Who is Philigues? What you need to know about the Paris 2024 mascot
The mascot of the Paris Olympics may not seem all that powerful to those outside the host country, but the little red hat known as the Phrygian cap (or liberty cap) is a symbol of French Liberation.
Freeges (pronounced “free-jes”) was announced as the mascot for the Paris Games in November 2022. Paris 2024 said the hat was “sporty, party-loving and very French”.
But there’s a lot more to the little red hats – one for the Olympic Games and one for the Paralympic Games – than meets the eye.
Read the full story here.
‘I’m just going to try my best’: US skateboarder discusses Olympic goals
Earlier today, American skateboarders Jagger Eaton, Nyjah Huston and Chris Joslin toured the official Olympic skatepark at Place de la Concorde, in front of Egypt’s ancient Luxor Obelisk.
I asked Houston if, after being careful to avoid injury leading up to the Olympics, she was looking forward to finally giving it her all.
“I just go full force and send it out. There’s no hesitation. I love that feeling,” he said.
Eaton was excited, too: He’d won the bronze medal in Tokyo on a broken ankle, but this time he was fully recovered and ready to take on the biggest stage on earth.
Chris Joslin, the fiercest skater I have ever seen, was nowhere to be found during the walk-through, but then he arrived.
“I just want to go find a place to skate,” he said.
I asked Jocelyn if she dreamed of the Olympics as a child.
“Well, if that’s what you’re doing… I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think skateboarding is about that… Skateboarding is the only sport I do because I love it.”
When asked what he wants from the Olympics, he said: “I don’t have any expectations. I just want to get on my skateboard and do some good tricks.”
Simone Biles and other US gymnasts advised to ‘refrain’ from attending ceremony
The U.S. gymnastics team has so far declined to participate in the opening ceremony, with the first round of their Olympic competition beginning with qualifying this weekend.
At a press conference in May, USA Gymnastics CEO Li Liliang told reporters that athletes attending the ceremony “should be prepared to be on their feet for nine hours.”
She said players could make their own decision about taking part but that taking part was “not recommended” given the physical toll.
Fans from around the world come together to celebrate
About an hour before the opening ceremony was to begin, tourists from around the world were searching for places to watch the celebrations.
“It’s my first time in Paris and I’ve bought tickets for the fencing matches to watch at the Grand Palais,” said Juan Sebastian Vintimilla from Ecuador, who was looking for a fan zone to watch the opening ceremony.
Fans were not deterred by light rain that fell before the start of the match. “No, the rain doesn’t bother me. It’s a common occurrence,” said Stephanie Chung from China.
NBC News’ Lester Holt’s 11th Olympics
Nightly News host Holt posted a video to Instagram from Paris today, reflecting on his 11th(!) Olympic Games.
“By the way, I haven’t won a medal yet, but I’m hopeful,” he joked.
American figure skater finally wins gold in Paris
The U.S. figure skating team will finally be honored as gold medalists in a special medal ceremony during the Paris Games.
The skaters, who won silver in the team event at the Beijing 2022 Olympics thanks to a victory for the Russian Olympic Committee, were elevated to the top of the podium after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced yesterday that it would reject the Republic of China’s (ROC) appeal against the sanctions handed down to them after 15-year-old Kamila Valieva’s doping scandal plagued the Beijing Games.
“The Committee deliberated and concluded that the disqualification of Ms. Valieva’s performance in the Olympic figure skating team event was justified,” CAS said in a statement.
The International Olympic Committee said the CAS decision came “just in time” for the medal ceremony during the Paris Games, in which Japan will be presented with the silver medal.
Nine U.S. figure skaters would win gold medals: Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim, Brandon Frazier, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donahue.
History of political moments in Olympic opening ceremonies
The Olympics are positioned as an opportunity for the international community to achieve “peace through sport,” and the International Olympic Committee has declared that it opposes politicization.
But the Olympics have always reflected the geopolitical climate of the time: one country’s participation and another’s absence can highlight existing tensions or alliances. Athletes have also used the winners’ podium to make statements for a variety of causes.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, protests date back to the 1906 Games in Athens, Greece. Historical demonstrations include the Black Power salute by U.S. track and field athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Mexico City Games at the height of the civil rights movement, the boycott of the 1976 Montreal Games by 22 African countries in response to the inclusion of a New Zealand rugby team that had toured apartheid South Africa, and the decision of Western leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, to attend the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Games to protest Russia’s human rights record.
The Olympics have also seen political violence over the years: At the 1972 Munich Games, 11 Israelis were killed when Palestinian militants from the Black September organization took Israelis hostage and demanded the release of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, and at the 1996 Atlanta Games, anti-LGBTQ, anti-abortion, anti-government American Eric Rudolph detonated a bomb.
In a speech this week, IOC President Thomas Bach acknowledged that the world is increasingly divided and urged unity among competing nations.
“This is our Olympic answer to all the forces that want to divide us. Our values matter,” Bach said. “In these dark times, our Olympic values matter more than ever. Only by living our Olympic values - unity, equality and human dignity for all – can we bring the whole world together in peace.”
Dancers rehearsing before the opening ceremony
The dancers in the photo below were photographed during a rehearsal on the Pont Neuf before the Opening Ceremony.
The opening ceremony begins in an hour.
Opening ceremony for the exhibition “Portraits of Paris”
French historian and best-selling author Patrick Boucheron was tasked with organising the opening ceremony two years ago, along with a team of five French cultural superstars from literature, television, film and theatre.
Boucheron, 58, told NBC News that his team aimed to create a comprehensive “portrait of Paris” that reflected the diverse city, evolving with its many cultural influences.
“This is not a show about French history,” he said.
In fact, viewers can expect to see homage to Paris as depicted in the Netflix hit “Emily in Paris.”“, The film stars Lily Collins, an American who doesn’t speak French, and Amelie Poulain, the star of a 2001 French film about the charming cobblestone streets of Montmartre.
Boucheron said organisers were impressed by the “humility” of Athens 2004 and the “self-deprecation” of London 2012. The team rejected the “nationalistic” grandiosity of Beijing 2008, opting for a more inclusive image of a city that had evolved into a metropolis of diversity.
Watching the celebrations from a boat on the Seine, Boucheron said he was most excited to see his work reflect France’s bright future.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo hit the red carpet in ‘Wicked’ colors
Grande and Erivo wore their “Wicked” characters’ signature colors — pink and green — as they walked the red carpet ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony.
Erivo said this will be her first time attending an Olympic Games in person.
“I’m so overwhelmed to be in Paris,” Grande said. “I’m so excited.”
