2 weeks Ago
My family loves the Olympics, so we're always disappointed when they come to an end. When the Paris Olympics wrapped up recently, I felt an even greater post-Olympics sadness than usual. Maybe it was the incredible magic that Paris brought to the opening ceremonies.
From the opening appearance of Lady Gaga serenading us in French to the sight of a man playing a grand piano in the rain while it was on fire, the Parisians brought the pageantry of that first night to new levels. Perhaps it was because they took the Parade of Nations, which is normally a tedious process of all the athletes marching into an arena, and instead had boatloads of athletes float down the Seine to kick off the Games. We were drawn in immediately by the creativity and enjoyed seeing that.
Even in the rain, the excitement and enthusiasm of each country's competitors could not be diminished. The Olympic Committee got extra points from me for having my personal athletic hero, Nadia Comaneci, as one of the torchbearers. I loved that they included athletes from various nations and stages of life in carrying the torch.
Speaking of the Olympic flame, how about the incredible uniqueness of the Olympic Cauldron in Paris? In an homage to the French brothers who invented the first practical hot air balloon, Mathieu Lehanneur created an illuminated air balloon almost 100 feet tall which held a 23-foot ring of fire. It was on the ground stationary during the day but took flight each evening at sunset to float above the city at night. You know it was an amazing opening ceremony when Celine Dion's triumphant return to the stage after battling illness was barely mentioned afterward despite her giving a belting, noteworthy performance while standing on the Eiff el Tower.
The beauty of what's known as the City of Lights did not disappoint throughout the games also. The backdrop of the sparkling, dazzling Eiffel Tower and its spectacular light show could be seen behind many of the venues during the events. No doubt, Paris was added to many people's travel bucket lists because of this exposure.
Another exciting addition to these Olympics was the ability to stream all the events online rather than only getting to see what NBC showed each evening. As a lifelong gymnastics fan, I was able to watch every artistic gymnastics event from start to finish for the first time ever. Typically, only events with American competitors make the primetime coverage.
We watched many events that previously would not have been broadcast on television, as well as the typical favorites. We watched some Greco-Roman wrestling, artistic swimming, taekwondo, fencing, and weightlifting. We caught the highlight reels of BMX freestyle and cheered on both the men's and women's USA basketball teams to gold medals.
I fell in love with a bit of freestyle dressage, which is best described as horses doing choreographed dances to music. I'm not even making that up. Look it up online and it will likely bring a smile to your face.
The closing ceremonies did not disappoint either. There were dancers, acrobats, flagbearers, and a rock band. Those were followed by Tom Cruise rappelling into the stadium from the roof in a Mission Impossible-style stunt to pick up the Olympic flag and then riding out of the arena on a motorcycle onto a jet.
Obviously prerecorded, he then skydived into the Hollywood Hills to place the flag at the Hollywood sign in an official handoff to Los Angeles for the Summer Olympics in 2028. The night in Paris concluded with fireworks and a stirring rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way," which could not have been more appropriate. You really did do it your way, Paris, and we loved it! I don't know if any city will be able to top 2024 in Paris, but the ball is in your court, LA! Cami Hepler is a lifelong animal lover, year-round sports fan, and part-time freelance writer from Hickory.
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