This year, the Olympic Games were held in Paris, France, showcasing 10,500 athletes from around the world. Held every two years, the Olympics alternate between the Summer and Winter Games. The Summer Games usually take place in July and August, while the Winter games are typically held in February.
The first Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The idea of the games was inspired by a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
The Olympics always begin with an opening ceremony, where the host nation’s flag country is raised, and athletes from each participating country make their entrance. This year, the French flag was hoisted as France’s national anthem played. A total of 206 countries made an appearance at the ceremony, with athletes representing their team by boat along the Seine River.
The Olympics feature 32 sports including four additional sports. Some of the events include artistic gymnastics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, breaking, cycling track, football, handball, swimming, skateboarding, sport climbing, table tennis, and wrestling.
These events took place across various venues throughout France including Paris La Defense Arena for swimming and water polo, La Concorde for 3×3 Basketball, Breaking, Cycling BMX Freestyle, and Skateboarding, Eiffel Tower Stadium for Beach Volleyball, and La Beaujoire Stadium for football. In particular, one of the cycling events finished with a scenic view of the Eiffel Tower.
There is no specific age requirement to participate in the Olympics, allowing young athletes to gain recognition. This year there were lots of young gymnasts and skateboarders. For example, 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao holds 26th place in the World Skateboarding Ranking. Among them, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson became the youngest male track and field gold medalist of all time. Summer McIntosh also made headlines by collecting four of Canada’s eight swimming medals, including three gold medals.
At celebratory places like Champions Park and Club France, fans are granted the opportunity to celebrate their country’s athletes. Despite this, controversies arose in the Olympics—between battling nations in the medals race, as well as disputes within nations.
One major controversy was the Noah Lyles vs USA Basketball dilemma. Lyles, an American track athlete, discredited the National Basketball Association and their claim to be world champions of basketball, as they only compete nationally. This sparked a landslide of NBA superstars to join the sacred games and prove the dominance of the U.S. in the sport. Fortunately, both Lyles and the men’s basketball team won gold in their respective fields, resolving the tension.
One major controversy was the Noah Lyles vs USA Basketball dilemma. Lyles, an American track athlete, discredited the National Basketball Association and their claim to be world champions of basketball, as they only compete nationally. This sparked a landslide of NBA superstars to join the sacred games and prove the dominance of the U.S. in the sport. Fortunately, both Lyles and the men’s basketball team won gold in their respective fields, resolving the tension.
“The tension between Noah Lyles and other star American athletes is captivating,” said junior David Makhany. “Despite representing the same country, Lyles critiques these athletes as if they’re not good at what they do.”
Some believe breakingdancing’s inclusion in the Olympics has also sparked controversy, fearing that the art form could lose its authenticity as it gains global attention.
“I don’t like that breaking is considered a sport in the Olympics,” said senior Noya Haliva. “The culture of breakdancing feels violated by officials.”
This year’s Olympics saw 17 records broken. Notably, the French swimmer Léon Marchand won gold in all four of his individual events, setting new records in each of those events. Sydney McLaughlin, an American hurdler, also broke a record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, finishing in 50.37 seconds.
By the end of the Olympics, the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China both secured 40 total gold medals. However, the U.S. pulled ahead by winning more silver and bronze medals, leading the overall medal count with a total of 126.
“I was surprised yet happy to see that the U.S. finished in first place though they started off not doing so well,” said junior Max Pour.
The Olympics concluded with a closing ceremony where athletes and fans from all nations united, celebrating all the dedication and hard work put into the games. The ceremony began with the lively energy of karaoke, followed by a dazzling light show. To wrap up the ceremony, the Olympic torch was handed over to the United States, the host of the next Summer Games.
