View from Paris: A slice of the 2024 Summer Olympics
PARIS 无毛视频� When it comes to variety in sports nothing in the world compares to the Olympics.
That experience can also be quite overwhelming for a spectator in another country that doesn无毛视频檛 speak your language and is completely unfamiliar with the many venues.
There are 329 events taking place in 32 sports in the 2024 Summer Olympics based in Paris, France.
Fan attendance was high at just about all events as the French and other spectators from around the globe flocked to support their countries.
Following is just a slice of the many competitions that are taking place.
Swimming: USA and Leon Marchand
The swimming events were held at Paris La Defense Arena and the stage belonged to France无毛视频檚 Leon Marchand on July 27 when the slate included five heat races and three medal races.
If they had a decimal meter when Marchand, competing in the Men无毛视频檚 400 Individual Medley, it had to register as one of the loudest moments of these Olympics. You could feel the electricity in the air and the great anticipation of the fans of France as the 22-year-old Marchand was introduced.
The heavy favorite, Marchand didn无毛视频檛 disappoint by simply destroying the field in cruising to the first of his four gold medals (along with one bronze).
As he hit the final lap and swam to the finish line all alone, the crescendo by the screaming French fans无毛视频� was almost deafening and continued well after Marchand had touched the wall and broken Michael Phelps无毛视频� Olympic record (he had already eclipsed Phelps无毛视频� world record).
Marchand endeared himself with his fans by greeting them, shaking hands and posing for photos as he strolled around the arena.
Carson Foster of the United States managed to secure the bronze medal.
Nic Fink would also medal for the United States this night, earning a bronze in the Men无毛视频檚 100 Breaststroke, finishing just behind world-record holder and two-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty of Great Britain and surprise gold medalist Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy.
The USA did manage a gold medal also with Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh, the two favorites, finishing first and second in the Women无毛视频檚 100 Butterfly. The pair draped themselves in the American flag as they walked around and greeted fans after the medal ceremony, in which Huske invited Walsh to the top of the podium with her.
The two Americans were just heating up as Huske would go on to win five medals (three gold and two silver) while Walsh would win four (two gold and two silver). The pair would later help set a pair of world records, combining with Regan Smith and Lilly King to win the Women无毛视频檚 400 Medley Relay in 3:49.63 and with Fink and Ryan Murphy to win the Mixed 400 Medley Relay in 3:37.43.
The night was one of the most memorable of this slice of the Olympics.
Men无毛视频檚 Volleyball: USA
The United States defeated Brazil, 3-1, in the Men无毛视频檚 Volleyball Quarterfinals on Monday and had an impressive run to get to that point, defeating Argentina, 3-0, Germany, 3-2, and Japan, 3-1.
The Americans looked especially sharp in their opener at South Paris Arena 1, sweeping the Argentines by scores of 25-20, 25-19 and 25-16 with a large contingent of American fans on hand.
Leading the way for the USA were Penn State graduate Aaron Russell with 13 kills and two aces and T.J. DeFalco with four aces, nine kills and one block.
There are three former Nittany Lions on the team with Matt Anderson and Max Holt joining Russell.
The United States players proved to be among the most fan friendly of any of the American teams, mingling with fans, signing autographs and posing for photos long after the match was over.
Men无毛视频檚 Basketball: Dennis Schroder
There are NBA players scattered throughout Olympic rosters, not just on the USA squad, and one of those is the Brooklyn Nets无毛视频� Dennis Schroder who plays for Germany.
The venue for men无毛视频檚 and women无毛视频檚 basketball is Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France, far north of Paris, and it was here that Schroder helped the Germans, who blew an early 14-point lead to find themselves tied with Brazil, 40-40, at halftime, pull away in the second half for an 86-73 victory, while also showing they could be a formidable opponent for the favorite Americans.
Schroder contributed 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, six assists and four steals while running the show for Germany. The former Laker scored 13 and 26 points in lopsided wins over Japan and France.
Despite the loss, Brazilian fans showed up in droves and represented their country well.
Germany faces Greece and the United States faces Brazil in the quarterfinals today
3X3 Basketball: USA mixed bag
Besides getting a kick out of Canyon Barry swishing underhanded free throws like his father, Hall of Famer Rick Barry, the USA men were uninspiring in going 2-5 and missing the medal round.
Poland overpowered the Americans, 19-17, in their second game on July 31 at La Condorde 1,in which Jimmer Fredette, formerly of BYU, suffered an injury that would force the USA to play without him the rest of the way.
While the men faded away, the defensive-minded USA women无毛视频檚 team of Dearica Hamby (replacing the injured Cameron Brink), Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard and Hailey Van Lith, which lacked chemistry in falling in its first three games, including a stunning loss to fan-favorite Azerbaijan on this night, bounced back strong, winning five straight to reach the semifinals.
There they suffered an 18-16 overtime loss to Spain despite eight points and five rebounds by Van Lith on Monday and but bounced back with a 16-13 win over Canada in the bronze medal game with Van Lith again leading the way with six points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Curiously, French fans seemed to particularly cheer against the USA women more so than the men.
Tennis: Roland Garros Stadium
Watching tennis being played on the clay of Roland Garros Stadium was a treat in itself.
On this night, Spain无毛视频檚 Carlos Alcaraz bounced Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6, but he would go on to fall to Novak Djokovic, who he beat in the French Open final here earlier this year, in the gold medal match, 7-6, 7-6.
The women无毛视频檚 match this night was interesting in that it featured former Pitt star Jessica Pegula who is also the daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula. Pegula lost her second-round match to Ukraine无毛视频檚 Elina Svitolina, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Pegula secured Pitt无毛视频檚 first ever Big East women无毛视频檚 team tennis title by winning the clinching singles match in 2012.
Equestrian: Eventing
The equestrian venue featured the beautiful backdrop of the Palace of Versailles, which is well worth visiting.
Eventing is made up of three horse riding disciplines: dressage, cross country and jumping. Dressage is the most technical and for hardcore fans only, cross country the most grueling and exciting to watch, made up of permanent obstacles on a sprawling course, and the very popular show jumping consists of a course inside a stadium of various jumps with loose rails.
Another added element for riders and horses to battle was the heat which likely played a hand in several horses not being able to finish the competition.
Great Britain ruled the team competition here with host France taking the silver and Japan the bronze, but individual medalists were Germany无毛视频檚 Michael Jung, Australia无毛视频檚 Christopher Burton and Great Britain无毛视频檚 Laura Collett. The United States无毛视频� Boyd Martin finished 10th.
Table Tennis and Badminton
These early round competitions took place in similar formats with four matches going on at once, keeping spectators alert as to which match to follow when.
While table tennis is more widely known, watching badminton is much more enjoyable than one might think and featured Thailand无毛视频檚 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who would go on to win the silver medal, defeating Japan无毛视频檚 Kenta Nishimoto in three sets.
There can be some long exchanges 无毛视频� although not nearly as long as some of the women无毛视频檚 table tennis matches 无毛视频� and one marathon point left both Vitidsarn and Nishimoto lying on the floor in exhaustion while drawing a loud ovation from the fans.
By the way, badminton speeds can reportedly top 300 miles per hour.
Beach Volleyball: The Eiffel Tower
There was no more spectacular backdrop for a competition than beach volleyball in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
You knew the weather would have to play a role in some of the Olympics in France and it did here in the final match of the night between the United States无毛视频� Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth and China无毛视频檚 Chen Xue and Xinyi Xia.
China won the first set 21-15 but the Americans regrouped to win the second, 21-16, and held a 3-2 lead in the third when steady rain from a thunderstorm forced a delay that emptied the stadium.
Play did resume, with USA fan LeBron James still in attendance, and the Americans took the third set, 15-12.