The global event of the year officially opens tonight, the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad. More commonly known as the 2024 Summer Olympics or Paris 2024. An estimated 10,714 athletes representing 206 nations will compete in 329 events in 32 sports from July 24th to August 11th. Scores of talented people from across the globe striving for the podium with dayslong sports coverage *insert shrieks of glee*.
Beginning in 776 BC, Olympia, in the city state of Elis, served as the site of the games, which were a religious festival honoring Zeus, king of the Greek gods. Zeus is believed to have built a home atop Mount Olympus for which the games are named. For more than 1000 years Elis was the center of Greece during the games. Anyone looking for an audience flocked to Olympia to share their art, wares, and thoughts. In 393 AD Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the games for encouraging paganism.
The games were revived during the first Olympic Congress, organized by Baron Pierre de Coubertine and held at the Sorbonne University in 1894. At the close of the congress the International Olympic Committee was created giving birth to the Modern Olympic Games. Guiding principles included a spirit of mutual understanding and friendship and creating an international sense of goodwill. The first modern Olympic Games returned to Greece in April 1896 in the capital city, Athens.
If you can’t tell, I love sports. Growing up I tried a bit of everything. Ballet, tap, tumbling, horseback riding for a hot second. Swimming was mandatory, from toddler class to lessons in the summer. The games inspired even more athletic dreams. Atlanta 1996 is my first Olympic memory. Naturally my doll collection included the official gymnast Barbie, complete with moveable knee and elbow joints. She was a reminder of my adoration for Dominique Dawes. I took gymnastics classes after watching her in Atlanta and Sydney 2000. Vault and bars were my favorite parts of class. Now, Simone Biles dazzles me every time she steps on the mat.
Venus and Serena Williams’ dominance in Grand Slams and at the Olympics led to chasing down tennis balls for several summers. Somewhere at my parents’ house, my Wilson racket awaits my return. Track and Field, globally known as Athletics, has the strongest hold on me. My mother jokingly said after spending all that money on lessons and equipment, all I wanted to do was run sans any formal training.
Across many Olympiads I’ve watched Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Dawn Harper, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Usain Bolt, Kerron Clement, Sanya Richards-Ross, Mo Farah, Yohan Blake, Carmelita Jeter, Aries Merritt, Hansle Parchment, Kirani James, Caster Semenya, Torie Bowie, Dalilah Muhammad, and Allyson Felix, my 200-meter queen. Those who competed during my adolescence are why I ran track in middle and high school. 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x200m relay were my events. I dreamed of running for Team USA, alas summer track club appalled me. Practice in 90 degree heat? No, thank you.
This year I’m pulling for Sha’Carri Richardson, Rai Benjamin, Anna Cockrell, Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Vashti Cunningham, Anna Hall, Grant Holloway, Fred Kerley, Michael Norman, Raven Saunders, Gabby Thomas, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who specializes in breaking her own world records. They’ll be running, jumping, and throwing for their shot at Olympic gold and history.
I would be remiss to not also give flowers to Kristi Yamaguchi (Albertville 1992) and Michelle Kwan (Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake City 2002), queens of the ice. Their Winter Olympics appearances are why Kristi’s ornament hangs on my Christmas tree and I took up ice skating lessons. Learning to jump scared me and stunted my growth in the sport. I’ve decided to return in the fall though, adult classes here I come!
For two weeks, I’ll be a patriot cheering on Team USA. Their years of hard work and sacrifice to be among the best in the world is a wonder to me. The Opening Ceremony is just a few hours away. The pageantry, passion and the flame! I love it all! What more can a maximalist ask for? I’ll have a great time tonight seeing which flags I can correctly identify before the name hits the screen. Good luck and health to the athletes of the world and thank you for your inspiration to the masses.
