PARIS– Ever wondered what it would be like to be an Olympic athlete?
Thousands of amateur runners got that chance Saturday night, tackling a marathon or 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) race along the same iconic route as the elite athletes who competed in the 2024 Olympics.
Opening the route to the public is a first for the Olympics, according to the official website of the Paris Games. Combined for both races, more than 40,000 people from 127 countries registered.
A few hours after male Olympic athletes crossed the same finish linethe amateur runners left while the music and the crowd cheered them on. THE women’s olympic marathon continued on Sunday morning.
“We watched the Games for two weeks and we really want to,” said Parisian Régane Bonnot, 27, who ran the 10km race. “So when I was running, I felt like I wanted to do like them when they were in the stadium and we were screaming in front of the TV.”
She ran other races and described this one as having a “crazy” atmosphere. People cheered everyone on and the atmosphere among the runners was friendly, not competitive, she said.
“I think this was the best way to end the Olympic Games,” Bonnot said before the closing ceremony on Sunday.
The route passed through nine districts of Paris and covered some of the most emblematic landmarks of the French capital, such as the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Grand Palace.
“I wanted to be part of the Olympic Games,” said 29-year-old Samantha Eymard of Paris. She didn’t even need music and podcasts to continue, dedicating her 10K to getting to know the city and observing the monuments lit up at night.
“It was really nice just looking around,” she said, adding that the whole experience felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
At the finish line, runners received medals, hanging around their necks as they paraded through the streets of Paris, taking photos with friends and family. Many supporters brought signs to cheer on their loved ones, and some even held up large printed faces of the runners – reminiscent of the support the French showed their athletes during the Olympics.
Marie Pietruszka, from Paris, waited patiently for her sister as she ran the 10km, smiling and waving a poster that said: “You are amazing” on one side and “You go, Popo” on the other, with the Olympic rings. in the background.
When they finally found themselves near the crowded finish line, Pietruszka beamed with pride as she hugged her sister, Pauline Pietruszka. The latter spent the entire summer training for the race.
“I live in the city and I’ve never seen these parts of the city like this,” said Pauline Pietruszka, adding that everyone was very happy along the route, singing and clapping. “It was incredible.”
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