More open, more urban: A review of the highlights of the Paris Olympic Games preparations
2024-08-13
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The closing ceremony was filmed on August 11. On that day, the closing ceremony of the 33rd Summer Olympic Games was held at the Stade de France in Paris. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lai XiangdongThe opening ceremony on the Seine River, the Olympic stadium under the Eiffel Tower, the figures exercising in the streets and alleys... The Paris Olympics, with the slogan "A More Open Olympics", came to an end on the 11th. This sporting event was integrated into the city, showcased the culture, and left an unforgettable Olympic mark.
In December 2021, the Paris Olympic Committee officially announced the creative plan for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, which is planned to be held along the 6-kilometer-long Seine River and the riverside area. Since then, the preparations for the Paris Olympic Games have received more and more attention, and people are looking forward to an Olympic Games full of romance and art.
This is the first time in the history of the modern Olympics that the opening ceremony was moved from a stadium to an open urban space. The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics used the city as the background, the river as the "runway", and the dock as the seats. 205 delegations and about 6,800 athletes boarded 85 ships, set off from the Austerlitz Bridge, sailed west along the Seine River, passed Notre Dame de Paris, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde and other iconic buildings, and finally arrived at the Trocadero Square on the opposite bank of the Eiffel Tower to participate in the celebration ceremony.
Although it rained on the night of the opening ceremony, it could not stop the enthusiasm of the athletes and spectators. People sang and danced in the gorgeous lights and celebrated together on the riverside, in the auditorium, and even on the balcony. Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris Olympic Committee, said: "I am very happy that athletes from all over the world have successfully completed the boat entry. This is a historic moment. From now on, Paris has become their stage."
The Seine River became part of the Olympic venue after the opening ceremony. Many venues for the Paris Olympics were set up in famous attractions - beach volleyball was held near the Eiffel Tower, fencing and taekwondo competitions were held at the Grand Palais in Paris, the Place de la Concorde was the venue for emerging events such as 3x3 basketball, breakdancing, and skateboarding, and equestrian and modern pentathlon competitions were held near the Palace of Versailles...
There are only three newly built venues for this Olympics, namely the La Chapelle Gate Stadium for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics competitions, the Aquatics Center for synchronized swimming, water polo and diving competitions, and the Le Bourget Sports Climbing Center in the northeastern suburbs of Paris. The Olympic Village also makes full use of existing buildings and facilities, transforming the film and television base into a restaurant with 3,200 seats, the film studio into an athlete training room, and using the resources of the local medical school to set up a comprehensive clinic. After the Paris Olympics, the Olympic Village will become a community with 3,000 houses.
Marie Salois, director of sustainable development at the IOC, said that improving the sustainability of the Olympics and ensuring that the Olympics bring lasting and measurable benefits to local people is one of the IOC's main tasks.
The Paris Olympic Games are full of exciting events, and also provide people with more opportunities to get close to the athletes. From July 29 to August 11, the public will celebrate the glorious moments with the Olympic medal winners in the "Champions Park" under the Eiffel Tower, which can accommodate up to 13,000 people per day.
During the Olympics, people running and cycling can be seen everywhere on the streets of Paris, and skateboarding, BMX, break dancing and other sports are very popular. On the 10th, the night after the men's marathon, the first mass marathon in Olympic history allowed amateur runners to stand on the Olympic track and experience the charm of the Olympic movement.
"In Paris, I felt the enthusiasm shown by athletes, French people and global sports fans. They actively participated in the Olympics, experienced the Olympics and integrated into this grand event. This is a story about love," said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. "More than half of the world's population is paying attention to the Paris Olympics. The French celebrated the arrival of the Olympics in a friendly and hospitable way from the bottom of their hearts. Such a scene warms people's hearts."
From the Louvre to community parks, you can find art exhibitions related to the Olympics. The Paris Olympic Committee proposed the concept of the "Cultural Olympics" very early, encouraging all artists and every French person to participate. The French Ministry of Culture said that it would use the hosting of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics as an opportunity to eliminate the "boundary between the two worlds of culture and sports."
The rich culture and unique artistic atmosphere impressed every participant of the Paris Olympics. Hernan Jeramillo, a 59-year-old Colombian, is a volunteer at the main media center of the Paris Olympics. He has been working in the United States for a long time and took a month off this time to serve as an Olympic volunteer for the first time. He said: "I felt the fusion of cultures at the Paris Olympics. I communicated with friends from France, Germany, Italy and South Africa and shared each other's stories. I also collected more than 50 badges. This is an unforgettable journey."
"Our volunteer team covers all age groups, including young people as well as volunteers in their 50s and 60s. This is a party for everyone," said Jeramillo.
The Paris Olympics is the first Olympics to fully implement the Olympic reform roadmap "Olympic Agenda 2020" from beginning to end. Bach said that the Paris Olympics is younger, more inclusive, more urbanized and more sustainable, which fully fits the slogan of "More Open Olympics".
