Crowds of tourists flocking to the Eiffel Tower on a hot, humid afternoon may not yet realize that the 2024 Summer Olympics are within reach.
Much of the surrounding gardens have been surrounded by metal fences and remodeled into structures where giant trucks rumble in and out. Hardhat-clad work crews are completing a transitional volleyball stadium and bleachers around a plaza where athletes will collect their medals in the evening.
It is logical that Paris has deserved this emblematic monument: these Games will be nothing more than a postcard.
Equestrian occasions at the Palos angeles in Versailles, fencing at the Grand Palos angeles, skaters at the Plos angeles de los angeles Concorde.
“Every Games has to find a way to meet the challenge,” says Michael Payne, a sports marketing specialist and former longtime Olympic executive. “Paris has this phenomenal backdrop. “
The venues themselves will be the stars of the coming weeks of competition, and organisers hope to deliver the Games at a level designed for television like nowhere else in the world.
The modern pentathlon has been a fan favorite.
The occasion is arguably quirky and fun to watch as athletes compete in five probably unrelated sports, but it just doesn’t draw much attention. Team USA member Jess Davis hopes to spice things up this summer.
At the beginning of August, the fashionable pentathlon will be limited to horse riding in the transition places installed in the park of this historic palace.
Horses jumping among the topiaries. Fencing and pistol shooting surrounded by a bunch of statues. Cross-country race near the Grand Canal. Swimming too.
Turning the 2,000-acre property, which dates back to Louis XIII, into a game box will give those Games what Christophe Dubi, head of the International Olympic Committee, described as “a French touch, a French spirit. “
Which can affect Davis’ sport.
“I can’t believe a better place,” he says. In fact, I can’t wait for other people to see it and revel in it. “
The midday sun on the glass dome of this century-old exhibition hall in the center of the city.
The Grand Palais was built in the late 1890s on a plot of land between the Seine and the Champs-Elysées. Designed by a team of architects, it combines elements of classicism and modernity.
In anticipation of fencing and taekwondo activities taking place there, the French Ministry of Culture oversaw a renovation that lasted three years and was completed in time for the Games. For American fencer Lee Kiefer, the reigning gold medalist in the women’s foil, the place has sentimental value.
When they were younger, she and her husband, American fencer Gerek Meinhardt, competed in the 2010 World Championships at the Grand Palais.
“I have very nice memories there,” he says. “I’m very curious to know what it will be like. “
Not all of this summer’s stunning spots will be in Paris.
The surfing will take place in this remote Tahitian town, nestled between a bright blue ocean and rugged mountains, about 9,700 miles southwest.
Although the scenery is serenely beautiful, when the big sets arrive, Teahupo’o’s getaway turns into what American surfer Carissa Moore describes as “pretty scary. “
The spot is revered among surfers for its huge, heavy waves found on a shallow reef, which means epic tube rides and very genuine danger.
The decision to hold an Olympic celebration there was not without controversy. Locals and environmentalists have complained that erecting an offshore tower for judges and television cameras would damage the coral that makes this position so special.
Construction strategies have been adjusted and arrangements resumed, with 48 of the world’s top-ranked surfers expected to compete at some point over the next few weeks, depending on conditions. Moore says he prays for surfing, but not too much.
“It’s crazy,” he said. I don’t know who came up with the idea of riding that wave. “
Kelly Cheng, an American beach volleyball player, believes her game has won the lottery with this stadium in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
“It’s one of the most iconic and cool places,” he says. “I’m grateful. “
The monument will also be visible, albeit a little further away, to skaters at the Concorde de Plos angelesce in Los Angeles. Organisers have remodelled the public square into a complex that will also host BMX freestyle, break and 3-on-3 basketball.
The archers will be the protagonists of the Esplanade des Invalides. The Seine, despite a history of sewage-contaminated water, will host a state-of-the-art rite of opening, as well as triathlon and marathon swimming competitions.
Etienne Thobois, director general of the Organising Committee, recently asked to name his greatest merit in the planning of the Games. He told the Olympic Information Service: “The simple answer would be ‘Paris’. . . for the city. “
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