All Of The Best Moments Of The 2024 Paris Olympics So Far
The Paris 2024 Olympics is fast becoming one of the most memorable Games to date. They began with the opening ceremony, which featured performances from Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, boat trips down the Seine in the pouring rain for sports legends such as Serena Williams and Zinedine Zidane and the Eiffel Tower illuminated with the iconic Olympic rings.
As the Games continue, we can't get enough of watching the athletes battle it out for a place on the podium, including seeing all of the joyous and shocking moments.
Here's a look at the rolling highlights of the Paris 2024 Olympics:
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Cindy Ngamba Wins The Refugee Team Their First Olympic Medal
Cindy Ngamba, a boxer from Cameroon who is nowbased in the U.S. has made history following her match win against France's Davina Michel. The 25-year-old athlete has now qualified to fight in the final this Saturday, where it is guaranteed that she will win a bronze medal at the minimum.
Sky Brown Wins Bronze Medal Despite Being Injured
Team GB's Sky Brown claimed her second bronze medal in the women's skateboarding competition despite the 16-year-old dislocating her shoulder during the preliminary rounds of the Olympics.
Armand Duplantis Breaks The Pole Vault Record For The Ninth Time
The Swedish pole vaulter won gold, and in doing so broke the world record for ninth time and achieved a new height of 6.25 m. The athlete has been dubbed as the Paris Olympics' 'Timothee Chalamet'. Following his win, the star gave an incredibly interview with Eurosport the day after, 'visibly hungover' from celebrations the night before.
Kristen Faulkner's Surprise Gold Medal Win
Kristen Faulkner first began cycling professionally in 2017 after she had graduated from Harvard. So enthralled did she become with cycling that in 2021 she stopped working as a venture capitalist to pursue her dream of cycling full-time. Fast forward three years to 2024, and not only was Faulkner selected as a replacement for the Olympic team but she also beat all the odds by becoming the first American in 40 years to win gold in the women's road race.
Zhou Yaqin's Sweet Reaction To Olympians Biting Their Medals
18-year-old Chinese gymnast, Zhou Yaqin, came second in the women's balance beam and while on the podium, she discovered the tradition of Olympians biting their medals. The young athlete gave a heartwarming reaction as she looked over to see her opponents biting their medals, and straight away followed suit. The internet began gushing over the sweet moment and Yaqin's 'little sister energy'.
Team USA's Artistic Swimming Routine
The women's team have gone viral overnight following their impressive routine to Michael Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal', which saw the ladies moonwalk under water.
Keely Hodgkinson Wins Gold In The 800m
ELLE UK's digital cover star Keely Hodgkinson won her first Olympic gold medal in the women's 800m. The 22-year-old won the race, with a time of 1:56, while the second and third place runners came in at 1:57 seconds. The athlete celebrated by completing a lap of honour of the stadium, stopping to take pictures with fans and embrace her family members.
Nigerian Women's Basketball Team Success
The Nigerian women's basketball team have been making waves on social media, not just because of their success for reaching the semi-finals (which take place on August 7), but for overcoming extreme adversity.
Despite receiving minimal support from their country's federation and enduring prolonged travel times to games and training, the team has thus far beaten several countries whose players are highly decorated WBA players. As well as this, they became the first African women's team to reach the quarter finals.
Women Supporting Women
Team Brazil's Rebeca Andrade won gold in the women's gymnastics floor exercise, making it her second Olympic gold win. While on the podium, Simone Biles who placed second and Jordan Chiles who placed third celebrated Andrade in the most heartwarming way as they bowed down to her.
Speaking on the moment to BBC Sport, Biles stated that it was the right thing to do, 'Rebeca's so amazing, she's a queen,' said Biles. 'She's such an excitement to watch and then all the fans in the crowd were always cheering for her.'
Zeng Zhiying Fulfils Her Dream Of Competing In The Olympics At 58-Years-Old
Zeng Zhiying or, as she has been nicknamed, 'Table Tennis Grandma' made her Olympic debut for Chile, decades after she missed out on the chance to represent China in the Los Angeles Olympics back in 1984.
The the athlete remained positive, despite losing in the preliminary rounds, as stated in an interview with Reuters, 'I don't feel very sad, because this is sport. My husband, my sons, everyone I love and care about were there shouting my name. I feel so content.'
Julien Alfred Wins St. Lucia's First Medal
The sprinter made history by not only becoming the current world's fastest woman when she won the women's 100m sprint, her gold medal is the first ever medal that her home country, St. Lucia has won.
Stephen Nedroscik Goes Viral
The latest Olympian to go viral during the Paris Games is Team USA's gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik. While the 25-year-old, who specialises in the pommel horse, brought gold to the men's gymnastics team for the first time in 16 years, he's also gone viral for other reasons. Prior to performing, the athlete was filmed spending much of his time looking incredibly relaxed, with his eyes closed, which has now turned into a meme on social media. New fans of Nedoroscik have also nicknamed the artistic gymnast the Olympic's very own Clark Kent, given the way he takes off his glasses and goes full on superhero mode on the pommel horse.
The Internet Crowns Yeji Kim As The Coolest Olympian
While shooting may be one of the lesser known Olympic sports, South Korea's Yeji Kim has singlehandedly boosted the sport overnight after a video of her shooting on X has gone viral. The marskwoman exuded serious main character energy, fit for a Hollywood blockbuster. The Olympian won silver in the women's 10m air pistol category and couldn't have looked any cooler doing so. Just look at the hand in the pocket!
Nada Havez Competes While Seven Months Pregnant
If there's one thing the Paris Games has showcased so far, it's that women are unstoppable. Nada Havez, a 26-year-old Egyptian fencer, competed in this year's Games while seven months pregnant. The athlete won her first game but was eventually knocked out in the final 16 and announced her happy news on Instagram. What a woman.
Anna Henderson Wins Silver At The Womens Time Trial
Despite rainy conditions which saw other cyclists falling and crashing into one another, the 25-year-old cyclist Anna Henderson persisted and managed to claim the silver medal at her very first Olympic Games.
Simone Biles Becomes The First Woman To Land The Yurchenko Double Pike At An Olympic Games
What can't Simone Biles do? The gold medallist gymnast once again showed the world why she is the best, after successfully becoming the first woman to land the Yurchenko Double Pike at an Olympic Games. Typically, the move is considered the most difficult to pull off on the vault and has only ever been attempted by men. And naturally, the star athlete did it while making it look effortlessly easy.
Adding to this, as of July 30, Biles surpassed Shannon Miller and became the most decorated Olympic gymnast of all time, while leading the Team USA's gymnastics team to gold medal glory.
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Yasmin Harper And Scarlett Mew Jensen Win Team GB's First Medal
The British duo earned themselves a bronze medal in the Women’s Synchronised 3m Springboard, making them the first women to earn Team GB a medal in diving in 64 years! But it's not over yet - Harper will be compete to hopefully bag another medal in the Women’s 3m Springboard on August 7.
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