From a colorful, sometimes controversial opening ceremony to boxers caught in a gender dispute and respectful bows on the gymnastics podium, the 2024 Olympic Games provided many memorable moments. Here’s a look at the top 10 moments from the Paris 2024 Olympics:
Rain at the opening parade
Organizers promised a spectacular opening ceremony and the parade of rain-soaked boats on the River Seine ended up making global headlines, but not for the reasons expected.
Church leaders, conservatives and even US presidential candidate Donald Trump were outraged by a scene involving drag queens and lesbian DJ Barbara Butch that appeared to parody Jesus’ Last Supper.
Artistic director Thomas Jolly denied any such intention. He and others involved ended up facing vicious online harassment that led to police complaints.
Djokovic’s roar of approval
Novak Djokovic stunned Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable men’s final to win tennis gold and become just the fifth player to complete the Golden Slam of all four majors plus Olympic gold.
The 37-year-old celebrated with a roar that echoed across Roland Garros before the tearful Serb climbed into the player’s box to hug his wife Jelena and their two children.
“There is no greater inspiration than representing your country,” said the 24-time Grand Slam title winner.
Alcaraz also cried, claiming he had “let Spain down”.
Biles bows to ‘queen’ Andrade
Simone Biles may have been the star of the show, but she was widely praised for bowing to her arch-rival Rebeca Andrade on the podium.
Biles said it was “the right thing to do” after she and teammate Jordan Chiles finished silver and bronze medals respectively behind the Brazilian in the final.
“Rebeca is so incredible, she is queen,” said Biles.
Romanian Ana Barbosu later won the bronze medal after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Chiles should not have moved up from her starting fifth place.
Lyles just in time
World champion Noah Lyles cruised to victory in 9.79 seconds and took gold in the dramatic men’s 100m Olympic final, the closest final in modern history – just five thousandths of a second separated him from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson.
“I’m the man among them all. I’m the wolf among wolves,” said Lyles, whose victory was only confirmed after a photo finish.
Not cricket as Pakistan leads India in javelin throw
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the men’s javelin title, his country’s first individual Olympic gold, with a Games record of 92.97 m.
In second place was the current champion of India, Neeraj Chopra.
“Rivalry exists when it comes to cricket matches and other sports, the two countries have a rivalry, but it is good for the youth of both countries to watch our sport and follow us. Nadeem said.
Selfie on North and South Korean podium goes viral
Images of Olympic table tennis players from North and South Korea taking a selfie together on the medal podium have gone viral in South Korea, hailed as a rare display of cross-border unity.
After South Korea won bronze and North Korea won silver in the mixed doubles behind China, South Korean Lim Jong-hoon took a group photo after the medal ceremony.
North Koreans Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong, South Korean Shin Yu-bin, and the victorious Chinese team Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha all teleported to Lim’s phone, a South Korean-made Samsung.
“A selfie with the national flags of Korea and a Samsung phone,” said the widely read daily JongAng Ilbo.
Dreams come, Trew
Australian skateboarding sensation Arisa Trew, just 14 years old, won the park’s women’s event and became her country’s youngest gold medalist.
Trew hit a high-stakes, high-speed final round with his trademark pink helmet, bringing the crowd to its feet in the sunny Place de la Concorde.
The event also featured the participation of 11-year-old Zheng Haohao, the youngest athlete to represent China at the Olympics.
“Skateboarding at the Olympic Games is not very different from skateboarding in my neighborhood. It’s just more spectators,” she told reporters.
Gender boxer beats ‘bullying’
On a wild night at Roland Garros, the famous home of the French Open, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won gold and used her platform to hit back at “attacks” and “bullying” before defiantly declaring: “I’m a woman like any other.” . other.”
Along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who also fought in Paris, Khelif was disqualified from last year’s world championships after failing gender eligibility tests.
However, they were released to compete in Paris, setting the stage for one of the biggest controversies of the Games.
“I am fully qualified to participate, I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, I lived as a woman and I competed as a woman”, said the 25-year-old.
High five for Cuban fighter
Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez made Olympic history by becoming the first athlete to win five consecutive individual gold medals in the same event, surpassing the records of Games icons such as Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps.
The 42-year-old future player then placed his shoes in the center of the mat to indicate his intention to retire.
“Wrestling has been the love of my life, my entire life,” he said.
Cold hand Yusuf
Turkish Olympic shooting silver medalist Yusuf Dikec became an overnight sensation for his casual style during competition.
His attractive stance saw the shooter wearing standard glasses, a team t-shirt and with his left hand casually tucked into his pocket.
Other than the pistol, he did not have any of the specialized equipment used by athletes in the hyper-accurate race, such as headphones, special lenses or a hat.
“The name is Dikec. Yusuf Dikec,” read a social media post in reference to cinema icon James Bond.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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