 9, 2024
Athlete: Sofia Raffaeli
Country: Italy
Sport: Rhythmic Gymnastics
Story: Sofia Raffaeli dazzled in rhythmic gymnastics, winning gold with a stunning routine that showcased her precision and artistic expression. Her performance was a highlight of the gymnastics competition, earning her widespread acclaim.
Source: The Guardian

These stories reflect the diversity of sports and athletes that made headlines during the 2024 Paris Olympics, with sources from different countries to give a broad perspective.
See images here: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/videos/images-of-the-olympics-olympic-games-paris-2024

The opening ceremonies will never be forgotten, as AP news reported, “Revolution ran like a high-voltage wire through the wacky, wonderful and rule-breaking Olympic opening ceremony that the French capital used to astound, bemuse and, at times, poke a finger in the eye of global audiences on Friday night. That Paris put on the most flamboyant, diversity-celebrating, LGBTQ+-visible of opening ceremonies wasn’t a surprise. Anything less would have seemed a betrayal of the pride the French capital takes in being a home to humanity in all its richness.” For the first time, the opening ceremony is unfolding outdoors and outside of a stadium. A nautical parade of 85 boats carrying some 10,500 athletes from each Olympic delegation will unfold along the Seine running through the city, starting from the Pont d’Austerlitz and culminating at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

After the opening video, Lady Gaga took over headline proceedings and on a flamboyant note, giving a colorful performance of Renée Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes” (My Thing With Feathers). Celine Dion made a spectacular and emotional comeback performance as the opening night ceremony drew to a close, her first live show since disclosing that she had a rare medical disorder in 2022. The Canadian icon and Queen of Power Ballads didn’t just sing Edith Piaf’s “Hymne A L’Amour,” but did so halfway up the Eiffel Tower and beneath a set of giant Olympic rings. per Variety

With estimated costs nearing $10 billion, these Paris Olympic Games will be the least expensive in recent history but likely the flashiest, thanks to Paris’ iconic landmarks serving as backdrop.

Location	Paris, France
Motto	Games Wide Open (French: Ouvrons Grand les Jeux)
Nations	204 (including the AIN and EOR teams)
Athletes	10,714
Events	329 in 32 sports (48 disciplines)
Opening	26 July 2024
Closing	11 August 2024
Opened by	President Emmanuel Macron
Cauldron	Teddy Riner Marie-José Pérec
Venue	Jardins du Trocadéro and the Seine (Opening ceremony) Stade de France (Closing ceremony)

The Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) is a group made up of independent Olympic participants who are refugees. In March 2016, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team, as a symbol of hope for all refugees in the world in order to raise global awareness of the scale of the migrant crisis. Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) is the name used to represent approved individual Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned those nations’ previous designations due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that is still ongoing as of 2024.

There are currently 187 United Nations Member States which can go up to 195 depending on the status of non-UN states. Per wikipedia, the member states of the United Nations comprise 193 sovereign states. The National Olympic Committees comprised of of 2023, there are 206 National Olympic Committees.^[1] These include each of the 193 member states of the United Nations, one UN observer state (Palestine^[2]), two states without UN recognition (Kosovo^[3] and Taiwan^{[note 1]}^[4]) and one associated state of New Zealand (the Cook Islands^[5]).

Following 16 spectacular and memorable days of Olympic competition, the baton has passed to LA28 with Tom Cruise’s roof stunt after a star-studded Closing Ceremony at the Stade de France.

Tom Cruise stunt at Closing Ceremony: Delivering Olympic flag from Paris to L.A.