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What to watch at the Paris Olympics 2024
The 2024 Summer Olympics are finally here and it’s time to tune in live to watch the world's best athletes compete for the gold. Whether you’re a big basketball fan or love watching gymnastics, the Olympics has something for everyone. However, with a bit of overlay between events and thousands of athletes competing, it can be hard to know what to watch and who to root for.
From new sports making their debut this summer to old ones returning and star athletes going head to head, this year promises to be an exciting turnout. In this blog, we’re going to keep you up to date with everything you need to know for the 2024 Olympics - from what to watch to the top star athletes.
Where are the Summer Olympics being held?
The summer Olympics this year is being held in Paris at a variety of venues, from the Stade de France for the opening and closing ceremonies, to St-Germain for football matches and Tahiti, an island in French Polynesia nearly 10,000 miles away from Paris, for the surfing events.
When is the Paris 2024 Olympics?
The Paris Olympics are scheduled to start at 9 am in France (be wary of timezones) on Friday the 25th of July, all the way until Sunday, the 11th of August.
Where to watch the Summer Olympics
There are a variety of places where you can watch the Olympics. BBC and BBC Iplayer will be streaming the events live on television, as well as on the BBC Sport website and app. There will also be extensive coverage on BBC Radio 5.
If you happen to miss anything that you wanted to watch, then the official Olympics website will play host to all of the highlights and replays so you can catch up.
Paris Olympics 2024 schedule
The Paris Olympics will start at 9 am GMT on the 25th of July with Archery - both the men's and women’s categories. This will be followed by women's football, handball and Rugby Stevens throughout the day.
However, there are a lot of events to keep track of as the Olympics goes into full swing and a lot of them will be ongoing at the same time. The schedule can also be subject to changes, so it’s a good idea to keep up with the official Olympic schedule, this way you will be aware of any changes that may crop up so you don’t miss a second of your favourite events.
What to watch at the Paris Olympics
With so many events to choose from and a lot of them overlapping with each other, it can be hard to know which ones to tune in for. We all have our favourite events we like to watch year in and year out, but in this year's Olympics, there are a few sporting events taking place that have an undeniable buzz around them that you won’t want to miss.
From big celebrities coming back and aiming to take their first gold, to previous gold medalists going head to head, we’ve included a list below of what we think are some of the top Olympic sports to tune in for this summer.
100-metre race
The 100-metre race is a classic, and often highly anticipated, event in the Olympics. This year’s races are looking to be good ones, with big names such as Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman, who are both professional American track athletes, taking part in the men's team. Lyes holds the personal best for the 200m race with 19.31 seconds, while Coleman holds a personal best in the 100m race with only 9.76 seconds, which makes him the 6th fastest all-time in history.
Not to mention Elaine Thompson, who is regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. She is a five-time Olympic champion and is the fastest woman alive in the 100m. Then there’s Sha’Carri Richardson also participating in the women's races, with great odds of bagging that gold medal, Richardson has recently won the US Olympic Trials with 10.71 seconds in the 100m dash setting her up for a good chance of taking home the gold.
Breaking
Breaking (also known as breakdancing) is set to make its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Don’t be so quick to skip this new dance event as this debut will see both men's and women's categories showing off their best moves in a fast-paced 60-second showdown. It’s an exciting challenge of both skills and balance and has already sparked the interest of many viewers. This will be a great watch for anyone who loves a good dance battle.
Basketball
The 5x5 basketball tournament especially will be featuring some very exciting star athletes. NBA icons such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will be making a return, so this will be an exciting watch for any dedicated basketball fans. This is also the first time in Olympic history that the three decorated veterans will share the court on the Olympic stage.
Tennis
Like the basketball tournaments, the tennis events have an exciting lineup of athletes, including Novak Djokovic who is set to target first place for his first-ever gold medal, and Andy Murray who is keen to grab his third gold title before his retirement. This tournament will be full of exciting, nail-biting moments for any tennis fan.
Surfing
After making its comeback in the 2024 Olympic lineups, Surfing will be an exciting watch just from the location alone. Set to take place on the waves on Teahupo’o, on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, this tournament will have us on the edge of our seats as the island is said to produce some of the largest waves in the world.
Gymnastics
Like the 100-metre race, Gymnastics is a classic and beloved event that has been a part of every single Olympics since they first began back in 1896. Viewers are always enamoured with the gravity-defying and seemingly impossible stunts that these skilled athletes can effortlessly perform. You’re sure to be wowed by the grace and poise of these gymnasts, whether you’re tuning in for the artistic, rhythmic or trampoline gymnastic performances.
Top athletes in the 2024 Olympics
With over 10,500 skilled athletes set to participate in the 2024 Olympics, there are a lot of talented athletes to keep track of. With a wide variety of new faces and world-famous sports players alike coming together from all around the world, we’ve compiled a list of some of our top favourite athletes who are taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Andy Murray - Potentially looking to reclaim his gold medal just before his announced retirement, Andy Murray will play in the tennis tournaments from July 27th to the 4th of August, and fans are excited to see his final match before he hangs up his racket.
Simone Biles - Set to take part in artistic gymnastics, Biles is a four-time gold medalist and is back for the 2024 Olympics to hopefully make it a fifth gold win. Biles is the first American woman to make three straight Olympic teams since Dominique Dawes and is getting ready to lead a team of veteran gymnasts to Paris, making people very excited to watch her performances and see if she can bag the gold.
Adam Peaty - From the men's swimming category, Peaty is an English swimmer who has five Olympic medals to his name and is looking to add to his collection this summer. Peaty took a year off from swimming for mental health reasons and is now back after his win at the London Aquatics Centre with 57.94 seconds - that was the fastest time of 2024, making fans excited to see his comeback at the Olympics.
Ariarne Titmus - The 23-year-old Australian swimmer has been named one of the world’s best female middle-distance swimmers after making her debut in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and winning two golds, a silver and a bronze in the pool. Ariarne Titmus now owns world records in the 200m and 400m freestyle events, making people excited to see her back in action to hopefully add another gold to her medal collection.
LeBron James - After a hiatus from playing on an Olympic level, LeBron James is back for the 2024 Paris Olympics and will be starring in the USA team. James will play alongside Stephen Curry and Phoenix Suns standout, Kevin Durant, making basketball fans around the world excited for this amazing turnout.
Sun Yingsha - The People's Republic of China has never lost the women's singles event at table tennis, and all eyes are on the reigning world champion Sun Yingsha to keep this streak alive in Paris as the favourite for the gold medal. Whether you’re a fan or not, everyone is excited to see if she will keep her crown and take home the gold medal.
What new sports are at the 2024 Olympics
A new summer Olympics brings new sporting events to the table. This year we will see the debut of several new tournaments, as well as the return of some much-loved ones.
We’re going to see breaking (breakdance) have its much-anticipated debut, as well as the return of Sport climbing, skateboarding and Surfing to this year's events. Make sure you tune in for these unmissable matches as we watch these new sports take centre stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
What sports have been removed from the 2024 Olympics
With new sporting events being added to the roundup, a few others have unfortunately been dropped to make space for them.
This year we are saying goodbye to:
Karate - After making a historic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2020 its inclusion was short-lived and will not be returning to the 2024 Paris Games.
Baseball & Softball - After they both made a return in the 2020 Olympics, both baseball and softball have been excluded from the 2024 event. This is said to be due to the Major League officials stating scheduling problems as the summer Olympics conflicts with the MLB season when the best players are busy.
Although these sports aren’t making an appearance this year fans are hopeful they will make a return for future games.
Get inspired with Avec Sport
If watching the Olympics and feeling the buzz from the athletes has gotten you inspired to pick up a new sport but you’re not sure which is the right pick for you, then you can read through our blog on how to choose the right sport for you to find your perfect match.
Once you’ve decided on which sport is your best fit then you’ll need some custom kits and fitness clothes for the job. Here at Avec Sport, we specialise in creating team kits as well as designing the best and most supportive sportswear to keep you feeling cool and comfortable all day long - no matter what sport you’re doing.