The Paris Olympic Summer Games has now just come to a close with a showstopping and star-studded closing ceremony —to celebrate the meaningful displays of sportsmanship, ground-breaking inclusivity and the extraordinary athletic achievements we have seen in the past few weeks. The high-profile event was undeniably glamorous, with the iconic landmark and official sponsor LVMH lending unparalleled grandeur to the setting. We have seen the Eiffel Tower pose as a stunning backdrop to events like volleyball and cycling events, Olympians swimming in the Seine and spectacular celebrations and performances in the opening and closing ceremony.
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The Paris Olympics will be etched in history thanks to the incredible athletes who left an indelible mark on the Games in the forms of shattered world records, growing medal collections and the birth of the sports world’s new legends. From seasoned Olympians who cemented their legacies to rising stars who made their mark on history, the Paris Games was a stage for spectacular athletic feats.
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In a move to revolutionise the 2024 Games while remaining accessible to a large audience, the organisers featured the Seine River as not only the location for the opening ceremony but the also location of the marathon swimming and the aquatic portion of the triathlon, aiming to leverage on the river’s newly clean waters. LUXUO highlights the most memorable moments and athletes who defined the 2024 Olympics with their historic performances in Paris before the Olympic torch is handed to Los Angeles.
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Swedish Pole Vaulter Breaks his Own World Record
Armand Duplantis made his way to the Paris Olympics not just as reigning pole vaulting champion but also as a world record holder. The 24-year-old star put on quite the show with his exciting and world record-breaking performance in the Stade de France. Clearing an astounding height of 6.25 metres on his final vault—shattering his own world record and clinching the Paris Olympic Games 2024 gold medal.
He is now a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a two-time world indoor world champion and a two-time outdoor world champion. He made is mark in history, becoming a world record holder and the first men’s pole vaulter to win back-to-back gold medals for the first time since the 1950s.
France’s Léon Marchand Wins Big in Front of Home Crowd
22-year-old French swim star Léon Marchand takes home a whopping five medals, with four bring gold. The young athlete made history, winning the first double-gold ever in the 200m breaststroke and butterfly in Olympic-record time. He further cemented himself as one of the swimming world’s greats, in becoming the first swimmer to win two individual golds in one night since the 1976 Olympics.
Marchand’s name has been synonymous with French success during the Summer Games, with many fans are describing him as the face of the Paris Olympics for the host country.
Simone Biles Becomes the Most Decorated Gymnast in History
Going into the Games, American gymnast Simone Biles had already been recognised as one of the most celebrated gymnasts of all time. Boasting 30 World Championships and seven Olympic medals before the Paris Olympics, not to mention having numerous moves named after her. Her most recent appearance in the Olympics was a highly anticipated one, after pulling out of several events in the Tokyo games due to a dangerous mental phenomena popularly referred to as “twisties”, as explained in her Netflix documentary. As expected, the 27-year-old made her return to the games with resounding success, clinching three golds and one bronze, cementing her as one of gymnastics’ all-time greats and now the most decorated gymnast in history.
Katie Ledecky Becomes Most Decorated Female Olympian
Known for her dominance in long-distance events, Katie Ledecky has been celebrated as one of the most talented swimmers of all-time, winning her first Olympic gold 12 years ago when she was just 15-years-old. The swim star most definitely made her mark in Olympic history, now with a total of 14 Olympic medals to her name, nine of them gold, making her the United States’ most decorated female Olympian and second most decorated Olympian of the nation behind the legendary Micheal Phelps.
Novak Djokovic Won his first Olympic Gold Medal
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic needs no introduction with an astounding 24 Grand Slam titles and record-holder for the most weeks spent as the Number 1 rankings by any man or woman. Coming into the Paris Olympics, the star had yet to win an Olympic gold, having previously won a bronze, the major achievement was the only landmark he had yet to achieve.
Fortunately, Djokovic’s 2024 Olympics concluded with historical success, clinching gold for Serbia by beating young Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz in an exciting final.
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100m Men’s Final Clocks in as the Fastest Race in History
The blue ribbon event was just as heart-stopping as it was spectacular. With the highly-anticipated performance of Netflix Sprint documentary star Noah Lyles and Italian reigning champion Marcell Jacobs. After a the dazzling theatricals of the intro, the race commenced with American sprinter Noah Lyles securing the victory by five-thousandths of a second from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, clocking in at 9.79 seconds. All participating athletes in the men’s 100m final had finished within 0.12secs of the gold medal, meaning that for the first time, that eight men had run under 10 seconds, making it the fastest race in history.
Zheng Qinwen, First Chinese Tennis Player to Win Olympic Gold
Zheng Qinwen made history as the first Chinese tennis singles Olympic champion ever in the history of the games, after beating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the finals. Marking China’s second tennis gold after Li Ting and Sun Tiantian’s women’s doubles victory at Athens in 2004.
Zheng is no stranger to athletic success, having reached her first Grand Slam final earlier this year in the Australian Open—the first Chinese athlete to have done so since Li Na in 2014. Now sitting at a world ranking of number 7, Zheng Qinwen’s excellence in the tennis world is just kicking off.
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Julien Alfred as Saint Lucia’s First Olympic Champion Ever
As the excitement for the 100m women’s final rose, spectators had their eyes fixated on USA and Jamaican sprint stars, Sha’Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Saint Lucia’s Julien Alvarez graced the tracks as a lesser known star, surprising the world after beating out race favourites and clinching the gold medal for her 10.72 second sprint.
The newly minted sprint star not only beat her national record but also cemented herself in Saint Lucia’s history as their first person ever to win an Olympic medal, let alone a gold medal! She later won a silver in the 200m women’s final, making her one of the most talented and fastest sprinters in the world.
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China Completes Clean Sweep in Table Tennis and Diving
The Chinese Olympic team showed a true display of athletic excellence in winning a historic clean sweep at not just one, but two sports — winning a total of 10 gold medals for 10 events. Most notably her Table tennis athlete Ma Long and 17-year-old diver Quan Hong Chan.
Ma Long came out victorious in a gruelling table tennis men’s final against Sweden, winning his fifth straight gold in this event, making him China’s athlete with the most Olympic golds in history. Young diving star Quan Hong Chan became a three-time gold medalist at just 17 years old, with her first when she was only 14. Her endearing personality and backstory in addition to her undeniable talent has secured her as one of the most exciting athletes to watch in the coming years.
As the curtain falls on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the city of Paris emerges not only as a host of remarkable athletic feats but also as a vibrant stage where culture and sport intertwine. The Games have showcased not just the prowess of the world’s top athletes but also the enduring spirit and charm of Paris itself. From the breathtaking performances to the lively celebrations throughout the city, Paris has proven to be a perfect backdrop for this global spectacle.
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The echoes of triumph and the enthusiasm of the crowds have left an indelible mark on both the city and its visitors. As the Olympic flame dims, the memories of Paris’ radiant energy and the unparalleled atmosphere of the Games will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of all who experienced them.
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