Paris athletes’ village officially open as France set for Olympics

France has, officially opens athletes’ village ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics and Paralympics games on July 18, 2024.

The event marked the arrival and welcoming of its first 14,500 inhabitants.

Located north of Paris, the village will accommodate a total of 9,000 athletes at its maximum capacity

Australia and Brazil teams arrive at the village with just eight days to go until opening ceremony.

“We are ready,” the deputy head of the village, Augustin Tran Van Chau, told French media.

Origin of Olympics

The ancient Greeks established the Olympic Games Olympia, Greece in the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.

Here’s a brief overview of how the Olympics started and evolved over time:

Ancient Olympic Games: Ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece, every four years at the sanctuary of Zeus.

The games featured various forms of competition, including running events, a pentathlon, boxing, wrestling, pankration, and equestrian events.

Creation of the Modern Olympics:  Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympic games inspired by the ancient Games.

The IOC organized the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, with 14 nations, 241 athletes, and 43 events.

International Olympic Committee (IOC): The IOC was established in 1894 by Coubertin to govern the Olympic Movement.

The IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for each Games, organizing and funding the Games.

They will also be determining the Olympic program all through the duration of the event.

Evolution of the Olympics: Over the years, the Olympics have evolved to include various changes. This includes the introduction of the Winter Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games, and the Continental Games.

Additionally, Olympics have also become more inclusive, with the participation of athletes from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Olympic Rituals and Symbols: The Olympics have several rituals, including the Olympic flag, torch, and opening and closing ceremonies.

Also, the Olympic medals, which are awarded to the winners, are also a symbol of excellence and achievement.

Temperature in the Olympic village

The Olympic village is being hailed as a sustainable triumph, designed to stay cool without air conditioning.

The Olympic village is expected to be a comfortable 6°C (42°F) lower than the Paris summer heat outside.

However, some teams have opted to bring in their own air conditioning units.

The village showcases various innovative features, making it a benchmark for eco-friendly construction.

14,250 athletes will be accommodated during the Olympic Games and 8,000 during the Paralympic Games.

Catering staff will serve up to 60,000 meals daily, and medical professionals will be available 24/7.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games (July 26 – September 8) organizers will repurpose the apartments  as residential homes after the games.

According to reports, one-third of the Olympic village will be for public housing, a student residence, a hotel, a park, and more.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook