The Olympics are gone, leaving a residue of good feeling and a bout of “post JO blues”. There are many wonderful memories of these games. So many compelling stories could be told, almost one per athlete.
For me, the track and field events epitomize the Olympics, and of the events attended the surprise highlight was the pole vault finals. The event started slowly, as one after another of the vaulters cleared the bar. As the bar kept rising, the crowd increasingly reacted to each success and failure. The vaulters fed off the crowd enthusiasm, initiating rhythmic clapping, clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clapclapclap faster and faster as they ran down the runway, ending in either a collective “ohhhh” or a cheer of triumph. The best stood out by the ease and amount with which they cleared the bar. Four were left as the bar was set at 5.90 meters, then three at 5.95. As dusk fell more and more attention was centered on the event, attracted by large cheers and by the announcers and replay videos. Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the world record holder who had passed on some of his jumps and was even shown lying down and resting, remained perfect, again clearing the bar by over a foot—the slow motion replay stopped at his apex to show that margin. The American Sam Kendrick also cleared 5.95, to an explosive cheer. At 6 meters Duplantis again cleared with room to spare, while Kendrick made three unsuccessful attempts. The gold was Mondo’s, now the only question was whether he would continue. The Olympic record of 6.04 meters was within reach, and the tension rose as the crowd wondered if there would be an attempt on it. This had started as the first event of the evening, now it was nightfall. Then the announcement came that he would attempt 6.05, an Olympic record. The crowd roared its approval. But first, the running of the 5000 meter for women. Then the focus on the jump, Kendrick starting the rhythmic clap for his rival, faster and faster as Duplantis ran toward the bar, then over it with seemingly a foot to spare. Thunderous applause. But what would he do next? Incrementally approach his world record of 6.24? No, he would audaciously go for 6.25 meters! First, the 800 meter women’s run. The first two attempts failed, the second high enough but hitting the bar on the way down. After an adjustment of the bar, moving it closer to his take off point, the 3rd was successful, to a loud collective roar.
And that is the beauty of these games, everybody cheering on wonderful performers regardless of where they are from.
On his sports podcast Bill Simmons of the Ringer commented that at no prior event had he seen such happiness from the silver and bronze winners. Unlike many events in the US, they did not view themselves as failures, but as winners. And the spectators echoed that and supported and cheered every athlete. Nowhere was this more exemplified than at the marathon, where the crowds cheered the last runner as much as the first one. Kinzang Lhamo, competing for Bhutan, finished in 3:52;59, one and a half hours behind the winner but was never alone on the course. Spectators walked with her when she walked, a bicyclist tried to pace her, and the finish line ceremony was held up while the video screen showed her last kilometers and she ran into view and across the finish.
So many wonderful memories. Yusuf Dikec winning medals with a relaxed shooting style, hands in pocket, no special lenses, his posture becoming a meme among the athletes.
American gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing down to Brazil's Rebeca Andrade after she won gold in woman's floor exercise.
Steph Curry winning the basketball gold for the United States with a flurry of three three’s in the last few minutes, each all net, then a fourth impossible shot, a high parabola that also swished through ---all net.
A 73 shot volley in women’s doubles badminton, each shot aimed at making its opponent miss.
Numerous last second wins in running events.
Sifan Hassan doing a triple topped only by Emil Zatopek, winning medals in the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, and gold in the marathon.
And all set to the backdrop of Paris’s iconic sites – the triathlon swim in the Seine, the beach volleyball with the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop, archers shooting at Les Invalides. The golden statues of the Alexander III bridge, the glass dome of the Grand Palais. Bicycling on the cobblestones of Montmartre. The games were such a part of Paris that friends of ours were watching the marathon on TV and recognized their street, then looked out the window and saw the runners go by.
Good feelings, except for the discordant note struck by the UK swim team, hinting at drug usage as China’s Pan Zhenie w won his 100m freestyle by over a second. Dark whispers about Chinese swimmers being suspended preliminarily, then being cleared. The World Doping Association published a credible explanation. Data shows that China is tested the most. Then came the revelation that the US doping agency had allowed athletes who failed doping tests to participate in events under the pretext of being undercover spies for the USDA. Again, the world doping association published a statement stating that this was never approved and contravened its policies. The denouement awaits. Meanwhile, Leon Marchand, the French swimmer who set four Olympic records, met with the Chinese coach whose handshake the appeared to accidentally snub at one of his medal ceremonies.
And so the days after there is a “tristesse” in the city. We strolled along the banks of the Seine between le Grand Palais and the Academie Francais on a perfect august day, scattered clouds, light wind, temperature in the 70’s. The Bateaux Mouche floated by top decks full of tourists. The city landscape was still full of Olympic furniture, from stands to fencing, waiting the para-olympic games in 2 weeks. The wood panel fencing remains a colorful pastel backdrop, in official colors and designs that echoed the designs on shirts and other memorabilia. Crowds looked at the Samaritain window display featuring the Olympic medals. The gold medalists will take away a piece of Paris with them, as each gold medal contains a piece of the Eiffel Tower. Later one warm evening, we passed the town hall of the 11th arrondissement, the large TV set up for the Olympics still in place, and joined others to watch a movie about the Jamaica bobsled team.
The city’s non-touristy areas seem more empty than usual for august. The11tharrondissement where we live is full of signs on stores announcing closure for their annual vacations, even some bistros that had not closed the previous two years, and the streets seem comparatively deserted.
In two weeks the para-olympic games will start, and after that come the poitical games.