The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, or 2024 Olympics, can be called the Conflict Games, punctuating the sad fact that politics and sports do mix together. It was far from the 1980 Summer Olympics, where the US led the boycott of the (former) Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. It has something to do with Russia, though. We'll get to know more about it a little later.
The biggest stories aren't about the athletes who went beyond their personal best, but also the drama and controversies that made sports more salacious than reality TV. And it's too bad that Netflix doesn't seem interested in one of those stories. (You'll know more about it later.) Let's not beat around the bush. Let's take a look at what have been the most memorable two week of our lives:
The opening ceremony was like no other. The traditional fans ripped the organizers for not holding the opening ceremony in Stade de France. But the French always try to be different. Some locals may not be too excited about the Seine River, but it turned out to be the perfect venue for athletes to be seen. And cheered at. There was sudden rainfall, which turned the opening into an unforgettable experience. The latter part of the ceremony was held near the Eiffel Tower. What more can you ask?
Will Leon Marchand match Michael Phelps's record? Yes. Swimming fans thought that Bob Bowman's coaching days were over, but the young Marchand sent him a "cold" email. And the rest was history. Marchand competed in the men's 200-meter breastroke, which surprised loing-time swimming fans. The breastroke was Phelps's weakest, but the Frenchman showed that he was about to make his own path. Bowman expects Marchand to add another event prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics. We guessed the men's 100 meter butterfly. Kristof Milak might not like it.
Katie Ledecky tied Larisa Latynina for the most Olympic medals by a female athlete. It's not hard to see Katie Ledecky's joy whenever she talks about the pool. The passion is there. The heart is there. Swimming fans can't ask for more, so they will be saddened when the American calls it a career in the 2028 Summer Olympics. Ledecky's four medals brought her total to fourten, tying her with the great Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina. (Latynina competed between 1956 and 1964.) Ledecky also won the women's 800 meter freestyle, her fourth successive Olympic title. Only Phelps has done it. Many expect her to break that tie on her next Olympic appearance.
Carlos Yulo bagged two gold medals in men's gymnastics. Caloy Yulo, as his Filipino fans would fondly call him, has two world titles to his name. He's also the big winner of the 2024 Asian Men's Artistic Gymnastic Championship. An Olympic title is the only thing missing in his resume. The Manileno can sigh a relief after winning the gold in the floor exercise and vault. He became the first Filipino athlete to win two gold medals in a single Olympic. And many think that it won't be matched.
Simone Biles is the greatest gymnast. Ever. The American competed in her third Olympics. At 27 years of age, Biles is one of the oldest. But she defied age. (Nadia Comaneci retired earlier.) She might've settled for silver in the floor exercise, but it didn't diminish the significance of her achievement. And she teased about competing in the 2028 Summer Olympics. Olga Korbut, mover over.
Jakob Ingebrigsten and Josh Kerr should've their own reality TV show. It must be called "The Real Stars of Stade de France". Norway's Jakob Ingebrifsten won the gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter run in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Everyone thought that he was unbeatable until the brash Josh Kerr upset the Dane in the 2023 IAAF World Athletics Championships. A war of words followed, which lasted until that rematch in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
It lived up to the hype. (Ingebrigsten went ahead after the finalists took off, and he tried to keep that lead. The rest of the pack expected it, though.) The final 100 meters was one for the books, something that both Ingebrigsten and Kerr didn't expect al atl. Cole Hocker was under the radar during that memorable run, and made his move during the final hundred meters. Kerr settled for silver while Ingebrigsten finished fourth. The Dane admitted that he was outsmarted by the pack. Good enough. As for Hocker, Michael Johnson must invite the American to the Grand Slam Track League.
Not all sad stories have a redeeming ending. But Saya Sakaklbara’s does. BMX racing fans know Saya Sakakibara's story, where Kai, his older brother, once had a promising career in BMX racing. He crashed at a World Cup event in Bathurst, Australia in 2020, suffering a life-changing brain injury. Saya also crashed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It would be too much, but the siblings persevered. As Saya would put it, her struggles and perseverance made her work hard for another Olympic attempt. As for Kai, he plans to represent Australia in the 2028 Paralympics. He will participate in rowing (if he qualifies). Let's cheer for these siblings!
Winter is coming to US men's basketball. The semifinal game between the USA and Serbia is a portent of not-so-good things to come to the United States men's basketball national team. The Serbian men's basketball team led the Americans throughout the 40-minute game, or most of it. And then LeBron James and Stephen Curry rose to the occasion. A very painful loss to the Serbians, but the other teams saw it. America's dominance in men's basketball, the Olympics in particular, is coming to an end. And USA Basketball doesn't have a long-term plan. Yet. Canada men's basketball team would love to be the first to beat America's A-team in the Olympic stage. It can happen in Los Angeles.
Politics clouded women's boxing. Will the US participate in the IBA World Boxing Championship? Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the 2023 international Boxing Federation (IBA) Women's World Boxing Championship after the IBA disclosed that a sex chromosome test had ruled both boxers as ineligible. A non-disclosure agreement kept the boxing circles from knowing the details.
The International Olympic Committee (OIC) thought otherwise. Russia's Umar Kremlev is the president of IBA. It's not hard to fill in the blanks and connect the dots. The US called for the boycott of the 2023 IBA World Boxing Championships. The Philippines was one of the nations to follow the US lead. It probably cost us an Olympic medal or two. Expect the American boxers to skip the next edition of the IBA World Boxing Championship.
It's the United States vs. the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). 23 Chinese swimmers were tested positive with a banned substance in 2021, and they were allowed to compete in Paris. It didn't sit well with the US, as it launched an investigation of her own. WADA was unhappy about this move. Many sports fans are closely watching it because the outcome might force the OIC to reconsider Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympics. Then again, sports and politics do mix together.
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