Paris 2024 – Innovation, Inclusivity and Youth
Next July and August, Paris will become only the second city ever, behind London, to host its third Summer Olympic Games. As the birthplace of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and having hosted the second-ever modern Olympics in 1900, the city is steeped in Olympic legacy.
If it lives up to its expectations, the latest edition of what many consider to be the pinnacle of sporting competition will further secure France’s capital as a destination synonymous with the modern Olympic movement. Expected to be a landmark Games, there’s plenty to keep an eye on during the 30th Summer Olympics.
Separating Medals
French designer Philippe Starck has taken an inventive approach in his design of the event’s medals that will be awarded to successful athletes at the Games. Although seeming aesthetically typical, the medals will be truly unique as they will each possess the function of being split into four individual pieces.
The thinking behind this novel design is to allow athletes to split and share their medals with family members, loved ones, coaches, teammates and anyone else deemed worthy. You can learn more about this true embodiment of the Olympic spirit and values by reading our Insight piece here.
Encouraging a youth-centred and gender-balanced Games
With innovation at the heart of the organising committee’s agenda, Paris 2024 will include nine new sports that aim to help achieve the IOC’s mission of increasing the inclusivity, youthfulness and creativity of the events on show.
Following on from the introduction of surfing, skateboarding and climbing at the Tokyo Games, Paris will showcase first-time events including breakdance. With a focus on inspiring a generation with sports that are easy to take up and aligned with youth culture, Paris 2024 hopes to encourage millions of children across the globe to get into sports.
The 1900 Paris Games were the first to see women compete – a mere 22 of the 997 athletes to be precise – and it is the ambition of the organising committee to register as many female athletes as male athletes for the first time in history this time round. As seen in the last Summer Olympics, the rise of mixed-gender sports will continue in Paris.
A Games that has the planet in mind
Paris 2024 will pursue the objectives of the 2016 Paris Agreement by running a carbon-neutral Olympics. By providing a ‘second life’ for temporary infrastructures and implementing zero waste and single-use plastic initiatives, Paris 2024 is doing its bit to address the environmental issues of the modern world and encourage sustainability.
Blend’s event highlights
With all the incredible events on show, there’s so much to see that it can feel overwhelming. We therefore wanted to share a few of the highlights we’re especially excited about:
Monday 29th July: Swimming Multiple Finals – A night in the pool that promises to see greats continue to cement themselves in Olympic history and newcomers become household names.
Saturday 3rd August: Artistic Gymnastics Men and Women’s Apparatus Final – Will seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles be back on the biggest stage after her emotional farewell at the Tokyo Games?
Saturday 3rd/Sunday 4th August: Women’s/Men’s 100m Final – For many, the ultimate Olympic highlight. Speed, adrenaline and pure excitement.
At Blend Group, we’re specialists in curating bespoke and luxury experiences for our clients and have access to the best sports hospitality packages available. If you’d like to enquire about how best to attend the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion, please get in touch with us here. You can also read our guide on discovering Paris for some more inspiration.
