5 Fun Facts About the Paris 2024 Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years.
For the very first time in the history of the Summer Olympic Games, the Opening Ceremony will not be held in a stadium 🚫. Instead, Paris will launch the festivities with a boat parade down the Seine on July 26th 🎉. Floating 3 ½ miles through the heart of Paris, the 10,500 athletes, coaches, leaders, and staff will make their way from the Austerlitz Bridge, near the Jardin des Plantes, and finish at the Iéna Bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadéro 🌟.
However, with security being a top priority, France has a Plan B to host the ceremony exclusively in the Trocadéro square (where the boat parade is scheduled to culminate) 🛡️, and a Plan C to move the ceremony to the Stade de France – the biggest stadium in France – in case of any security threats 🏟️.
The design team for each Olympic Games must come up with a fun yet symbolic mascot to cheer on the athletes and represent the spirit of the host country 🎭. With liberty and freedom at the heart of French identity, Paris made a somewhat unconventional choice: an anthropomorphized Phrygian cap 🎩. This iconic headgear – originally worn by freed Roman slaves – is best known from depictions of Marianne, an allegorical figure symbolizing liberty whose visage adorns every French town hall 🏛️.
While the French capital will be the epicenter of the Games, competitions will be held all around the nation 🗺️. The host country’s aim is to showcase the rich and diverse heritage of their land and culture 🌍.
One of France’s most popular sports, football (or soccer) ⚽, will be held in existing stadiums across the regions of Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Marseille 🏟️. Marseille will also host the Games’ sailing events in the Mediterranean Sea ⛵. Meanwhile, in the north, Lille will have team sports like basketball and handball 🏀🤾♂️.
Breaking (or Breakdancing) originated in the United States in the 1970s 🇺🇸. After its resounding success as an exhibition sport at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018, the Olympic Committee has officially inaugurated it as a medal event for the Paris Games 🥇. The competition will be held in the Place de la Concorde, just outside of the Tuileries Gardens 🌳. Comprising two events – one for men and one for women – 16 “B-Boys” and 16 “B-Girls” will go head-to-head (perhaps on their heads) in solo battles for the gold 🏆.
Breaking will join the growing lineup of new sports introduced in Tokyo in 2020 that includes skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing 🛹🧗♂️🏄♀️.
Champions Park, in front of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadéro, will offer locals, visitors, and spectators the chance to meet Olympic athletes and enjoy unique artistic performances every evening starting at 5:30 p.m. 🌟. Free to all and no ticket required, this is a fantastic way to be part of the Olympic spirit 🎉. The park will also feature giant screens broadcasting major sporting events live from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. every night 📺.
