Paris Olympics 2024
The 2024 Olympic games are in full effect and the athlete comebacks have been star spangled awesome! Opening Ceremonies started Friday in Paris and now Americans can finally all cheer for gold medals while rooting for the same team!
Paris
This is the third time Paris has hosted the summer games and exactly 100 years since the last time the Olympic torch was lit in Paris. The opening ceremony has caused quite the commotion on social media and whatever you believe, remember the French are different compared to American’s. They are very artsy, never in a rush, Home Alone taught us ‘French babes don’t shave their pits’, and Jack Dawson’s sketch book showed us that was true. https://youtu.be/XBJZQbt6lNc
So far, the Paris games have me saying oui (yes) and merci (thank you) as if I actually paid attention or did well in high school French classes. The French won when it came to the vocal Olympics of the Opening Ceremony. If Juliette Armanet’s rendition of Imagine didn’t remind you to give peace a chance, then nothing will. The French won another gold medal with the Celine Dion performance. She sang in French and I have no idea what she said, but my goodness it was breathtakingly beautiful. As Kelly Clarkson said “in my field, she is the gold winner for vocal athletes”. (Since 2022, Celine Dion has been battling an autoimmune neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome. This disease causes involuntary spasms and muscle rigidity (seizures) though out her entire body.) This was a comeback the world needed.
Rap
If someone would have told you 30 years ago (after the Doggystyle album) that Snoop Dogg would be besties with Martha Stewart and an NBC correspondent for team USA, you would have 100% said no bleeping way! But the Doggfather of rap music has been an element of pure joy and absolute entertainment at the Olympic games. A gold medal to NBC for adding Snoop to their Olympic team.
Did you know rapper, Flavor Flav is the official hype man for the women’s water polo team?
Maggie Steffens posted on her Instagram about the struggle her and her teammates have financially due to a lack of funding for women’s water polo. Flavor Flav responded to the post saying “As a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sport – imma personally sponsor you.. whatever you need.” The amount of money Flavor Flav has given has not been disclosed, but you can find him with his oversized chain necklace in Paris cheering on his team.
And you should be watching these ladies too! Did you know the U.S. Women’s water polo team has won three straight gold medals and they are going for number four in Paris? Tune in early and trust me, you will have all the motivation you need for leg and cheek day at the gym while bumping Shake Your Booty in your headphones.
Redemption
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was supposed to be a third straight gold medal for USA women’s gymnastics. But, we all know Simone suffered from the twisties and instead of hurting herself and her team score, she removed herself from the all-around competition. I don’t care what anyone says, she didn’t quit on her team. Fast forward to her redemption in Paris, and Simone and team USA are BACK, BABY!
The team finished on top of the qualifying round on Sunday and automatically qualified for Tuesday’s team final. Simone currently has the top all-around score (59.566) followed by Suni Lee (56.132). With six gymnastics skills named after her, Simone Biles is the GOAT! For the first time in Olympic history, the women’s all-around event will have two gold medal winners competing. (2016 Rio; Biles, 2020 Tokyo; Suni Lee.)
Jordan
Jordan Chiles is so underrated. While Simone has changed the gymnastic game by truly defying gravity, Jordan is a whole different vibe. Jordan brings energy to her teammates and fans. She ditched traditional cartoony-jazz music that sounded like it was being played on a stretched-out cassette tape and brought back the mixed tape vibe. From 90’s hip hop to Beyonce, Jordan has changed the old school rules of boring music and made floor routines a party on the mat!
As if the skills of elite gymnastics weren’t difficult enough, so are Olympic rules. Jordan finished .067 behind Suni Lee in the qualifying all-around competition. She crushed all four of her routines and helped team USA to the top of the leaderboard. As the leadoff performer (she performed first) Jordan set the tone and showed the world, this is team coming back for gold! But as gymnastics rules go, only two athletes from each country can compete for the all-around medal. Jordan finished (56.065) and in fourth place overall.
For the next 13 days, can we all say Let’s Go USA as they go for golden comebacks! For the full Olympic schedule, click the link:
https://www.nbcolympics.com/full-schedule
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