The 2024 Summer Olympic Games were hosted in the foreground of the picturesque Eiffel Tower—in Paris, France—for the first time ever. Another first was the tie in the race for Gold medals: The United States and China tied with 40 golds each, with the third place, Great Britain, coming in with 14, 26 shy of the winners. Although the gold medal count was a tie, the US finished with 126 total medals, beating China, the runner-up, by over 30 medals. This, however, was just one of the highlights of this summer’s 2024 Paris Olympics. We may not see highlights like these for at least another two years, possibly even four, so let’s take a look back.
@ilonamaher @Simone Biles my christmas gift @Olympics @Team USA @paris2024 ♬ original sound – Ilona Maher
New and Old Faces Produce Fan-Favorite Instants:
Snoop Dogg—while only playing a minor role in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, alongside
comedian and actor Kevin Hart, he quickly became a phenomenon for his love of equestrianism, or “crip-walking”, as he called it. This summer, Snoop Dogg participated much more in the theatrics of the Games. He started off strong by carrying the Olympic Torch into Paris. He continued by being one of NBC’s top correspondents—attending competitions, visiting with athletes, and exploring landmarks—for the Games, getting a private swim lesson from Michael Phelps, hyping up the U.S. Women’s gymnasts, showing off his weightlifting skills, and even reuniting with famous chef Martha Stewart.
On the other end, the closing ceremonies wrapped up with a bang. A surprise appearance from world-renowned actor Tom Cruise shocked all when he emerged during H.E.R.’s performance, leaping heroically off of the edge of the arena. He rappelled down to greet fans before taking off with the torch on a motorbike, headed all the way back to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.
The elusive chocolate muffin: a hot commodity featured in the Olympic Village.The muffins quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, with millions of people vying for the beloved recipe. Opinions vary on who found it first, but in late July, the New York Times Cooking posted the official recipe for the Olympic Village chocolate muffins. The warmth of the muffins leveled out the playing field after the introduction of the cardboard mattresses that athletes were surprised with. Men’s Gymnastics Gold medalist Frederick Richard even brought his own mattress to compensate.
(Click here for the recipe for chocolate muffins!)
Competitors Create Top-Tier Medal Wins:
Even with people constantly rooting for their own athletes, there were still wins that warmed the hearts of millions. Worldwide celebrations broke out when countries like Saint Lucia—led by sprinter Julien Alfred—, Dominique, Albania, and Cabo Verde won their first-ever medals.
The U.S.A. Women’s Rugby 7s had never won an Olympic medal in history—until this summer. Led by athletes like Ilona Maher and Alex Sedrick, the team beat Australia and won their first bronze. Across the Atlantic, Americans cheered for the charismatic women leading the team—including teachers at Miramonte: “[P]eople were hyped with a bronze. And when I was growing up, it was nothing but gold. You don’t remember silver or bronze, but . . . we were like, hell yeah, you got a bronze” Learning Skills teacher Lauren Songponnopachon said.
Another medal win for the US: this time, in Men’s Gymnastics. Not only can this medalist solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than twenty seconds, but he can also get an almost-perfect score on the Pommel Horse. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Stephen Nedoroscik never expected to be the one to lead the US Men’s Gymnastics team to their first medal in 16 years. Viewers were perplexed with the man who seemed to be resting on the sidelines for hours as athletes competed again and again in various events, but when he finally took the stage, he silenced all doubts.
On the other side of the gym floor, another world-renowned athlete returned from injury stronger than ever. Simone Biles dropped out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a case of the “twisties”, a dangerous mental block that causes gymnasts to lose their perception of their body as they move through the air. However, when she reappeared this summer, she did not disappoint. Winning four medals total, she and her fellow teammates dominated the Women’s Gymnastics in Paris: “I grew up with all of the gymnasts being 16 and tiny, and she is older, mature, and was able to put herself first. I think that shines a really big light on women’s athletes going forward, that it’s okay to take care of yourself.” Songponnopachon said.
A near loss for both teams. Nationwide panic. Both the U.S.A. Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams came dangerously close to losing it all, but came through for each other: “[I]t’s the U.S., they’re not gonna lose. They were down. But they were down and they still had time . . . they just needed a spark for them to go on a run” Santi Bossut-Ugarte, junior, said. Teachers seem to agree: “No, it’s not a worry. We are good, the greatest basketball country in the world” Math and Computer Science teacher Taylor Mickle said.
Athlete Victories Lead to Romantic Moments:
“He can’t be real!” the comments read. Armand Duplantis, Swedish-American pole vaulter, broke his own men’s pole vault world record. But that’s not the only thing they were excited about. The minute Duplantis hit the mat, he sprung to his feet, sprinting across the track and into the arms of his awaiting girlfriend, Desiré Inglander.
A similar event occurred soon after, with influencer and Olympic couple Tara Davis-Woodhall and her double-amputee Paralympic husband, Hunter Woodhall. All around the world, audiences swooned: “[E]verybody loves a good story. Everyone loves some love,” Songponnopachon said.
Whether you’re a sports fan, a comedy lover, or a romance-seeker, there was a moment in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games for you. Reflecting on the Games helps to commemorate some of the moments that united the world.
