Thomas Bach doesn't like to waste time. Invited to meet the media on Saturday August 3, at the start of the weekend marking the halfway point of the Paris 2024 Games, the IOC President took the lead. He announced in a voice full of confidence, with many glances towards Tony Estanguet, seated to his right, that Paris 2024 would go down in history as “ the Games of a new era ».
Thomas Bach is probably going a little fast. The Games are not over. And it is always difficult to say such things without daring to take a step back. However, the Paris 2024 Games have already been marked, on the competition grounds, by several events, trends and lessons to be learned for the Olympic movement. FrancsJeux selected three.
China leads the way. It was expected very high, but not necessarily that high. At lunchtime on Sunday August 4, China was at the top of the medal rankings. With 16 Olympic titles, for a total of 37 places on the podium, the Chinese were ahead of the Americans, who won more medals (61), but less often won (14). Rather promised by analyzes and estimates in second place, China owes its flattering position to the repeated missteps of American athletes, less brilliant than expected in swimming, and poorly off to a good start in athletics. For the evening of Saturday August 3 alone, they let slip at the Stade de France two Olympic titles that seemed promised to them: in the women's 100m, where Julien Alfred dominated Sha'carri Richardson, and in the mixed 4x400m, where a Femke Bol's last killer stint gave the Netherlands victory. The rest of the athletics events should normally bring the United States back into pole position, but it will be important to remember from the Paris 2024 Games that the Chinese are still gaining ground. They won an Olympic title in tennis for the first time (Zheng Qinwen in the ladies' singles), broke the only world record in swimming events at La Défense Arena (Pan Zhanle in 46 sec 40), while continuing to crush the competition in diving and table tennis.
Universality at the top of the pyramid. The IOC can rub its hands: the universality of the Olympic Games, favored by the financial largesse of Olympic Solidarity (650 million dollars for the 2025-2028 cycle), is not only reflected in the entry lists and during the parade of delegations. At the Paris 2024 Games, it will also appear on the podiums. In athletics, Dominica (Thea LaFond-Gadson in the women's triple jump) and Saint Lucia (Julien Alfred in the women's 100m) won the first medal in their history. In both cases, it is gold. The two countries have in common the fact that they have participated in the Olympic Games since the same edition, Atlanta 1996. In gymnastics, Nariman Kurbanov gave Kazakhstan its first medal in the discipline. Still in gymnastics, the victory of the Filipino Carlos Yulo (photo above) on floor, Saturday August 3, is the first in this sport not only in his country, but also in Southeast Asia.
Medal bonuses, a world of inequalities. Sebastian Coe, singled out by the Olympic movement for daring to break tradition by announcing bonuses of $50.000 to Olympic champions in athletics, rightly pointed out this week at a press conference: prize money at the Games is not an invention of World Athletics. “ Around 60% of national Olympic committees financially reward their medalists, recalled the Briton. And it's been around for as long as I can remember. » At the Paris 2024 Games, the file reveals inequalities that are sometimes very spectacular. An American gold medalist receives $37.000 for his performance. “ An indecent amount, ridiculously too low”, recognized Sarah Hirshland, the general director of the USOPC, but without being able to promise that it would be increased. In the Philippines, his gold medal on floor will bring gymnast Carlos Yulo a dizzying package of bonuses, benefits and privileges. Let us cite, in bulk, a house for himself and his family, plus a fully furnished two-bedroom apartment (value $400.000), a check for $10 million signed by the National Sports Commission, a second check for $3 million awarded by the House of Representatives, plus a still rather vague list of gifts offered by a variety of stores, brands and restaurants in the Philippines.
