As we’re watching the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games, the superb feats of all of the unbelievable athletes are clearly prime of thoughts. However typically there are another (lower-stake) happenings that worm their approach into our ideas too. And let’s simply say, we’ve racked up a lot of questions because the Paris Video games have been unfolding.
We took a deep dive into a number of the quirks, technicalities, and different defining elements that make every sport stand out. Go forward, give the checklist a learn—we guess you’ve had the identical burning questions as properly. And preserve checking again right here all through August; we’ll proceed to replace this story with extra questions and solutions all through the Video games.
Why is the observe purple?
One perk of internet hosting the Olympics is attending to design the aesthetics of the Video games, and the French take this function severely. The Olympic Committee designed what they’re calling the Look of the Video games by Paris 2024 to present the whole metropolis (plus Tahiti and different French competitors websites) a unifying feel and appear—operating observe included. The colours of this yr’s Video games are blue, purple, inexperienced, and purple, and in the event you’re updating the stadium observe for a worldwide viewers, why not add a splash of shade?
As for why purple, the reply is easy: The Parisian Olympic Committee wished to be iconic. They summed it up in a press launch, explaining that the purple floor, “will enable the pictures of the Paris 2024 Video games to be engraved within the recollections of spectators, tv viewers, and athletes alike.” And Mondo, the Italian firm that created the operating floor on the Stade de France, integrated one other pillar of the Look of the Video games into the observe: sustainability. This observe will get its bounciness from the Mediterranean–particularly ground-up mussel and clam shells. Paris would be the first time athletes attain their goals of gold on a putting purple background powered by shellfish.
Why are Australia’s uniform colours inexperienced and yellow, when their flag is purple, white, and blue?
We could also be tuning in to see medals gained and data smashed, however we’re additionally right here for the ’matches. And it’s onerous to not discover that the Australian staff is repping fairly a distinct shade scheme than their purple, white, and blue flag.
It seems that the nation’s nationwide colours are gold and inexperienced. Gold represents, properly, the {hardware} the athletes hope to carry house (additionally wealth, sandy seashores, an ample grain harvest, and the sunny hue of Australian wool). The colourful inexperienced represents the nation’s lush forests and fields, well-known gum timber, and “horizons of rising crops.” In the event you take a more in-depth have a look at the Aussie uniforms, you’ll additionally see every is designed with Indigenous prints. In response to the Australian Model, Crew Australia’s wardrobe represents “the most important integration of Indigenous paintings on athlete uniforms in Australian Olympic historical past.”
Does the Olympic cauldron in Paris have actual hearth in it?
On the very finish of the 2024 Olympic opening ceremony, two French athletes—sprinter Marie-José Pérec and judo athlete Teddy Riner—ignited a large cauldron of what gave the impression to be hearth within the iconic Jardin des Tuileries within the middle of Paris. The practically 23-foot fiery ring, which is hooked up to a large balloon, burns within the Tuileries every day of competitors and floats 200 ft into the air every evening, letting all of Paris get view. Don’t fear, there’s no hearth hazard right here; the flame is an phantasm created by misting water and light-weight referred to as EDF. In response to NPR, that is the primary yr the Olympic cauldron doesn’t include an actual flame. Seems, it takes 200 water misters and 40 LED bulbs to maintain the Olympic “flame” flickering, in line with The New York Instances.
What’s up with the water polo caps and ear covers?
Water polo is a high-contact sport: Think about competing with 13 gold-motivated Olympians for a maintain on the identical ball—in a pool, no much less!—and also you may need to take some protecting measures too. Head and ear accidents are pretty frequent in water polo matches, and ear guards are an necessary security measure for gamers. The rounded ear coverings buffer gamers from the errant elbow of a fellow participant, and defend towards scrapes and cuts in addition to extra critical eardrum accidents and even cauliflower ear—a situation that outcomes from repeated blunt trauma to the ear. Except for security, the ear guards additionally preserve participant’s ears dry, which might make it simpler for teammates to speak in the course of the bustle of a match—particularly underwater.
What’s in that mysterious field medalists get on the podium?
In the event you’ve caught round after a contest for the post-event ceremony, you’ve most likely clocked the thriller field athletes obtain together with their bronze, silver, or gold. The unassuming cardboard field is a couple of foot lengthy—however inside there’s no trophy, baton, or magical wand. Seems it’s a commemorative Paris 2024 poster. And also you don’t must clinch any Olympic {hardware} your self to get your palms on one: They’re $32 on the official Olympic store.
Why are the Olympics held each 4 years?
We will thank the traditional Greeks for bringing us the Olympic Video games—and for making us wait 4 years to see our favourite swimmers and gymnasts on the worldwide stage. In response to the Worldwide Olympic Committee, time was measured in four-year blocks referred to as Olympiads. As we speak’s Olympic schedule pays tribute to the traditional calendar.
Why do male gymnasts’ uniforms seem like footie pajamas?
For one, as WFLA experiences, the footie pj’s are literally stirrup pants and socks. And the selection of uniform is definitely for good purpose, as Ian Gunther, a four-time NCAA champion at Stanford, defined in an informative TikTok two years in the past. Whereas demonstrating on completely different apparatuses, Gunther says all of it has to do with security and judging.
