Paris Olympics 2024: The dates, opening ceremony, venues, schedule and how to watch

Paris Olympics 2024: The dates, opening ceremony, venues, schedule and how to watch

Kolawole Babatunde 14:26 - 24.07.2024

The Olympics are held once every four years, and 2024 is another Olympic year, with this edition set to be hosted in the city of Paris, France. From the events and dates to the venues, here is all you need to know about the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Breakdancing will debut as a sport as an Olympic event in the Paris 2024 Olympics, while this will also be the final Olympic Games held during the IOC presidency of Thomas Bach.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will run from July 26 to August 11, taking place over a 19-day period, with athletes, including footballers, all aiming to achieve the unique feat of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Why is Paris hosting the Olympics? 

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The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris

Paris was not handed the Olympic torch; they earned it! Cities compete through a rigorous bidding process that considers factors like infrastructure, finances, and a strong national Olympic committee.

Paris and Los Angeles were the two cities left in contention after multiple cities withdrew their bids, and France’s capital was awarded the Games at the 131st IOC Session in Lima, Peru, on September 13, 2017.

Paris Olympics
Paris 2024 basketball court

Paris is a seasoned Olympic host, having held the Games twice before (1900 and 1924), and this experience will count towards having a well-organised event. Paris will become the second city ever to host the Summer Olympics three times, after London, which hosted it in 1908, 1948, and 2012. 

Paris boasts impressive sporting facilities and well-developed transportation networks, with the Stade de France being the centrepiece of the Games. 

When will the Paris 2024 Olympics start? (Paris Olympics dates)

Paris Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games begin officially on July 26.

The official start of the Paris 2024 Olympics hinges on a spectacular opening ceremony, but there's a twist. 

While the ceremony officially takes place on Friday, July 26, 2024, some sporting events actually begin two days earlier.

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Team Nigeria will be at the Paris 2024 Olympics

For the truly impatient fans, competitions in football (soccer), rugby sevens, handball, and archery will commence on Wednesday, July 24, and Thursday, July 25. This means you can catch some Olympic action even before the grand opening ceremony officially ushers in the Games.

When will the Paris 2024 Olympics end? (Paris Olympics dates)

The Paris 2024 Olympics will end with a dazzling closing ceremony on Sunday, August 11, 2024. 

This grand finale will be held at the iconic Stade de France, the same stadium that hosted the opening ceremony.

The closing ceremony is usually a spectacular event filled with music, dance, and a celebration of athletic achievement. 

We will also witness the handover of the Olympic flag to the host city of the 2028 Games.

Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony time 

The opening ceremony will take place on Friday, July 26 at 7:30pm local time in Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is 17:30 GMT.

How many events will take place at the Paris 2024 Olympics?

There will be 329 events, which is the number of gold medals available for athletes to win across 32 sports.

How many nations will be competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics? 

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Asisat Oshoala will lead Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Paris 2024 Olympics will be a truly global event, bringing together athletes from a record-breaking 206 nations.

How many athletes will be competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics? 

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Nigeria's 4x100m quartet of Olayinka Olajide, Tianna Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, and Tima Godbless successfully qualified for Paris 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics will have an estimated 10,714 athletes competing for glory across 329 sporting events. 

87 athletes from 12 sports have been confirmed to represent Nigeria in the Paris Olympics.

How many venues will hold events during the Paris 2024 Olympics?

35 venues will host various sporting events at the Paris Olympics. 

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The new Purple Track inside the Stade de France stadium, the main venue ot the Paris 2024 Olympics

These venues will not just be within the Paris city limits. To spread the excitement, some events will be held in other French cities. 

Football fans can catch matches at the iconic Lyon Stadium, while the Marseille Marina will host the sailing competitions.

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Marseille Marina will host sailing competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Surfing will be done in French Polynesia’s Tahiti, a French overseas territory nearly 16,000 km (10,000 miles) from the rest of the venues.

Paris 2024 Olympic medals 

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Paris 2024 medals

Every Olympic host usually designs medals that uniquely showcase the history and culture of the host city.

The Paris 2024 Olympic medals are no different, as they will reflect a bit of Parisian history and are designed with sustainability in mind and made from recycled materials.

However, the real eye-catcher is the ribbon—woven into the dark blue ribbon for the Olympic medals will be the intricate latticework design of the Eiffel Tower, with each medal carrying a pierce of the original iron used to build the Eiffel Tower.

5,084 medals will be produced and given out, with the gold medals weighing 529 grammes. 

Nigerian athletes such as Tobi Amusan and Brume will be aiming to cop one or more for themselves at the Games.

Paris Olympics Schedule 

Paris Olympics
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nigeria's D'Tigress to face Canada, Australia and France at Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games schedule can be found on the official website: https://olympics.com/ioc/paris-2024. 

There, you can find a day-by-day schedule with competition times and even live results.

How to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics can be watched on TV or streamed live through official broadcasters and the Olympics website.

You can also follow reports about the games on the Pulse Sports website.

Nigerian athletes such as Tobi Amusan, Odunayo Adekuroye, and others will all be comprehensively covered on Pulse Sports.

Paris Olympics Logo

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The Paris 2024 Olympics Logo. Credit: Paris2024/X

The Paris 2024 Olympic logo is a symbolic fusion of three powerful elements. It features a gold medal, a flame, and a Marianne. 

The gold medal: Arepresentation of the pinnacle of achievement that athletes strive for in the Olympics.

The Flame: The Olympic flame embodies the spirit of the Games, burning bright with passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence.

Marianne: A cherished figure in France, Marianne represents liberty and the French Republic. Her inclusion personalises the logo and connects it to the host nation.

These elements are cleverly intertwined to create the logo, with the gold medal forming the base, the flame rising from it like a victory torch, and Marianne emerging from within the flame. 

Paris Olympics Mascot 

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The Paris 2024 Mascot is called the Phryges. Credit: Paris2024/X

The mascots for the Paris 2024 Olympics are not creatures but rather a tribe of characters called the Phryges, representing freedom and showcasing the important historical figures of the French Republic.

These mascots are modelled after the Phrygian cap, a red cap that has been a symbol of freedom throughout history.

The Phryges come in a variety of colours, representing the diversity of the athletes and spectators at the Games. 

According to the organisers, the Olympic Phryge has one message, and it is that sport can change everything! Our lives, our health, our relationships with others, how we relate to nature - it is time to welcome more sport into our lives!

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