Who is the oldest American Olympian?
While most Olympians are in their 20s, there are some notable exceptions.
At 59, Stephen Peters is the oldest American Olympian competing in Paris. The San Diego native will compete in the equestrian event.
At the Olympics, he will ride a horse named Suppenkasper (nicknamed “Mopsy”), who is three months older than the youngest American Olympian, gymnast Hesley Rivera, who just turned 16 last month.
British equestrian star Charlotte Dujardin withdraws from Olympics, apologises for ‘error in judgement’ after old video leaks
British dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin could become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian in Paris.
But those dreams have been put on hold: The 39-year-old athlete announced on Tuesday that she was withdrawing from competition after a “four-year-old” video was made public that showed she made an error of judgment during a coaching session.
It is unclear what video she was referring to or what was shown in the video. With six Olympic medals, three of them gold, Dujardin holds the joint record for the most decorated female Olympian on the British team.
“I have decided to withdraw from all competitions, including the Paris Olympic Games,” she said in a statement on Instagram, noting that an investigation by the International Equestrian Federation was ongoing.
“What happened is completely out of character for me and does not reflect the way I train horses or mentor my students,” Dujardin said, “but there are no excuses. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”
“I truly regret my actions and am devastated to have let everyone down – including the British team, our fans and sponsors.”
Israeli athletes given 24-hour protection after French lawmaker says they’re ‘not welcome’ in Paris
French authorities have announced that the Israeli team will receive 24-hour security during the Paris Olympics after a left-wing lawmaker said the team was not welcome in the French capital.
Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the far-left Independence France (LFI) party, called at a rally on Saturday for protests against the Israeli team’s participation in the Olympics at a time when Israel continues its attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Portes said the Israeli delegation was not welcome in Paris and called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to end the fighting in Gaza.
His comments drew immediate backlash, with Yonathan Alfy, president of the Council of Representatives of Jewish Organizations in France, accusing the politician of effectively “targeting Israeli athletes” in a post on X, pointing to the murder of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian agents at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
In another post, he said Israeli athletes “They are already at their most dangerous at the Olympics,” he said, noting that anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and anti-Muslim attacks have soared since Israel’s war with Hamas began last October.
Responding to Portes’ comments, French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin said in a television interview on Sunday that the Israeli Olympic team would receive 24-hour security during the games.
Cardboard beds hold up, sweet dreams for athletes
Olympians can rest easy.
Where athletes will sleep has become a hot topic in the run up to the Paris Olympics, with the use of cardboard bed frames to promote sustainability sparking claims on social media that organisers were trying to prevent participants from coupling up.
“It stood the test last time it was tested,” Irish gymnast Reece McClenaghan wrote in a post on X, which showed McClenaghan jumping and doing rolls on one of the “anti-sex beds” without it collapsing. “No, it passed the test,” McClenaghan concluded. “Fake. Fake news.”
Olympic organizers posted a video on YouTube explaining how to use the beds, which will be made from recycled materials and will be the last to be used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Athletes will be able to choose the firmness of their mattresses.
President Macron will be interviewed on television on Tuesday night.
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to speak on France Television and Radio France on Tuesday evening. Not only will the speech come three days before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, it will also be Macron’s first interview since France’s inconclusive parliamentary elections.
The country’s political landscape is currently divided and a new government has yet to be formed, but President Macron spoke publicly on Monday about the need for a “political truce” during the Olympics.
As France prepares to welcome the world to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Macron’s call for a political truce suggests he has no intention of forming a new government during the games. For now, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s caretaker government continues to run the country.
Celine Dion and Lady Gaga arrive in Paris… but will they perform?
Two of the world’s most popular singers, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga, have arrived in Paris, but officials are remaining silent on whether they will perform at Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony.
French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the French-Canadian actress will arrive in Paris on Tuesday morning and sing Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a l’amour” at the Olympics — an emotional performance after being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome. Last month, she opened up about her struggle with the syndrome in the documentary “I Am Celine Dion.”
Video posted to social media showed Lady Gaga waving to fans outside a car in Paris on Monday.
France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudea Castellas would not confirm or deny whether Dion would perform, but told French media that Friday’s opening ceremony would feature an “extraordinary line-up of artists” including dancers, musicians and actors.
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar will not compete in the Olympic road race
After a dominating performance at the Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar will not be competing in this year’s Olympics.
The Slovenian Olympic team said in a statement yesterday that the 25-year-old Pogacar would not be included in the country’s cycling team due to fatigue.
“Once again, we congratulate our Tour de France winner on his third victory in the world’s most prestigious cycling race. We wish him well rested and ready for the next race,” the team said.
He will be replaced by Domen Novak.
Pogacar, who won bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, confirmed the decision on Instagram today and wished Novak the best of luck.
“After a tumultuous few months, I’ll now take some rest and get ready for the World Championships, where I look forward to wearing the Slovenian shirt with pride once again.”
The winner of the UCI Road World Championships in September will win the coveted rainbow striped jersey and the title of world champion – a title currently held by Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel.
Asked on Sunday about his plans after the Tour, Pogacar replied: “Van der Poel looks really good in the world championship jersey, but this year I want to take it away from him.”
Pogacar wore the yellow jersey for most of the Tour’s 21 stages and won them all. He won six of them, including the time-trial final on Sunday. He came off a victory after also winning the Giro d’Italia, a rare double win for the first time since 1998.
US cheerleaders take on Paris: ‘These are the Olympics we’ve been waiting for’
Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, the “TODAY” show’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin look back on Olympic Games past and present, Olympic highlights and unforgettable moments.
Hoda Kotb: Cheerleader
What she’s most looking forward to about this year’s Olympics is “I look forward to experiencing all the emotions the Olympics will bring: exhilaration, unity and inspiration.”
On why the Olympics are humble: “The Olympics always reminds you how small the world is. I think that’s a good thing to remember. You look around and realize, ‘Wow, we’re all on this tiny dot on this planet. People from all over the world are here together and whether we win, lose, draw or whatever, we’re all competing as a team.'”
Why can’t she? actually Watch the exercise: “It’s my favourite sport, but I can’t watch because I’m like, ‘Oh God, don’t look. Don’t look. Tell me when it’s over! Tell me when it’s over! Did she get in?’ And then they all yell, ‘She got in!’ and I’m like, ‘I can’t bear to watch this, I can’t believe I missed that.’ But sometimes it’s just too much to bear. It’s so scary.”
The Olympic sport she would like to compete in if she could: “Maybe I’d do something like track and field. I think the feeling of standing on the starting blocks and being with the fastest people in the world would be really fun.”
Read the full story here.
Quiz: Is this an Olympic sport?
As times change, so do Olympic programs.
Croquet and tug-of-war were included in the Olympic Games when they were first held in Paris in 1900 (this was the only time that croquet appeared in the Olympics; tug-of-war was included five more times until the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium).
All manner of contests have come and gone, then returned, and that trend is set to continue, thanks to the International Olympic Committee allowing host countries to designate one-off events to “enhance the popularity of the Olympics.”
So what’s new this year? And what’s in the lineup for Los Angeles 2028? Two sports below will be making their Olympic debut, some will be returning, and others are little more than office fantasies.
Click here to test your knowledge of the Olympic program in pursuit of the gold medal.
How Paris is stepping up security for the Olympics
PARIS — Security around Paris has been visibly stepped up in the days leading up to the opening ceremony. Armed police, walled-off tourist attractions and daily barge searches for explosives are among the stepped-up security measures.
Passing through a checkpoint into any part of the controlled zone, whether it’s a few blocks from the Olympic venues or by the Seine, takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and the time of day, as police check everyone’s identification and match it with their ID.
Ahead of the Olympics, wooden planks more than 12 feet high have been blocking off popular tourist sites, including the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower and a site near Les Invalides.
The military presence has now become more visible, with the country’s anti-terrorism force, the Vigilance Corps, beginning to patrol the streets alongside police and gendarmerie.
An American family who owns a barge on the Seine told NBC News that authorities are conducting daily searches for explosives underneath the boat and that police regularly check their living space.
