By Duncan Cheng ‘25, Sports Staff Writer

2024 Paris Olympic Logo, (Photo courtesy of Vacay.com)

Paris is no stranger to hosting extravagant events. However, the 2024 Paris Olympics will be one of the grandest, as it welcomes athletes and spectators from all over the globe. Ahead of this year’s Olympics, there are many sports to be excited about; the Paris Olympics promises many events that have only been recently added, including surfing and breakdancing. As more than 10,000 athletes are expected to participate in the Games, Paris has built three new facilities, in addition to many existing ones, to accommodate the athletes. While we wait for the Games to officially begin with the Opening Ceremony on July 26, here are a few intriguing storylines to look out for. 

American sprinters Kenny Bednarek, Noah Lyles, and Erriyon Knighton, who finished second, third, and fourth respectively in the 200-meter dash at the 2020 Olympics, have all positioned themselves to surpass Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19 seconds. Bednarek, who took silver in the 200-meter race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has a great chance of beating this world record considering the times he has recently set in another competition where he beat out the reigning 200-meter Olympic gold medallist. Lyles has already beaten Bolt’s record for the most career sub-20-second 200-meter races. Knighton, who is only 19, already owns 11 of the top 12 times in juniors. This lineup of sprinters will make the men’s 200-meter dash a competitive and exciting event during this year’s Olympics. 

In the 2024 Summer Olympics, surfing also returns for the second time. Before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the World Surfing League (WSL) champion, Kelly Slater, proposed to hold the contest on a man-made wave to ensure consistency of waves for each surfer. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and the 2020 contest was filled with unpredictable waves. This year, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans on holding the contest on the French Territory of the Polynesian island of Tahiti, which is known for the best waves in the world. This should deliver a thrilling matchup with better quality waves. The favorites for this contest are Tahitian surfers Kauli Vaast and Vahine Fierro. As for Americans, Carissa Moore, who won the 2020 Olympics, and her teammate Caroline Marks, are likely to qualify for the Olympic team. On the men’s side, Griffin Colapinto, who is currently ranked third in the world, and John John Florence who was a 2020 Olympian are expected to join the Olympic team as well. 

Despite the excitement of the upcoming Olympics, the event will not be without controversy and challenge. One of the main challenges for Paris is overcrowding from street vendors who sell to tourist crowds in the city center. Among these street vendors are the bouquinistes — booksellers who have been selling along the banks of the Seine since the 16th century. Police are worried that these stalls, considering they are severely overcrowded, could pose as potential threats. In addition to the discussions around removing street vendors, discussions about athlete rights and participation have also surfaced. French public life is constitutionally secular, meaning that the country does not allow athletes to wear religious symbols. While France does not allow athletes to wear head coverings, the IOC has said that athletes will be allowed to wear a veil if they wish, only in the Olympic Village. The debate around the inclusion of Russian athletes is also very relevant. After investigators found that there were state-sponsored doping programs and schemes to cover them up, Russian athletes have not been able to represent their country in the Games since 2016. Now, as the war in Ukraine continues, the IOC has outlined a way in which Russian competitors can compete as neutral athletes. 

The citizens of Paris have particularly raised concerns about this event. Many believe that France and its infrastructure are not ready for the millions of fans and spectators that are expected to visit; according to the BBC, there is a 44% negative rating for the Olympics from Parisians, up 22% from last year. The current transportation methods will not be able to accommodate the 15 million people who are expected to visit. In addition to transportation issues, Paris will also need to address its homeless population which may affect the city’s image. Paris aims to relocate these individuals, but this decision has been met with some backlash. All of these problems will need to be solved before the Games in the coming months.

Now only a few months away from the Olympics, there is a lot of excitement in the air despite the impending challenges. New sports will be introduced, records will be broken, and competition will be fierce in each sport. Many in the Newark Academy community cannot wait for the games to begin.