A few memorable moments have unavoidably occurred during the past few weeks of action-packed sports, including an Australian breakdancer who failed to impress the judges and US rapper Snoop Dogg dancing with dressage horses.
As we bid farewell to the Olympic Games, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the unforgettable and widely shared moments of Paris 2024.
From the very beginning, the Games in the French capital created a historic moment with a captivating opening ceremony that unfolded along the beautiful River Seine.
Megastars like Lady Gaga and Celine Dion elevated the splendour of the four-hour event despite the rainy weather.
Sir Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, stood out among the unprepared dignitaries, confidently sporting a Team GB branded cagoule while others had to make do with plastic waterproof ponchos. This memorable moment quickly gained viral attention.
Rapper Snoop Dogg was another unusual hero of the Games. His participation on social media became viral, with him admiring the equestrian, learning how to swim from Michael Phelps, and offering his own commentary on the badminton.
“Never even liked tennis anyway,” wrote Andy Murray on X after his professional career ended with defeat in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s doubles.
The Scot concluded his tennis career with an impressive record, securing three Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic gold medals, and one Davis Cup. This remarkable achievement came during a highly competitive era in men’s tennis. In addition, he reached the top spot in the world rankings.
Britain achieved a remarkable feat by securing medals in various events at the Olympics. Keely Hodgkinson, Toby Roberts, Izzy Thorpe, and Kate Shortman emerged as the standout performers, clinching gold and silver in their respective disciplines.
A memorable moment from the Games occurred when Simone Biles, a highly accomplished US gymnast, and her teammate Jordan Chiles humbly bowed down on the podium while Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade was awarded a gold medal for her exceptional floor routine.
Stephen Nedoroscik, a male gymnast for Team USA, earned the moniker “Clark Kent of the pommel horse” when he helped the men’s team win their first medal in sixteen years by spending almost three hours waiting on the sidelines before entering his event and taking off his spectacles.
The pollution levels in the River Seine posed a threat to open-water swimming events, resulting in the postponement of the men’s triathlon. French authorities are currently working hard to bring the levels of E.coli in the water under control.
After water tests were reviewed, events in the Seine finally occurred. However, Belgium decided to withdraw from the Olympic mixed relay triathlon due to an athlete falling ill after swimming in the river. The country did not provide any further details regarding the cause of the illness.
A brave individual known as “Bob the Cap Catcher” delighted spectators when he fearlessly plunged into the water at the La Defence Arena to retrieve the cap of US swimmer Emma Weber, which had accidentally come loose during a heat for the women’s 100m breaststroke.
Swimming commentators from the United States, Jason Knapp and Amy Van Dyken, gave the man who was wearing a speedo a nickname after he stepped out to cheers from the audience. It is believed that the man is a lifeguard.
A photo of Yusuf Dikec, a silver medallist from Turkey, competing in the air pistol mixed team event with his non-shooting hand casually tucked inside his pocket went viral. Dikec was a member of the Turkish action team squad.
The posture was also imitated by other competitors, including the women’s 4×400-meter relay squad from squad GB, who all created gun symbols with their hands as they came out of the locker room before participating in the race.
Being an athlete can be exhausting, as shown by Ukrainian high jump gold medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh. In a video, she was seen resting in a sleeping bag with her eyes closed while her competitors took their turns.
Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon also received notice on social media after being photographed by Saudi rower Husein Alireza taking a nap on the grass next to a bench in the Olympic Village.
The swimmer then stated in an interview with Italian television Rai that a lack of air conditioning and low quality food in the Village caused several competitors to leave.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer who won a gold medal, was the subject of a gender boxing dispute that continued to make headlines throughout the Games. In this controversy, she was accused of having elevated testosterone levels, which can result in increased power and muscle, which could put her opponents in danger.
Angela Carini, an Italian boxer, walked out of their battle after 46 seconds, citing the fact that she wanted to preserve her health due to the Algerian’s formidable punches as the reason for her decision. This sparked the argument.
Breakdancing had its Olympic debut in Paris, and 36-year-old Australian professor Raygun (actual name Rachael Gunn) likely stole the show.
Her dance, which included unorthodox manoeuvres, was widely criticised on social media and even failed to impress the judges, as she exited the competition without collecting a single point.
Surfing was another new discipline included for the 2024 Games. In Tahiti, photographer Jerome Brouillet captured a stunning photo of Brazil’s Gabriel Medina seemingly levitating over the waves with his arm raised.
During the event’s semi-final, a whale breached, which was captured on camera, which was another incident that attracted everyone’s attention.
Chinese badminton player He Bingjiao demonstrated that the Games are about more than just winning and losing by carrying a Spanish flag pin to the platform after collecting her silver medal.
Carolina Marin, who was competing in the badminton women’s singles competition, was forced to withdraw from the competition after suffering an injury during the pair’s semi-final match. The gesture was a show of respect for Marin.