Like many I honestly don’t follow a lot of the Olympic sports in between the four years they are held. However, also like most I am familiar with some of the names and their specialties like Simone Biles, Katy Ledecky, Bobby Finke, Gabby Thomas, Brittany Griner, etc. So, because of that bit of familiarity, I cannot wait for the Olympics to come along be it summer or winter, This year having the summer games in Paris has been quite the experience, mostly very good, but with a few flaws that have occurred along the way.

The opening ceremonies were totally different in that they were done outdoors rather than in a stadium. It was quite a presentation with all the athletes from their countries on individual boats, going down the Seine River, which would soon have its own problems later in the games. Then there was the dazzling performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, but Mother Nature decided to try and ruin the party with torrential rains most of the day. So much so that the Lady Gaga segment was taped prior to the rain to avoid any possible injuries to the performers. Celine’s performance was simply a once in a lifetime, breathtaking, heart stopping performance. Then came the carrying of the Olympic flame in the pouring rain being handed off a number of times to a number of former Olympians. When it was time to light the flame to officially begin the games it was done in a hot air balloon and the flame was lifted to the Paris sky. It was an incredible sight to see this huge orange eternal flame glowing above the city.

While we did not watch every second of the broadcasts on NBC, we did see some incredible feats by the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams, the swimming competitions from both the men and women, and a variety of track and field events that were simply filled with excitement. Of course, the names you expected to win medals like Biles, Ledecky, etc. did what they always do best and won, won, won. But so many new names came into the picture winning medals and securing their place to be a force in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The back stories on some of these athletes were absolutely heart warming and filled with all the drama, perseverance and hard work that is needed to become a champion. Two them that really struck me was that of Noah Lyles the USA sprinter who won gold. To hear about his childhood, family, his battle with asthma, ADD and depression, but determined to make against the odds. Then not only to make it, but win gold, wow! I have become a big fan of this humble young man, who also has a very human and fun side to his personality. The other was that of Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade who beat out Biles and Jordan Chiles for the gold. Hearing about her life, her childhood and then the fact that she has suffered 3 ACL tears in her young life but still battled back to finally win the gold, That is an incredible story. Another amazing story is that of Mondo Duplantis the pole vaulter from Louisiana who set a new world record for the gold at 20’ 6” breaking his previous record.

There was also plenty of controversy and health problems. The controversies came from wrong calls by judges, petty disqualifications, overlooking some rules, accusations of doping and drugs were brought into question and health problems for several players. Those mainly caused by the sub par terrible quality of the water in the Seine where the triathlon was held. It led to a lot of unfortunate bad press and took away from what all these athletes from all over the world were in Paris to accomplish for themselves and their country.

With just a few more days to go before this Olympiad becomes history, I can honestly say, despite the flaws, it has been very entertaining. NBC has done a nice job carrying the games and one thing I must mention here. NBC’s idea to have Snoop Dog as one of their guest commentators was sheer genius! Whether he was dressed in fencing gear or equestrian or whatever, he was fun, did his homework and showed another side of himself that played very well. He has been a welcome breath of fresh air.

One final note, as of today August 7, 2024 the USA has 86 total medals and are just 8 away from breaking their all time record of 93 medals at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. So, let’s get at it and set another USA Olympic record!

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN