The Summer Games are back in Paris. For the first time in 100 years, a decked-up Paris is set to welcome and host some of the world’s finest athletes for the quadrennial spectacle beginning July 26. This is the third time in history that the city is playing host to an Olympics becoming the second city after London to do so.
The last Olympic Games, held in Tokyo, after a delay of a year thanks to Covid pandemic and largely behind the closed doors. With normality returning, fans will be able to witness every event in person this time around.
Here’s everything you need to know about Paris 2024:
Games of the XXXIII Olympiad
The Paris Games is the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics. This is the third time that the French capital has gotten the chance to play host to the extravaganza. Previously, it hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924.
The Olympics will be held between July 26 to August 11.
How Paris Won the Bid?
As many as five cities presented bids to host the Summer Games including Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome in 2015. Hamburg, Rome and Budapest subsequently withdrew from the race due to various reasons. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) then decided to award the Games to both Paris and Los Angeles. After much discussion, Paris won the rights to host in 2024 while LA awarded the 2028 Games.
The Venues
A majority of the events will be held within Paris spread across a total of 35 venues.
Here are the venues
• Aquatics Centre (Artistic Swimming, Diving, Water Polo)
• Bercy Arena (Artistic Gymnastics, Basketball, Trampoline)
• Bordeaux Stadium (Football)
• Champ de Mars Arena (Judo, Wrestling)
• Château de Versailles (Equestrian, Modern Pentathlon)
• Chateauroux Shooting Centre (Shooting)
• Eiffel Tower Stadium (Beach Volleyball)
• Elancourt Hill (Cycling Mountain Bike)
• Football (Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium)
• Grand Palais (Fencing, Taekwondo)
• Hôtel de Ville (Athletics)
• Invalides (Archery, Athletics, Cycling Road)
• La Beaujoire Stadium (Football)
• La Concorde (3×3 Basketball, Breaking, Cycling BMX Freestyle. Skateboarding)
• Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue (Sport Climbing)
• Golf National (Golf)
• Lyon Stadium (Football)
• Marseille Marina (Sailing)
• Marseille Stadium (Football)
• Nice Stadium (Football)
• North Paris Arena (Boxing, Modern Pentathlon)
• Parc des Princes (Football)
• Paris La Defense Arena (Swimming, Water Polo)
• Pierre Mauroy Stadium (Basketball, Handball)
• Pont Alexandre III (Cycling Road, Marathon Swimming, Triathlon)
• Porte de La Chapelle Arena (Badminton, Rhythmic Gymnastics)
• Stade Roland-Garros (Boxing, Tennis)
• Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium (Cycling BMX Racing)
• Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome (Cycling Track)
• South Paris Arena (Handball, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Weightlifting)
• Stade de France (Athletics, Rugby Sevens)
• Teahupo’o, Tahiti (Surfing)
• Trocadéro (Athletics, Cycling Road)
• Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium (Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint, Rowing)
• Yves-du-Manoir Stadium (Hockey)
Frequently Asked Questions about the Paris Olympics
How Many Countries Are Participating?
Athletes representing 206 countries will be vying for glory in Paris.
How Many Athletes Are Competing in Paris?
An estimated 10,500 athletes across 34 different sports and 47 disciplines will be competing at the Paris Olympics.
Which Country Has The Biggest Squad at The Paris?
United States of America will have the largest participation by country this time around with a total squad of 598 that include 571 athletes.
And the Smallest?
Well, as many as nine nations – American Samoa, Belize, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Liechtenstein, Mauritania, Myanmar, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu – will have representation from just one athlete each in Paris.
Is There a Refugee Team?
The IOC created the Refugee Team in 2016 that represents over 100 million “forcibly displaced people worldwide”. This time around, it comprises 37 athletes who will be competing across 12 sports.
Which is The Most Successful Nation in Olympic History?
United States of America has won the most medals in Olympics history. The sporting powerhouse has won 2629 medals including 1061 gold, 830 silver and 738 bronze so far.
Who is the Most Decorated Athlete?
Michael Phelps. The legendary American swimmer won a whopping 28 medals during his surreal Olympic career including 23 gold, three silver and two bronze.
Are There Any New Events
Yes. Breaking, commonly known as Breakdancing will make its Olympic debut in Paris. Kayak cross will also be making its first appearance at the Summer Games.
In artistic swimming, the men’s category has been included for the first time in Olympic history while in boxing, the number of categories in women’s events has been increased to six while in men, it’s been reduced to seven.
In weightlifting, the number of classes has been cut down to 10 from 14 while the marathon race walk mixed relay has replaced men’s 50km race walk.
Any Events That Were Excluded?
Karate, Baseball and Softball are no longer an Olympic sport.
Is There a Prize Money For Winning Medals?
The International Olympic Committee doesn’t reward medal winners with cash prizes. However, winds of changes are blowing with World Athletics announcing it will be handing out prize money to the gold medalists from track and field events. The world governing body will distribute USD 2.4m across 48 events.
The plan is to extend the reward to silver and bronze medalists from the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
What Connect the Medals And Eiffel Tower?
As per the official Paris Games website, each medal – Olympic and Paralympic – is set with a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Stay updated with the latest from Paris Olympics 2024. Explore Paris Olympics 2024 events today. Check the updated list of medal tally for Paris Olympics 2024. Check Paris Olympics 2024 event results.
