The 2024 Paris Olympics commenced on Friday, July 26, with Lady Gaga leading the opening ceremony along the historic River Seine. In a stunning conclusion, an elegant Celine Dion closed out the event, marking one of the most ambitious and memorable opening ceremonies in Olympic history.
As athletes from around the world prepare to compete for Olympic glory, let’s explore five unique features that make the Paris Olympics truly one of a kind.
Eiffel Tower Medals
The Olympic medals for the Paris 2024 Games are extraordinary. Each medal contains a piece of the Eiffel Tower, literally. Salvaged ironwork from the Eiffel Tower’s renovations in the 20th century has been incorporated into the medals, with each gold medal weighing 529 grams, silver weighing 525 grams, and bronze weighing 455 grams. The Eiffel Tower iron accounts for 18 grams of each medal.
The design of the medals also draws inspiration from the iconic monument. The blue ribbons for the Summer Olympic medals feature lattice-work reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower’s ribbing. Crafted by luxury jewellers Chaumet and produced by the Monnaie de Paris, the medals are designed to catch the light, celebrating Paris as “the city of lights.” The Paralympic medals will feature a similar design but with a red ribbon.
A Royal Purple Track
The Stade de France 🇫🇷 unveiled for the Paris 2024 Olympics!!😊
The beautiful stadium in Saint-Denis with purple track has been completed and can seat 77,083 spectators.
The Olympics starts July 26th, while Track & Field action starts August 1st. pic.twitter.com/OtGEh2e1QK— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) May 16, 2024
Alain Mondel, former European decathlon champion and head of athletics at Paris 2024, describes the new Olympic running track as “light, bright, and built for speed.” Breaking away from the traditional brick red, the nine running tracks in Paris will be purple, featuring a mix of lavender, dark purple, and grey. This aesthetic choice aims to offer something truly unique to the world.
The cutting-edge technology behind the track is the work of Mondo, an Italian company that has been producing Olympic tracks since 1976. Developed with input from physicists, chemists, and engineers, the track costs between €2m and €3m, which translates to over Rs. 18 crores INR.
A Greener and Cleaner Olympics
Incorporating pieces of the Eiffel Tower in the medals aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) sustainability vision. Efforts include using 95% pre-existing, renewable energy-powered venues and offering a 60% vegetarian menu. Other initiatives, such as coffee tables made from shuttlecocks, drone-like buoys protecting aquatic ecosystems, and donating 16,000 mattresses and pillows for reuse, make this the most eco-friendly Olympics to date.
New Olympic Sports: Breaking and Kayak Cross
Breaking and Kayak Cross to make their Olympic debut
Breakdancing, now referred to as ‘Breaking,’ debuts as an official Olympic sport in Paris. Sixteen B-boys and sixteen B-girls will compete in dance-offs, with women competing on August 9 and men on August 10. Although international competitions for Breaking have existed since the 1990s, this is its first inclusion in the Summer Olympics.
Kayak Cross also makes its Olympic debut. This sport combines the disciplines of Kayak and Canoe Slalom, both of which have been part of the Olympics for over 50 years but separately.
Paris Olympics: A Century in the Making
A depiction of the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics in Paris… in 1924 pic.twitter.com/9uXQ3Jcoso
— Brandon Zaffini (@jethrothekenite) July 27, 2024
The last time Paris hosted the Olympics was in 1924, making the 2024 Games a centennial celebration. This marks the third time Paris has hosted the Olympics, following the 1900 and 1924 Games. Paris now ties with London, which has also hosted the Olympics three times—in 1908, 1948, and 2012.
