The excitement and drama of the Paris Olympics 2024

There’s never a dull day in sports with the regular flow of tournaments, matches and big events. While the UEFA Euro 2024 is over, there’s plenty to look forward to with the Olympics 2024 around the corner.

The city of Paris is buzzing with excitement. Some of the biggest stars in the world, including BTS member Kim Seokjin and Wang Yibo, a Chinese all-rounder in entertainment, took part in carrying the torch and becoming part of the 2024 Olympics history.

When and where of the Paris Olympics 2024

The opening ceremony will take place on July 26th, 2024, at 18:30 UK time and is expected to last around three hours. While many wonder if megastar Taylor Swift will perform, no reveal has been made on who will appear at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

While no information has been revealed, and names are kept under wraps, around 3,000 artists and 400 dancers are expected to perform. Many are eagerly waiting to see if the names of the main performers will be revealed in advance or kept as a surprise for the opening day.

A unique experience

One of the many reasons spectators are even more excited than usual about the opening ceremony is the unique setting. This year, the opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium, which is considered an all-time first for the event.

Around 10,500 athletes are expected to compete, and 600,000 people will join the crowds watching and following them along the streets of Paris.

Where to watch? The Olympic Games are streamed on Discovery+, allowing those far away to watch the action from the comfort of their homes. If you don’t want to miss a minute of the entertainment, we recommend making your way to Paris.

Drama leading up to the Olympics

The lead-up to the Olympics has not been smooth sailing for the Parisians. There has been tons of drama and developments, with Parisians even threatening to defecate in the River Seine in protest.

This is to make a point: Sunday the 23rd was supposed to be the date the Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo would swim in the Seine to prove it was clean enough for the Olympic athletes to swim in. She, however, delayed that dip until after the French elections, which is happening in July.

Websites have been made with upset slogans like “they have plunged us into sh*t, it’s their turn to plunge into our sh*t.” People are angered because they feel they have been abandoned and that they are no longer a priority.

Over €1.4 billion (£1.2bn) has already been spent on making the water safe enough to swim in, as open-water swimming events and triathlons are scheduled to take place in it. However, according to recent reports, the water is still too dirty to swim in, which is a major reason for concern.

Heat concerns

Aside from the River Seine being considered unsafe to swim in, there are concerns regarding the extreme heat that would fall on Paris throughout July and August. According to a report by forecaster Météo, France can expect warmer weather than usual, which could make it impossible for athletes to swim during the Olympics.

The schedule of the competitions has been recommended to allow swimmers to participate during the colder months or at colder times of the day.

No moods will be spoiled

Despite the current political uncertainty, large crowds, and high prices, which are reasons people avoid France throughout the summer Olympics, the Paris mayor has said that the Olympics festival mood will not be spoilt.

The major says the party will not be spoilt, and the festival will be beautiful. She urged visitors to come over, as Paris stands up for freedom and is a city of resistance. All forces have been mobilised, and the mayor reiterates that the game is over.

Details about the Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics will take place from 26 July to 11 August. Then, the Paralympics is set to run from the 28th of August to the 8th of September.

The promise has been made that it will be an opening ceremony like no other featuring the 10,500 athletes and 160 boats planned to follow a 3.7-mile route along the River Seine.

The parade will end at the Trocadero Square facing the Eiffel Tower. There have been a couple of security threats, but President Emmanuel Macron has said that more of a downscale can be expected if the threat is too high. There is also a plan B and C should they be needed.

More excitement to look forward to is the debut of Breaking (break dancing) as an Olympic sport in Paris. B-Boy and B-Girl groups will compete one-on-one, and they will be judged for musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique and execution.

Don’t miss out on the action! Be sure to keep an eye on CasinoWow for more on the latest developments with the Olympics.