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Olympic Games Paris 2024: Sports to look out for this summer
By Shivani Dubey | 23 July 2024 | Sport
From wheelchair tennis to basketball, we take a look at the best sports and events to look out for at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris
2024 has been the summer of sports. With big events like the T20 cricket world cup, Wimbledon and the Euros all taking place back to back, it has been a great time to be a sports fan. And it is about to get even more exciting, as we build to a crescendo with the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
From 26 July, athletes from all over the world will descend into Paris to take part in the biggest sporting tournament of their careers. And there is plenty of action to catch up on — from wheelchair tennis to basketball and swimming. Here, we list some of the best sports and events to look out for at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this year.
Tennis and Wheelchair Tennis
Whether you’re a fan of the Olympic or the Paralympic Games, tennis is a sport that is thrilling and entertaining no matter what format you watch it in. At the Olympic Games, recent Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will be teaming up with legend of the sport Rafael Nadal as they team up to represent Spain in the doubles tournament.
Elsewhere, Andy Murray will make what is likely his final Olympic Games appearance for Team GB, while Novak Djokovic will make yet another attempt at going for gold for Serbia. In the women’s tournament USA’s Naomi Osaka and Team GB’s Katie Boulter will be the ones to look out for.
It gets even more thrilling with wheelchair tennis, as Paralympic athletes battle it out on the courts almost exactly the same way as their Olympic counterparts. The only change? The ball can bounce twice instead of just one time before being hit over to the other side.
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Breaking
Making its Olympic Games debut in Paris this year, breaking, or breakdancing will be an interesting event to look out for. This fast paced sport will see athletes show off their best moves during 60-second ‘throw downs’.
Their routines will then be scored by a panel of judges, who will be grading based on six criteria — creativity, personality, technique, variety, stage presence and musicality. Part dance, part gymnastics, this is one of the most unique sports at the Olympic Games this year. And it will definitely be something worth tuning into this summer.
Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball
One of the most exciting sports in the Olympic and Paralympic Games calendar is basketball. At the Olympic Games, all eyes will be on the LeBron James-led USA men’s basketball team as they compete for the coveted gold. The USA women’s basketball team isn’t too far behind either, as Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and A’ja Wilson will all represent the team.
Now imagine this sport being played while sitting in a wheelchair? That is the thrill that comes with wheelchair basketball. Manoeuvring around other players to shoot hoops through sheer skill and determination, this is a sport to watch out for at Paris 2024.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics has been on the Olympic calendar every year since the tournament’s inception in 1896. And at Paris 2024, viewers will be treated to three disciplines of the sport — artistic, rhythmic and trampoline. And while all of them are equally impressive and thrilling to watch, all eyes will be on star gymnasts Simone Biles from USA and Rebeca Andrade from Brazil as they light up the artistic gymnastics arena to gun for a gold medal.
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Athletics
Easily one of the most highly anticipated events in the Olympic Games calendar, athletics is a sport that the world never fails to tune into. The 100 metre race is one to watch out for, as the action unfolding at the Stade de France in Paris is going to be unmissable. Two athletes to look out for are American duo Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman, who are contenders for gold at the men’s event.
From Team GB, all eyes will be on reigning individual Olympic medallists Keely Hodgkinson (women’s 800m), Josh Kerr (men’s 1500m), Holly Bradshaw (women’s pole vault) and Laura Muir (women’s 1500m) as they once again compete for the coveted medals.
Goalball
Goalball is played exclusively by visually impaired or blind athletes and has no Olympic equivalent. It is a competitive sport in which two teams score points by throwing a ball by hand and along the floor into the opponent’s goal.
To help the players orient themselves, string is taped to the markings of the court and the ball is made of rubber with holes on its surface to allow the bells inside to be heard when the ball moves—similar to what’s used in blind football. As a result, loud cheering is discouraged to allow for the players to hear the ball. As a game that is wholly unique to the Paralympic Games, this is a very interesting sport to watch out for this summer.