The anticipation is mounting as athletes from across the globe gear up to display their skills. With only 30 days remaining, how Paris has prepared for this magnificent event?
With the unifying slogan “Games Wide Open” for both the Olympics and Paralympics, Paris aims to highlight the events for athletes and spectators alike. The city plans to feature “celebration venues” where the public can gather to view the events on large screens.
Numerous events will unfold around the city’s iconic streets and boulevards. Cyclists will be encouraged along the cobblestones of Montmartre, beach volleyball will take place near the Eiffel Tower, and both marathon running and road cycling will occur along the renowned rues and boulevards.
Paris first welcomed the Summer Olympics in 1900, and again in 1924. The games have evolved significantly since then, and this year’s inclusion of breaking, or breakdancing, is likely to turn heads. The Olympics will feature 32 different sports, with several events taking place outside the city.
The Île-de-France region will be the venue for mountain biking and golf. Versailles will resonate with the thunder of hooves during the equestrian events, while sailors will compete along the Mediterranean shores of Marseille. Place de la Concorde is set to become an urban park for BMX, basketball, breakdancing, and skateboarding. The Grand Palais will host fencing and taekwondo, and the Esplanade des Invalides will welcome archery competitions.
The new Aquatics Centre, dedicated to swimming, diving, and water polo, will be linked by a footbridge to the Stade de France. Meanwhile, in Nanterre, the Paris La Defense Arena is set to be converted into an Olympic swimming pool, aglow with the vibrant hues of the 2024 Paris Games for the freestyle competitions.
The opening ceremony is set to be a game-changer, taking place not in a stadium but on the River Seine. A flotilla of boats will parade the 10,500 athletes, allowing spectators to line the banks and bridges for a free view of the procession as it passes landmarks like Notre-Dame de Paris, the Louvre, and the Musée d’Orsay.
Luxury brand LVMH is a partner of the games, and the medals have been designed by Chaumet. The mascot for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is named Olympic Phryge. These anthropomorphic mascots are shaped like traditional Phrygian caps, a symbol of freedom in French culture.
The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to be a spectacular display of athletic skill, cultural richness, and worldwide solidarity, igniting the competitive spirit of all who compete.