A steady stream of athletes and support staff has started flowing through the arrivals terminals at Paris airports as the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games looms ever closer. The Games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, promise a spectacular showcase of talent and sportsmanship.
Athletes Ready for the Big Stage
Maria Luisa Doig Calderon, a fencer from Peru, has traveled to Paris to participate in her third Olympiad, this time as her country's flag bearer. "The Olympic Games is the dream that every athlete wants to achieve," she told the Associated Press while waiting by the registration desk set up in the 2F terminal at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Kirsty Gilmour, a seasoned British badminton player, has a few tricks up her sleeve to ease the stress as she waits at the Olympic village for her first match. "I brought my pillow from home. I brought a little candle from home. Just to try and make it feel a bit more homelike," she explained.
Andrea Becker, a sports psychologist for the US men's volleyball team, emphasized the importance of following their plan to handle the stress and anticipation. "Not getting caught up in the noise and the excitement and the distractions of the Olympic Games, but maintaining your focus on the mission itself is really important," she said.
Andy Murray: One Final Tournament
Two-time Olympic men’s singles champion Andy Murray confirmed he will end his career next week at the Paris Games. “Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament,” the 37-year-old Murray posted on social media. Tennis at the Paris Olympics starts Saturday on the clay courts at Roland Garros.
Murray won his first gold medal on grass at Wimbledon during the 2012 London Olympics, beating Roger Federer in three straight sets. He retained his title in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, defeating Juan Martin del Potro on hard courts. “Competing for Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!” Murray expressed.
Murray underwent hip replacement surgery in 2019 and has faced several subsequent injuries. He withdrew from singles at Wimbledon this month after a procedure to remove a cyst from his spine.
US Set to Win Most Medals
The United States is favored to win the most medals in the 2024 Olympics. While China is unlikely to surpass the US in the overall medal count, it has a chance to win more gold medals than the Americans. Though the Games highlight great individual athletes, they also serve as a surrogate for geopolitical influence and national pride.
The United States is projected to win 112 medals overall — 39 gold, 32 silver, and 41 bronze. China is forecasted to win 86 overall — 34 gold, 27 silver, and 25 bronze. This prediction comes from Nielsen’s Gracenote Sports, which supplies statistical analysis for sports leagues worldwide and tracks major competitions involving Olympic sports leading up to the Games.
Source: Euronews
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