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Along with records broken and medals celebrated, competing at the Olympics is more often littered with narrow defeats, last-gasp errors and mental meltdowns that build true character and sportsmanship.
PARIS - Paris will begin its Olympics extravaganza with an unprecedented opening ceremony on the river Seine on July 26th.
Here is what you need to know about the ceremony:
WHAT WILL WE SEE?
Organisers have promised a show like no other.
Unlike for previous Olympics, the Paris 2024 opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Instead, dozens of boats will carry thousands of athletes and performers on a 6km route along the Seine.
Departing from the Austerlitz bridge, the parade will sail by Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and arrive near the Eiffel Tower, after passing under bridges and gateways, including the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf, and near many of the French capital's landmarks.
Organisers have said they will take advantage of the historic monuments, the riverbanks, the sky and water "and there won't be a single riverbank or bridge that won't be filled with music, dance, or performance."
The show will have twelve parts, some of which will play on clichés about France.
Athletes and artists will take part in the parade together.
"Everything will be woven together, including the protocol (the speeches, the opening by the head of state, the anthems, etc.)," organisers Thomas Jolly et Damien Gabriac told Le Monde newspaper.
The ceremony is due to start at 7.30 pm (1730 GMT) and last about four hours. Organisers said it would reach a climax at around 9.35 pm when the sun sets.
WHO WILL BE THERE?
The show will be attended by over 100 heads of state and government and over 300,000 spectators will watch from the river's banks, organisers said, adding that there will be some 80 giant screens along the way.
The Paris 2024 committee said there would be about 10,500 athletes and some 222,000 people will get free invites, while 104,000 will have to buy a ticket.
Boats carrying the athletes will be equipped with cameras to allow those watching on TV or their phone to get a close-up view, the committee said.
There have been training sessions, and boats will be stored in a warehouse for a week before the opening ceremony for security reasons.
WHAT ABOUT SECURITY?
Organising the ceremony in the heart of an iconic city like Paris may make for great pictures, but it's also a major security challenge.
Some 45,000 police will be dispatched to ensure the ceremony's security, including special intervention forces. Snipers will be deployed on the top of buildings along the route. An anti-drone system will be in place.
Spectators and local residents alike will need to carry permits on a QR code to get anywhere near the riverbanks from July 18th. Cars won't be allowed into the area, with few exceptions.
Nearby metro stations will be closed, as will many of the bridges. No planes will be allowed to fly over Paris - unless they are part of the ceremony.
Officials have said there were no specific terror threats to the July 26 ceremony.
But should specific concerns arise, there are backup plans, that would either see the ceremony limited to the Trocadero square near the Eiffel tower, or the Stade de France stadium.
AFP
Zhang Zhilei's fists are among the most fearsome in the world — they have recorded a punch force of up to 435 kilograms. There's a reason he's more widely known as the "Big Bang".
Last month, under the bright lights of the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Zhang, standing at just shy of two meters and weighing 130 kg, focused his fierce gaze on his opponent. In the fifth round, his powerful punch delivered a brutal knockout to the United States' "Bronze Bomber", Deontay Wilder.
However, despite his ferocity in the ring, outside of it, Zhang is a gentle giant, known for his kindness and approachability. With soft eyes, a small dimple on his right cheek, and a constant, friendly smile, he exudes a warm, personable charm that makes him feel more like a friend than a fierce competitor.
During media interviews, Zhang always says a soft "thank you" after every interaction, no matter how small.
Following his victory over Wilder, Zhang returned to his hometown of Zhengzhou, Henan province, just in time for the wheat harvest. He even offered to help his brother bring in the crop.
"Every time I come back to Zhengzhou, the first thing I do is to eat a bowl of braised noodles," Zhang shared. "Then, the next morning, I always have a bowl of spicy soup. These are Henan specialties that I grew up eating."
At 41, Zhang's career spans two distinct decades, both defined by boxing. Starting in 1998, his dedication saw him win a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As an amateur boxer, his goal was always to bring honor to his country.
In 2014, Zhang moved to the US and turned pro. The next 10 years were filled with challenges, but through hard work and discipline, he rose from being a rookie boxer, to a top heavyweight contender.
Road to the Podium
Zhang was born in Qianzhangying village of Shenqiu county in Henan. At around the age of 12, his father, hoping to encourage him to lose weight, enrolled him in the county rowing team.
However, instead of shedding pounds, Zhang's weight ballooned to 120kg and, within two years, a growth spurt saw him rise to a height of 1.95 meters.
The rowing team's coach then suggested he try boxing instead. Zhang had no idea what boxing was at the time, only knowing that it involved learning to fight. His father thought learning self-defense would be useful, so, Zhang's journey with boxing began.
"At first, I didn't like it at all. Despite my large size, I lacked technique and power, often getting beaten by smaller opponents," Zhang recalls.
However, after two years of disciplined training, Zhang entered the national championship preliminaries and clinched first place at his debut, which boosted his confidence.
"In the boxing ring, it's a small space with just two people and two outcomes: either you strike or get struck. So, you decide which role to take. Choosing to attack and landing a punch can intimidate your opponent," Zhang explained.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he secured the silver medal, was a pivotal moment for Zhang, and marked China's best performance in the heavyweight category above 91kg.
"I didn't expect to win silver, because heavyweight Chinese boxers weren't highly regarded. Just participating in the Olympics in my weight class was fulfilling enough. My approach in each match was to take it step by step," Zhang said.
"I had actually considered switching to professional boxing during that time, but after weighing up all the factors, I ultimately decided to make one more attempt at the 2012 London Olympics. Regardless of the outcome, I planned to close the door on my amateur career," he recalled.
During his preparations for the London Games, Zhang trained in the US and worked closely with American coaches.
However, Zhang lost to eventual champion, Britain's Anthony Joshua in the quarterfinals.
On Sept 10, 2013, at the 12th National Games in Liaoning province, Zhang clinched his third gold medal in the men's heavyweight (+91kg) category.
After the match, he ceremoniously removed his amateur boxing vest, folded it neatly on the canvas of the ring, knelt down, and kissed it passionately, marking the end of his 15-year amateur career.
Chinese power
In 2014, at over 30 years old, he finally entered professional boxing.
"I would have been filled with regret if, after over a decade in amateur boxing, I hadn't tried professional boxing," he said.
Olympic boxing and professional boxing differ significantly, posing new challenges when he first transitioned.
He recalled introducing himself abroad as an Olympic silver medalist, but many foreign boxers paid little heed to his title, showing their respect by simply saying, "let's see how you perform in the ring".
"In those days, I didn't have many chances to prove myself. Facing a new life, language, financial issues, training and competitive pressures, my love for boxing and my dream to succeed professionally kept me going.
"I left home at 15 to join the Henan provincial boxing team with nothing. Over the next decade, I achieved a lot. Moving to the US for professional boxing, I remembered my 15-year-old self. If I could do it then, I knew I could start over in America," Zhang said.
With this belief, he spent the next decade plying his trade professionally.
Initially, Zhang faced financial hardships, bearing the cost of living, training and competition alone. Early fights offered low pay — with his first bout earning him just $7,500 — leaving him nearly broke at times. He even removed his own stitches after being cut in a match to save $200 in medical costs.
Facing mostly lower-level opponents, Zhang's first US fight in August 2014 ended in 17 seconds with a knockout win. Despite winning over twenty matches, he struggled to get fights against top boxers or advance his skills.
Reflecting on that time, Zhang emphasized his disciplined routine: "I focused on sleeping, eating well, and boxing hard every day." He trained rigorously from Monday to Saturday and relaxed on Sundays at the shooting range, which he found beneficial for honing his hand-eye coordination, an essential attribute in the ring.
Zhang has adopted "Big Bang" as his ring name, but not for the reason many might expect. While he does have a fearsome punch, he said he was aiming to spark a revolution in the world of professional boxing. "Just as the Big Bang marks the beginning of the universe, I wanted to make a similar impact in the boxing world," Zhang explained.
In 2023, Zhang recorded an important victory over British boxer Joe Joyce, securing the WBO interim heavyweight title. However, he faced a setback earlier this year, losing to former world champion, New Zealander Joseph Parker.
After the stunning win over Wilder, though, Zhang is now preparing for his next bout, and confirmed that his team is in talks with three potential opponents. It will be either a rematch with Parker, a chance for revenge against Joshua or a meeting with Germany's Agit Kabayel.
"I hope the fight happens by the end of this year, ideally in China," Zhang said. At 41 years old, Zhang sees no limit to his career trajectory.
"For me, boxing is a mission. I want to showcase Chinese boxing worldwide," Zhang declared. "My boxing journey continues.
"As I always say in the ring: 'I am Big Bang, representing Chinese power!'"
Tracking Success delivers the inside story for global sports fans, exploring what makes elite performers tick, and providing insight into their biggest and most intriguing moments on and off the field of play.
LOS ANGELES — Simone Biles is headed to Paris and poised to cement her legacy as gymnastics' Greatest of All Time and an Olympic icon who transcends her sport in both triumph and defeat.
The diminutive dynamo dazzled at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, winning gold in the all-around, vault, floor exercise and team events.
She arrived at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics with superstar billing and history in her sights, but withdrew from the majority of her events, as she struggled with the disorienting and "petrifying" mental block that gymnasts call the "twisties".
Hailed by many as a mental health trailblazer, but criticized by a few as a quitter, Biles has returned from a two-year hiatus at the age of 27 as good as, or even better than, ever.
In 2023 she took her tally of world and Olympic medals to 37 — a cache she started with her first all-around world title in 2013, when she was just 16.
Now the owner of a record six world all-around crowns, Biles remains a must-see sensation, even among such superstars as NBA legend LeBron James and pop diva Taylor Swift.
More than seven million Instagram followers basked in the fairytale photos of Biles's wedding to NFL player Jonathan Owens, who has received special dispensation from the Chicago Bears to miss a few days of training camp to watch her in Paris.
Swift took a moment during her Eras tour in Europe to tweet her approval when Biles chose a phrase from Swift's "...Ready For It" to kick off her floor routine at the US Olympic trials.
But, Biles' ascent has featured as many twists as one of her signature tumbling moves.
Tokyo capped a tumultuous period that included Biles' revelation, in 2018, that she was among the hundreds of gymnasts who were sexually abused by former Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar.
She was a vocal critic of USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee over their handling of the scandal, and a leading voice calling for their accountability after Nassar was convicted and imprisoned.
Biles, who will be the oldest woman gymnast to compete for the US since Marie Margaret Hoesly in 1952, had to laugh when she was reminded that she poked fun at a 22-year-old Aly Raisman as the "grandma" of the 2016 US team.
'Always running'
"I definitely have to apologize to Aly for calling her grandma because, whew, I feel like I'm way older now," said Biles, noting that, nowadays, her body feels it after a big competition.
"Back in Rio, I could do anything," Biles said. "I'd never needed tape, nothing. I was just like a little hamster on a wheel, always running."
Biles also pays meticulous attention to her mental health, "religiously" continuing the weekly therapy sessions she says are key to her successful return.
US Olympics broadcaster NBC calculated that one tumbling pass in her trials floor routine saw her soar 12 feet above the mat.
She's made the Yurchenko double pike vault — a vault so difficult no other woman has attempted it in competition — a staple and it's now the fifth skill to be named for her.
"I think we always knew she could be better," says coach Cecile Landi, who, with husband and co-coach Laurent Landi, has shepherded Biles through her return.
"She's the most talented athlete I've ever worked with, and so we just knew if she could get her mental game, as well as her physical game, then she would be close to unstoppable."
Biles' path has been made easier by the supportive environment at World Champions Center, the Texas gym owned and operated by Biles' parents, Nellie and Ron.
The couple, in actuality Biles' grandparents, adopted Biles and her sister Adria after they ended up in foster care when their biological mother was unable to care for them amid substance abuse struggles.
Biles is joined on the US Olympic team by WCC buddy and Tokyo Olympic teammate Jordan Chiles.
Tokyo Olympic all-around gold medalist Sunisa Lee, floor gold medalist Jade Carey and 16-year-old newcomer Hezly Rivera round out the squad.
Biles, who was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022, knows that she and her teammates will still face haters who "want to see us fail".
But, she's glad to be back on her own terms.
"Nobody's forcing me to do it," Biles said.
"I wake up every day and choose to grind in the gym and come out here and perform for myself. Just to remind myself that I can still do it.
"That's my why."
AFP
TAMPERE, Finland — Traveling to skateboard competitions around the world, 13-year-old Heili Sirvio — Finland's youngest Olympic athlete ever — leads a life unlike the average Finnish teen.
With a focused expression and her blonde ponytail peeking out from under her helmet, Sirvio set off down a half-pipe on her skateboard, seconds later she spun around in the air while grabbing her board before sticking the landing with ease.
"I am really stoked to be able to represent my country and hopefully make them proud," the young skateboarder said during a break between training sessions at a skatepark in the Finnish city of Tampere.
The visit to her native Finland was only a short pit stop for Sirvio, who lives in California and who has spent a lot of time traveling in recent years.
Less than a month before the Olympic Games — which will be held in Paris from July 26 to Aug 11 — Sirvio made a stop in Tampere for the Finnish skateboarding championships, after which the family planned on heading to a skatepark in southern Sweden for more training.
"We have been pretty much living on the road for the past two years," her father Fredrik Sirvio said.
Jumping from training sites to Olympic qualifiers around the globe, the entire family has been fully devoted to Sirvio's Olympic pursuits.
"Eat breakfast, go to the skatepark, have lunch, come back, have a little rest and swim in the lake and back to the skatepark," he said, summing up the day's itinerary.
Now competing as one of the world's top skateboarders, Sirvio first stepped on a skateboard only four years ago.
Lockdown activity
The family moved to Australia in 2020 to escape Finland's cold and dark winter months.
Feeling bored indoors during pandemic-enforced lockdowns, Sirvio's little sister Miila spotted their dad's skateboard in the house and suggested the sisters try out the skatepark.
"We started to pick it up and it was really fun, and from then I have just been skating," said Sirvio, who is still accompanied by her 10-year-old sister at the skatepark every day.
"As parents, we have to tell the girls every once in a while that is a good time to take a day off and do something else other than skateboarding," their father said with a laugh.
When Sirvio found success in local competitions and the Australian championships — considered one of the world's top skateboarding tournaments — it sparked a dream of the Olympics.
A real possibility
Being a former professional snowboarder, her father realized there was a real possibility that Sirvio could qualify for the Olympics if she continued progressing.
"These things do not happen many times in your lifetime, so we decided 'let's do it and give it all we have'," he said.
Leaving their Australian home in Brisbane behind, the family of four began traveling to competitions all over the world, and sought out the best training sites.
They established a new home base in California — the birthplace of skateboarding.
"In California, Heili skates and meets with some of the world's living skateboard legends," her father explained.
Homeschooling and managing work remotely enable the lifestyle: usually the sisters study in the mornings and then skateboard the rest of the day.
Ranked 14th of the 22 selected athletes in the women's park event, Sirvio will skate on a course consisting of bowls and bends at Place de la Concorde on Aug 6.
"Hopefully we bring home a medal from the Olympics, that would mean a lot to me," she said with a smile.
Skateboarding made its debut as an Olympic sport at Tokyo 2020 and is divided into park and street competitions, with the latter taking place on a street-like course.
AFP
PARIS - Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, the city that is to host the upcoming Olympic Games, swam on Wednesday in the Seine to assure the cleanliness of the river ahead of the Olympic competitions.
Accompanied by Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hidalgo said that the water was in "rather optimal conditions."
"It's cool but not cold at all. We didn't want to go out," she said.
After a 100-year ban on bathing in the river, athletes will take the plunge in just a few days during the Games, the City Hall of Paris said on its X account, adding that swimming in the Seine will also be open to the public as of next summer.
The French government has spent more than 1.4 billion euros (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) since 2016 to make the Seine swimmable.
For the mayor of Paris, the hosting of the Olympic Games has accelerated the process. "When we clean the Seine, of course we will make it possible to prepare for the Olympics, of course we will be able to swim afterwards, but we also protect the rivers, for future generations," she said.
The Seine will host the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on July 26, and the triathlon and marathon swimming are also scheduled to take place in the Seine.
In less than 10 days, the Paris Olympics will kick off with rugby sevens — one of the most action-packed sports of Paris 2024.
Starting on July 24, two days before the grand opening ceremony, players will take to the field at the iconic Stade de France, with a full house of 69,000 fans expected for each competition session.
Among the lineup of participating nations, China women's rugby sevens team is expected to be a dark horse contender, having battled through numerous challenges to secure its Olympic spot. With its eyes set on surpassing its 7th-place finish in Tokyo, the determined team is ready to make a powerful statement in its second Olympic appearance.
"Rugby sevens is set to bring a party atmosphere to the start of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with a vibrant and passionate crowd alongside the incredible skill, speed and strength on show on the pitch from some of the most impressive athletes in the world," said Nigel Cass, World Rugby's chief competitions &performance officer.
China's road to the Olympics has been fraught with challenges. Despite its triumph over Japan to secure the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last September, the Chinese women's rugby team faced a setback in November.
In the Asia Rugby Regional Qualifier held in Osaka, Japan, the home side claimed its revenge for Hangzhou, as Team China narrowly lost to its longtime rival in the final, missing out on direct qualification for Paris.
Among the 12 available spots for the Paris Olympics, one is reserved for the host nation, France. The top four teams from this season's World Rugby Sevens Series — New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the US — have secured their places, along with the champions of the six continental Olympic qualifiers: Brazil, Canada, Britain, South Africa, Fiji and Japan.
The final spot was determined through the Olympic repechage tournament in Monaco in June. This meant that China had to battle against 11 other teams for the last remaining golden ticket to Paris.
In the group stage, China won all three matches. It then defeated Paraguay in the quarterfinals and Poland in the semifinals. In the final, China beat Kenya 24-7, securing its spot at the Paris Olympics with an undefeated record.
China's Chen Keyi scored a brace of tries as China dominated its opponents to qualify for back-to-back Olympics.
"We are feeling really good, we are so excited to go to Paris. I think we deserve it, we work so hard for each other, on and off the field," Chen said.
China's victory in the repechage tournament came as no surprise. The team is comprised mostly of athletes born after 1995, with several promising players born after 2000, known for their exceptional fitness and speed. Following its loss to Japan late last year, it diligently undertook rigorous training.
It has been unstoppable since its loss to Kenya in its first Challenger Series match in January, currently boasting a 27-match winning streak. This impressive run includes victories in the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Poland and Spain — also securing its spot in next year's elite series, as well as the upcoming Paris Games.
"We have been away from the world stage for long, so there was naturally less attention on us," China's rugby sevens coach Lu Zhuan told the South China Morning Post.
He expressed his hope that joining the core teams in the elite series next year and qualifying for the Olympics will help the girls understand their strengths.
"Continuous matches have not only allowed the players to gain valuable experience, but have also helped fine-tune the team's lineup. As Paris approaches, we will focus on improving specific skills and fitness, addressing issues laid bare during the qualifying matches," he said.
As the repechage champion, China's journey at the Paris Olympics will be a formidable one. The team is drawn in Pool A alongside three powerhouse sides: defending champion New Zealand, Tokyo bronze medalist Fiji and Rio 2016 bronze medalist Canada. They're all teams that compete in the World Sevens Series, and each has several tournament wins under its belt. China's first match is a daunting clash against the mighty New Zealand Black Ferns on July 28.
The top two teams from each group will advance directly to the quarterfinals. Additionally, the two best third-placed teams from the three groups will also advance.
"As difficult as the draw may look, we hope to make the most of our momentum to challenge the world's top teams," Lu said. "Our target is to qualify for the quarterfinals before looking to have a crack at beating our placing from three years ago."
"Our team looked for reasons immediately after we missed out on qualification in the Asian qualifiers in Osaka, and the key takeaway was to 'change and adapt'," Lu said, adding that the team has revamped its tactics, shifting to a system that suits it better and allows it to utilize the players' strengths more effectively.
"But, the Olympics is a major event. We will deal with it match by match, let the girls enjoy the Games in the most relaxed mood, while not letting pressure drag down their performance," he said.
GUANGZHOU - Zheng Haohao has already made history before her Olympic debut in Paris. The 11-year-old skateboarder from Huizhou, south China's Guangdong province, is the youngest Chinese athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.
She secured a spot in the women's park skateboarding event during the Olympic Qualification Series held in Shanghai and Budapest.
"That moment felt like a dream come true," Zheng said after sealing her place in the Budapest Olympic Qualifier Series.
Zheng's exceptional athletic ability was evident from an early age. According to her mother, Wang Zhe, Zheng preferred uneven surfaces where she could climb rocks and steps. Despite participating in various skill training programs, including music, chess, painting, and dancing, skateboarding captured her heart when she received a skateboard from her parents on her seventh birthday.
"Roller skating used to be my favorite sport, but since I was introduced to skateboarding, it dropped to second place," Zheng explained.
Initially practicing at the club run by Chen Wanqin, father of Asian Games champion Chen Ye, Zheng faced numerous falls and injuries during training. Despite the challenges, she persisted. Her talent caught the attention of the head coach of the Guangdong provincial team in 2021.
"She was very young but extremely focused on skateboarding. If she couldn't nail a trick, she would immediately identify the problem and quickly correct it," recalled Wei Naizhang, Zheng's former coach.
Zheng's rapid progress continued. At just nine years old, she represented Guangdong at the 2021 National Games, finishing 14th in the semifinals. In August 2022, she clinched the title in the women's park skateboarding event at the Guangdong Provincial Games.
In 2023, Zheng embarked on her international skateboarding journey, making her debut abroad in Argentina for the World Skateboarding Tour. Despite facing tight schedules and logistical hurdles, Zheng managed to arrive in Argentina just in time for her first Olympic qualifying event.
During the Budapest Olympic Qualifier Series last month, Zheng's performance was a rollercoaster. She excelled in the first round, scoring an impressive 63.49 points. However, a mistake in the second round left her with only 43.84 points. To secure a chance at Olympic qualification, she needed a minimum of 67.34 points in the final round.
At this critical juncture, Zheng took a daring risk by incorporating two challenging tricks into her final routine. Under immense pressure, she delivered an exceptional performance, earning a remarkable 72.6 points.
Zheng's positive mindset stands out as her greatest asset. During the Budapest event, while other competitors anxiously warmed up, Zheng was captivated by a promotional video on the big screen for two minutes. Wang Zhe shared her anxiety but refrained from transferring it to her.
Looking ahead to the Paris Games, Zheng anticipates that the Olympic competition will be the least stressful event for her.
"Participating in the Olympics means more people will get to know me. I started skateboarding just to make new friends and have fun," said Zheng.
Initially drawn to skateboarding for the joy of making new friends, Zheng now faces the occasional challenge of balancing training with leisure time.
"It's tough when my mom calls me to train while I'm playing. I'd say, 'Mom, let's skip training today,'" she candidly admitted. "But then I choose to train because I feel that practicing more will bring me closer to my skateboarding dream."
At just 11 years old, Zheng's determination and passion shine brightly as she aims to fulfill her aspirations on the global stage.
Editor's note: With the Olympic stage set, and golden glory beckoning, Chinese athletes have been going all-out to ensure it will be a medal-laden campaign at Paris 2024.
After experiencing a downturn at the Tokyo Olympics, and undergoing a major transition between veteran and new players, the Chinese women's volleyball team is poised to make a triumphant return.
Having competed in every Olympic Games since its debut in 1984, this storied team is ready to once again showcase the indomitable spirit of Chinese athletes at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
With the qualification deadlines for Paris now closed, the final quotas for the various events have been decided.
Among the teams from the Chinese mainland that were vying to qualify for the collective "big-ball" sports at the Olympics — basketball (5x5), volleyball and soccer — only the women's basketball and women's volleyball teams have secured their tickets to Paris.
The Chinese men's teams have missed out on Olympic qualification for the second consecutive time. The only similar event for which both China's men and women have qualified is 3x3 basketball.
The Chinese women's volleyball team has had many illustrious moments at the Olympics, securing three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals in its past 10 appearances, with triumphs at Los Angeles 1984, Athens 2004 and Rio 2016.
However, at the Tokyo Olympics, it faced a major setback. As defending champion, it finished the group stage with two wins and three losses, failing to advance and ultimately placing 9th, marking the worst performance in its Olympic history.
After Tokyo, head coach Lang Ping and world-class outside hitter and former captain Zhu Ting both departed. In 2022, Cai Bin, known for his tactical versatility, returned as head coach, having previously led the team from 2009 to 2010.
Under Cai's guidance, the side claimed the silver medal in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League and the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Despite these successes, the gap with the world's top sides has widened. In the 2023 Paris Olympics women's volleyball qualifiers, held in China last September, the home side failed to secure a direct berth to Paris. It had to compete in this year's Nations League to qualify through the team's world ranking.
On June 14, during the Hong Kong leg of the FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League, Team China triumphed over Germany with a decisive 3-0 victory.
Following the match, the FIVB officially announced that China had secured its spot at the Paris Olympics, thanks to a world ranking of sixth.
Chinese head coach Cai told Xinhua News Agency that the team never doubted its ability to qualify for the Olympics. He stressed that earning the Olympic berth was only the first goal, and that the team would continue to strengthen its coordination and refine its tactics.
"At the Paris Olympics, we will give our all, fighting hard in every match to showcase the spirit and strength of the Chinese women's volleyball team," Cai stated.
During the preliminary rounds of this year's FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League, Team China competed in Rio, Macao and Hong Kong, achieving an impressive record of nine wins and three losses, culminating in a four-match winning streak in Hong Kong.
Cai said that, despite its inconsistent performances, the players showed remarkable unity and determination, fighting for every point and displaying strong morale and spirit. He noted that the team made steady progress in its tactics and skills throughout its Hong Kong run.
He admitted that some issues were exposed during the three legs of the Nations League, stating: "We need to address these shortcomings and problems as quickly as possible".
Currently, the Chinese women's volleyball team is in Zhangzhou, Fujian province, making its final preparations ahead of the Paris Games.
"While we will take time to rest, we will also conduct detailed technical analyses and tactical preparations, based on our opponents in the group stage at the Games," Cai said.
Resilient veterans
One highlight during the Nations League campaign was the return of two veteran players, Zhu and Zhang Changning, bringing renewed confidence ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Zhu, who announced her comeback on Weibo after a three-year hiatus in April, endured a challenging recovery from a wrist ligament tear suffered in Tokyo.
Her stint with Italian Serie A1 side, Savino Del Bene Scandicci, where she secured a Women's CEV Cup championship, has sharpened her up for a return to the international stage.
"My primary goal in rejoining the team was to help secure China's spot at the Paris Olympics. I am fully committed to training and competition, focusing solely on our collective success," Zhu emphasized.
Meanwhile, Zhang's pivotal role in China's thrilling 3-2 victory over Turkiye — the former top-ranked team — during the Hong Kong leg underscored her enduring impact.
Reflecting on her return to competitive play after a lengthy absence, Zhang highlighted the team's revived camaraderie and competitive spirit.
"As I continue to refine my physical conditioning, my focus remains on contributing fully to the team's efforts," Zhang remarked.
"We have a robust lineup in the attacking unit, fostering healthy competition and driving us towards our goals."
At the Paris Games, the Chinese women's volleyball team will compete in Pool A against host nation France, defending Olympic champion the United States and world champion Serbia. All matches will take place at the South Paris Arena from July 28 to Aug 11, with China set to start its campaign against the US on July 29.
Unlike previous Olympics, where teams were divided into two groups with the top four advancing to the quarterfinals, Paris 2024 will feature a new format. Teams will start in three round-robin pools of four. The pool winners, runners-up, and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the quarterfinals, beginning the single-elimination bracket leading to the semifinals.
In the group stage, the Chinese team must give everything it has to break through to the quarterfinals.
With its blend of young talent and veteran experience, it is hoped that the group's more seasoned players, carrying the flame of past Olympic glories, can spark a much-needed revival of the Chinese women's volleyball team.
Beaten up, yet always fighting to rise when it matters.
That's how Team China managed to win a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup, and how it expects to pull off a similar comeback from warm-up defeats to peak at the right time in Paris.
After winning only two of its last 11 exhibition games, the Chinese women's team boarded its flight to Paris on Tuesday morning, taking with it a lot to reflect on from a tough warm-up series, which has raised concerns among fans and pundits alike about its Olympic prospects in the French capital.
The team, however, remains upbeat, as head coach Zheng Wei reiterated that the losses in the buildup should be kept in perspective.
"We are not preparing to win before the Olympics, but to win when we have to during the Games," Zheng said in Beijing on Saturday, just four days after the team returned from Australia following a month-long overseas training program.
"Despite the results, we've had a lot of gains during our exhibition trips. We've been getting used to the pace, intensity and physicality of international competition, and we've studied our main rivals from Europe up close.
"I think we've made the best of the quality drills provided by these warm-ups, and we will make the final two weeks count in order to be ready when the first game tips off in Paris," said Zheng, a member of China's silver-winning team at the 1994 world championship.
After losing to both Australia and Japan twice at home last month, Team China continued testing its young roster the hard way, conceding five more defeats over the past four weeks to European heavyweights, such as Serbia and Spain, as well as Australia again.
The absence of several key players, including its lead scorer at the 2022 World Cup, Li Meng, and former WNBA center Han Xu, has cost Team China dearly in terms of strength, especially in offense, during the warm-up series. Yet, the team has embraced it as a grind to improve its second unit under pressure.
"Yes, we did have to play without our complete roster and, sometimes, had to play mismatches in key positions on the court," Zheng said.
"We were not just waiting for our main players to recover, though. We pushed our younger reserves to the frontline, and they had a great learning experience trying to keep up with the pace and intensity at the international level."
Tall order
After the men's team failed to qualify for the Olympics for a second consecutive Games, the Chinese women's squad has to stand tall and bear the hopes of the hoops-loving nation alone in the five-a-side game in Paris.
Its winning momentum at recent major tournaments, including a silver medal at the 2022 World Cup and last year's Asia Cup victory, has grown expectations for a third podium finish in Paris since its runner-up finish at the 1992 Games and a third-place run at the team's Olympic debut in 1984.
This time around, though, it seems like a long shot, with FIBA placing China only sixth on its official power rankings for the Olympics, which analyses each team's roster, recent results and draws.
Drawn in Group A of the 12-team Olympic tournament, Team China will open its pool-stage campaign against Spain on July 28, followed by Serbia three days later, with a final group game against Puerto Rico on Aug 3. The top-two teams in each of the three groups, along with the two best third-placed sides, advance into the quarterfinals.
"This is, in fact, a wake-up call. Not quite panic alarm level, but not far away," FIBA wrote in its power rankings assessment of Team China published on Saturday.
"Yes, they've missed a few big names, but they've not looked like a team that won silver at the Women's Basketball World Cup in 2022 and won the Women's Asia Cup in 2023."
However, the team remains motivated to defy the odds, drawing confidence from its strength in size and chemistry, once it has its full roster back in play.
There was good news over the weekend, as Li, its prolific forward, rejoined the scrimmage in training, having recovered from a knee injury, while another starter, power forward Li Yueru, returned from her WNBA tenure with the Los Angeles Sparks to complete Team China's 12-member Olympic roster.
Two more tune-up games, against the host France, will play a critical role in helping every piece of the Team China puzzle fit together, and the team's game will be up to the Olympic standards on time, said captain Yang Liwei.
"The warm-up series has laid a solid foundation for us, pushing us to improve a lot at playing under pressure and in hostile situations, even without the results going our way," said Yang, the team's starting point guard.
"Losing before the Olympics is not a bad thing, as our goal is to start winning when the real business starts."
The return of Li Yueru, who has averaged 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 22 regular season games for the Sparks this year, is expected to restore China's strength in the paint, together with Han, a 2.07-meter center with a versatile skillset, shooting range and an agility beyond her size.
Their strong presence under the rim, coupled with Li Meng's firepower on the wing, will open up more space beyond the arc, easing the defensive pressure on the shooters, enabling them to nail more 3s than they did in the warm-ups, Yang explained.
Han, who also plied her trade in the WNBA from 2019-23, said she's all-in and ready to give her best on both ends of the floor.
"I've grown into a better player, for sure, with the past few years' experience competing in the WNBA and on the international stage," said Han, the 2019 first-round pick by the New York Liberty.
"I am a versatile player who can do a lot of things in different positions on the court. I am eager to shoulder more responsibilities in defense and offense, whenever possible."
An anti-doping audit review committee has backed the decision of World Aquatics not to appeal China Anti-Doping Agency's ruling of a 2021 contamination case involving 23 Chinese swimmers, after a thorough scrutiny of the matters.
The committee, established on May 3 upon request by World Aquatics, the swimming international body formerly known as FINA, was tasked with examining the process and procedures conducted by the governing body in addressing not only the case involving Chinese swimmers, but all doping cases under its jurisdiction.
The committee said in a lengthy report released on World Aquatics' website on Monday that the international body's handling of the case was appropriate and responsible in compliance with relevant rules and regulations.
"The Committee has not identified any irregularities, mismanagement or cover-up by FINA in its review of the TMZ Case or in its decision not to appeal the CHINADA decisions in that case," said the report.
"The process and procedure followed by FINA in 2021 was in accordance with both the operating procedures of FINA at that time, generally accepted operating procedures of other International Federations, and its obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code."
The 23 swimmers involved in the case, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) during a national championships in January 2021, were proven by a CHINADA investigation to have ingested the banned substance unwittingly after inadvertently being exposed to it at a hotel so that their tests returned positive results for an "extremely low concentration" of the substance.
After running thorough probes into the case, supported by external consultations, both World Aquatics and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had agreed on CHINADA's conclusion that it was a food contamination incident and decided not to appeal the ruling by the Chinese anti-doping authorities. No athletes involved in the incident were held accountable for intentional doping violations, neither any suspensions were imposed.
The audit review committee, comprised of five independent members chaired by professor Miguel Cardenal, a Spanish sports law expert at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, highlighted in its report that World Aquatics, or FINA back in 2021, did perform its duties conscientiously.
FINA requested the complete case file a few days after CHINADA reported its final decision to the governing body and WADA in mid-June 2021, and about two weeks later FINA authorized professor Jordi Segura, former director of a WADA-accredited laboratory in Barcelona and chair of the former FINA Doping Control Review Board, to review the file and provide an expert opinion on the scientific aspects of the matter, according to the report.
"Within approximately one week, Prof. Segura provided his opinion to Legal Counsel on the specific scientific questions he had been asked to answer. His opinion was that contamination of food or food products in the dining kitchen of the athletes' hotel was more likely than not the source of the positive tests," said the report.
"Upon review of Prof. Segura's report and opinion, FINA consulted both WADA and external Legal Counsel to obtain advice on the matter. Following these consultations, FINA confirmed that no appeal was warranted under the circumstances and the matter was closed."
The case files, which were supposed to be kept confidential after having been concluded as contamination, were somehow leaked to New York Times and the German radio network ARD, which published hyped reports on an otherwise would-remain-undisclosed case in April, three months ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, which open on July 26.
"Under the current World Anti-Doping Code, decisions can only be published without the athlete's consent if an anti-doping rule violation was found to have been committed. Otherwise, the case must remain confidential. The advantage of this rule is obviously that it protects the athletes who did nothing wrong from having their name associated to doping in the public domain," the report said, supporting that the case was supposed to be kept confidential under current regulations.
Besties, partners and each other's biggest rivals — China's super-teen diving duo are poised to peak at the right time and lead a golden sweep in Paris.
Should the Olympics have a vote for the all-time most dominant team in its respective sport, the Chinese diving squad is hard to beat, having racked up 47 gold medals out of the 56 up for grabs since its Olympic debut in 1984, leaving the rest of the world far behind in the technically difficult sport.
Yet, despite bagging seven golds at both Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016, the team is laser-focused on achieving something never done before — a clean sweep of all eight titles at a single Games.
As challenging as it sounds, Team China is approaching the feat as a reasonable target in Paris, with a 10-strong roster that includes reigning world champions in all eight Olympic events.
"We've always been very confident in our strength. We are expecting to perform to the best of our ability in Paris and trying to deliver the best possible results at the Olympics," said Zhou Jihong, a former Olympic champion diver and director of the national aquatic sports administrative center.
"Our opponents are making rapid progress, though, and they will cause us problems at the Olympics, but we are ready and are looking forward to a good performance."
Leading Team China's charge will be women's 10m platform defending Olympic champion Quan Hongchan and three-time world champion Chen Yuxi, who have developed an internal rivalry as each other's strongest challenger in individual events, while building an invincible partnership in the synchronized discipline.
Their "frenemy" relationship has pushed the pair to chase perfection in their routine execution and fitness conditioning en route to Paris, making their stranglehold on the high platform untouchable.
Experience, however, comes with years, as both Quan and Chen, who are 17 and 18 respectively, are feeling the pull of gravity more, having grown taller and heavier than three years ago, requiring higher intensity in training and more discipline in life to stay fit.
"With our bodies growing, it would be hard to keep executing clean dives like we did in the past if we stayed where we were in our fitness training," Chen explained.
"We have to dig deeper in physical training to support our heavier bodies to complete the dives as technically and cleanly as before."
They help each other to pull through the challenges, though.
"She's kind of quiet and always stays so focused in training, while I am kind of an outgoing girl who talks a lot. We enjoy each other's company and always hang out together," said Quan, who won gold in Tokyo as the Chinese delegation's youngest athlete at 14.
The scenario is similar in the women's 3m springboard, where world No 1 Chen Yiwen has won every single title this year except in Doha, when her teammate Chang Yani snatched gold.
The pair, best friends and both first-time Olympians, have won the 3m synchro event in most of the elite international events over the past three years.
Compared to their formidable women's compatriots, China's men are facing stronger competition from the rest of the world, particularly in 10m platform, the team's relatively least dominant event.
Britain's Tom Daley and Matty Lee spoiled Team China's last attempt for a clean sweep at the Tokyo Olympics by beating Cao Yuan and Chen Aisen in 10m platform synchro, before Australia's Cassiel Rousseau won the individual platform title at last year's worlds in Japan to further disappoint China on the international stage.
In Paris, China will rely on its mix of youth and experience, respectively, in newly-crowned world champion Yang Hao and three-time Olympic gold medalist Cao, to assert its supremacy on the platform.
"It will be my fourth Olympics. This time it will be more challenging, but I am ready for whatever comes my way," said the 29-year-old Cao, who won the individual 3m springboard in Rio and 10m platform in Tokyo.
Wang Zongyuan, who has won all of the major world titles this year off the 3m springboard, looks poised to win both the individual and synchro events in Paris, the latter alongside his young partner, Olympic debutant Long Daoyi.
Editor's note: With the Olympic stage set, and golden glory beckoning, Chinese athletes have been going all-out to ensure it will be a medal-laden campaign at Paris 2024.
Led by Olympic champions and surging youngsters, China's ambitious swimming squad is all set to bring home a golden haul from Paris 2024.
With world records broken already, and season bests renewed aplenty in the buildup, the Olympic swimming competition at Paris La Defense Arena is guaranteed to be a fierce battle for supremacy between aquatic powers, such as the United States, Australia and Britain. Team China, however, is primed to spoil the party and make its presence felt in the pool.
Spearheading the charge will be China's "butterfly queen" Zhang Yufei and "breaststroke king" Qin Haiyang — respectively the reigning 200m butterfly Olympic champion and 200m breaststroke world record holder — who have emerged as the Chinese delegation's biggest gold medal hopes, and perhaps its most sought-after stars, with solid, consistent performances en route to the Games.
The four new world records set at Olympic trials in the US, Australia and Canada over the past two months, though, have underlined the mounting challenge for Chinese swimmers to continue their winning ways when the first heats session starts on July 27 in Paris.
Zhang and Qin will feel the pressure immediately, as they aim to get Team China off to a golden start on just the second night of the Games in the finals of women's 100m fly and men's 100m breaststroke, two sprint events leading up to their strongest disciplines in 200m, which will be contested on Aug 1 and July 31, respectively.
Rising to stardom at Tokyo 2020 as a young phenom, Zhang, who bagged four medals in Japan, including a silver in 100m fly and a gold in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay, will be pushed hard by the new generation of prodigies in the pool.
In 100m fly, 21-year-old American sprinter Gretchen Walsh has emerged as a strong favorite by clocking 55.18 sec at last month's US trails, setting a new world mark, while Canadian Summer McIntosh poses a legitimate threat to Zhang's 200m gold after logging a season-best time of 2:04.33 at her domestic trials in May, 1.24 seconds faster than Zhang's best of the past 12 months at the Asian Games in September.
Relatively unknown on his Olympic debut in Tokyo, Qin is motivated to further cement his dominance in breaststroke by chasing multiple golds at his second Games in Paris, after having reigned supreme at the world championships.
The 25-year-old took the swimming world by storm a year ago, when he made history at the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan, by becoming the first man to sweep all three breaststroke golds, in 50, 100 and 200m, clocking 2:05.48 in the final to break British star Adam Peaty's 200m world record.
China's new "Aquaman", as he is nicknamed by his fans, still has five-time Olympic medalist Peaty to beat, as the Briton has come back strong from mental health issues he suffered in 2022 to pick up his scintillating pace.
Thanks to a breakout 2023 season, Qin was awarded the Male Swimmer of the Year by the World Aquatics in October — the first Chinese to receive the honor.
"My confidence comes from my strength, which is built through hard training one day after another," said Qin, who didn't qualify for the 200m semifinals in Tokyo. "As long as I am healthy enough, I'm always confident that I can conquer the final, and biggest, challenge of my career."
Peaty, a back-to-back 100m Olympic champion and world record holder in the event, welcomes the challenge.
"What he's done is very, very impressive," he told BBC Sport. "It excites me, because if it's too easy, it's almost not worth winning, and, if it's one person winning all the time, it can become stale. Sport needs rivalries in order to thrive. So, I accept that challenge."
Sharing the spotlight with Qin is teen sensation Pan Zhanle, a freestyle sprinter who refreshed the 100m world record by clocking 46.80 in his leadoff leg of the 4x100m free relay at the Doha worlds in February.
Powered by Pan, Team China won both men's free relays and the mixed 4x100m free relay in Doha. Combined with victory in the women's 4x200m free relay, it was the country's best collective result in relays at the long-course worlds.
However, the reigning 100m world champion remains modest for his goals at his Olympic debut, even having consistently cracked the 47-second mark — a measurement of elite sprinters — in the 100m race.
"It will be my first time participating in the Olympics. My main goal is to relax and not feel too much pressure. I'm not concerned about the results for now; I just want to give it my all," Pan said.
With veterans such as men's 200m individual medley defending champion Wang Shun, and backstroke star Xu Jiayu feeling rejuvenated, Team China is expected to reap more medals in Paris than it did three years ago in Tokyo.
On the women's side, distance freestyler Li Bingjie and breaststroke sprinter Tang Qianting, who set the season-best mark in the 100m of 1:04.39 at the Olympic trials in April, have also emerged serious medal contenders.
Having established its world-class credentials in a variety of individual and relay events, the Chinese swimming team is now primed to do better in the French capital than its six-medal finish, including three golds, at the last Olympics.
With the Paris Olympics just around the corner, the Chinese Olympic Committee has called on its 716-strong delegation to compete with pride and integrity at the sporting gala to promote the country's international image.
Counting on its prowess in six traditionally strong sports — table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, shooting, weightlifting and diving — the Chinese delegation, which announced a 405-athlete roster supported by 311 coaches and staff members on Saturday, is set for a fruitful campaign in Paris — not just for a medal-laden success, but to present friendship, sportsmanship and fair play to the world.
"We have to take the Olympic stage to demonstrate the superb competitive level and good spirit of Chinese athletes, as well as to present the thriving, prosperous and bright future of our country in the new era from the sports perspective," Gao Zhidan, president of the COC, said at the delegation launch on Saturday.
The massive global attention paid to the Paris Olympics, which will open on July 26 and run through Aug 11, has also made it an unparalleled platform for the country to "make more friends, expand international sports exchange and help build a community with a shared future", Gao added.
Featuring a blend of youth and experience, the Chinese delegation boasts confidence, vying with international powerhouses in 236 medal events for which it has qualified in 30 sports, out of a total number of 329 events in 32 sports on the Paris 2024 program.
It will mark the biggest representation of Team China in event number and variety at an overseas edition of the Games, even with 10 events that were on Tokyo 2020's program reduced in Paris to control the size and cost of the sporting extravaganza.
Led by 42 Olympic champions, Team China also expects to measure its future talent against the world's best, with 223 athletes making their Olympic debut in the French capital.
The delegation, with an average age of 25, is made up of 136 male and 269 female athletes, with 37-year-old Olympic champion race walker Liu Hong being the oldest competitor, and 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao the youngest.
Leading China's charge among the "mighty six" sports are the country's all-conquering table tennis squad and its diving "dream team", which are both aiming to achieve a clean sweep of all gold medals up for grabs in their respective sports.
Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, said: "We cannot take for granted that these five gold medals (in table tennis events) belong to China. All five gold medals are in Paris, and they are reserved for the brave and the wise, for those who excel the most."
To improve competitiveness in some Western-dominated sports, such as swimming, track and field, fencing and cycling, the Chinese delegation has hired 42 foreign coaches, trainers and medical staff members from 17 countries and regions to help prepare for the Games.
The Chinese Olympic Committee announced on Saturday that it will send 405 athletes, including 42 Olympic champions, at an average age of 25 to the Paris Olympic Games, which will open on July 26.
The delegation is made up of 136 men and 269 women athletes, with 37-year-old women's race walker Liu Hong the oldest competitor and 11-year-old women's skateboarder Zheng Haohao the youngest.
Even with 10 events reduced from the official program at Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 will mark the biggest representation of Team China at an overseas edition of the Games with its athletes having qualified in 236 medal events across 30 sports, out of a total number of 329 events in 32 sports on the sports program in Paris.
Led by 42 Olympic champions, the Chinese delegation will count on athletes from six traditionally strong sports – table tennis, diving, weightlifting, shooting, gymnastics and badminton – to bolster its medal hopes in Paris, where they are expecting tougher challenges from emerging contenders from across the world.
To improve competitiveness in some Western-dominated sports, the Chinese delegation has hired 42 foreign coaches, trainers and supportive staff from 17 countries and regions to help Chinese athletes prepare for the Games.
PARIS - France's government on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for construction of a floating landing pad on the River Seine for flying taxis set to be shown off during the Paris Olympics.
An official decree said that the pad "can be used until December 31, 2024" after months of suspense over whether the taxis would take to the air during the July 26 - August 11 Games.
The landing site will float on the Seine near the Austerlitz railway station in southeastern Paris.
Flights will be limited to two per hour, between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and no more than 900 over the whole trial period "given the experimental nature" of the vehicles, the decree read.
Private firms involved in the flying taxi project include Paris airport operator ADP and Germany-based Volocopter.
Its "Volocity" two-seaters are fitted with 18 electric-powered rotors on a circular frame above the fuselage.
They hope to use the global draw of the Olympics to show that the technology can efficiently link "vertiport" take-off and landing sites.
While four vertiports - airports for vertical take-off and landing vehicles -- have already been set up in the Paris suburbs, including one at Charles de Gaulle airport, the Austerlitz site will be the first within the city proper.
Backers tout flying taxis as a low-carbon form of aviation and hope future larger versions could be used as ambulances or in other roles.
But many city officials in Paris have derided the plans as harmful to the environment.
People close to mayor Anne Hidalgo told AFP Tuesday that city hall would challenge the landing pad permit in court.
France's national environment authority found that an impact assessment for the landing pad was "incomplete" on issues including noise pollution, energy consumption and greenhouse emissions.
Neither have the taxis been certified by the European Union's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - meaning operators can only offer free demonstration flights during the Games.
AFP
The already high stakes of Olympic competition will be further elevated for breakers at the Paris Games, where the champions could be the only ones to ever win gold medals in the sport.
Breaking will make its Olympic debut in Paris, but Los Angeles has already said it will not be part of its program in 2028 and it is looking unlikely to return to the Games when Brisbane hosts in 2032.
"It's a bummer that we're not approved for the next Olympics, but I still believe in us," United States breaker Logan "Logistx" Edra said.
"I know that in Paris we are going to bring so much light and good energy with our dance."
Born at block parties in the Bronx borough of New York in the 1970s, breaking, known commonly to the uninitiated as breakdancing, blends urban dance with acrobatic moves set to the beat of hip-hop music.
In Paris, 16 B-girls and 16 B-boys will engage in one-on-one battles beginning with a round-robin competition, quarterfinals, semifinals and, finally, medal events under the watchful eye of the judges.
The women's competition will be held on Aug 9, and the men's on Aug 10, in the heart of the city at the Place de la Concorde.
After the breakers are introduced to the crowd by the MC, the first dancer starts their "throw down" in the top rock position, dancing upright to the beat, before transitioning to floor-based moves and stunts.
From there, they use their hands for support as they show off intricate footwork and power moves, such as when a dancer spins continuously, freezes, and a variety of other tricks and flips follow.
While the breaker knows the playlist of songs that can be selected by the DJ during the battle, they do not know the exact song they will be dancing to until it comes out of the loudspeakers.
"That's what I love about breaking, you've got to adapt in the moment," said B-boy Victor Montalvo, who won the 2023 World Breaking Championship to book his spot on the US team for Paris.
Breaking is part sport, part art form, and all self-expression, Montalvo said.
"You've got to be creative, have style, have individuality and have your own fingerprint," he said.
Even if breaking is one-and-done at the Olympics, its athletes see a bright future for the sport while always honoring its roots, Montalvo said.
"I'm so happy to represent my culture and show people the real essence of breaking," he said.
Reuters
Standing by the blue wall of a sports hall in Sanaa, Yemen, Yasameen Al-Raimi raises her air pistol and pauses, studying the target 10 meters away.
Squeezing the trigger, the Yemeni Olympic medal hopeful fires a metal pellet through the middle of the paper square, which rebounds with a clang off the metal plate behind.
Raimi, in traditional black hijab, safety glasses and yellow ear protectors, is training for the Paris Olympics, one of the biggest competitions of her life.
But, while her rivals are preparing on purpose-built ranges at high-tech shooting centers, the markswoman from the conflict-torn Middle Eastern country must muddle through as best she can.
Her makeshift range is roped off by red-and-white plastic tape, the sort commonly seen on building sites. It is tied to a wooden desk bearing her equipment: extra targets, a pistol case, and an electric pulley.
Pushing a button on the pulley, a fresh black-and-white target rattles away on a string to the end of the range, marked by a low, spotlit gray wall. After the session, she scrutinizes her pellet-ridden targets, pen in hand.
Raimi is no stranger to making-do. It's a fact of life in Yemen, which has been engulfed in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognized government out of Sanaa.
But, recent months have been particularly tense, with the capital city under sporadic fire from US and British forces.
The US-led Western allies are retaliating for the Houthis' drone-and-missile campaign against shipping in the Red Sea, which they say is in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza conflict.
Training on the roof
Raimi started shooting in 2010, but after the civil war broke out, she put her career on hold for five years before returning to competition in 2020.
At times, with constant power cuts and nowhere else to train, she was reduced to training on the roof of her house.
"There was no electricity for me to shoot, and I could not find a place to train," she told reporters.
"I even went through a period when I made the roof of my house a shooting spot to continue training."
After finishing second last at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she competed at the 2022 World Championships in Cairo and the Asian Championships earlier this year.
"I never stopped training at all. It was daily, and in two periods — morning and evening," she said.
In Paris, she will be the only woman in Yemen's four-strong team, which also includes a swimmer, a sprinter and a judoka.
"I feel honored and proud to be a woman representing Yemen, and also to be a Yemeni athlete at this Olympics," Raimi said, calling it "the dream of any athlete".
'Raise the flag high'
Her coach, Amal Modhesh, is doing what she can for Raimi, despite lacking any great experience and professional credentials.
"Yasameen does most of her training by herself. She is a very diligent shooter despite the lack of resources, especially a professional coach," Modhesh said.
These difficulties have only "increased her determination to reach her goal and raise the flag of Yemen high", adds the coach.
Raimi laments the lack of support from the authorities, saying most of her training camps and competition trips came at her own expense.
However, she is pleased to receive support from the Yemen Olympic Committee (YOC), which funnels funding from the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia.
YOC secretary-general Mohamed Abdullah Al-Ahjri said Yemen's athletes, present and future, need official help if they are to thrive.
"I say to the officials, whether at the level of Yemeni sports, or at the level of the country in general: Yemeni sports must be given the attention it deserves in order for it to develop," he said.
AFP
Martin Sinkovic, the younger half of Croatia's remarkable rowing brothers, has no doubt how they will feel when they take to the water in Paris in search of a third Olympic gold.
"The feeling is the same as the first time," he said.
Since 1999, when Zagreb-born Martin and Valent Sinkovic started training with the Mladost club, they have won dozens of medals as well as European and world titles.
At the 2012 London Olympics, they won the silver medal in the quadruple sculls before hitting a golden thread — first in the double sculls in Rio in 2016 and five years later in the men's pair in Tokyo, the discipline in which they will compete in Paris.
The success, years of dedication and hard training have not dented their passion, they said after a morning session on the Peruca Lake in southern Croatia, where the pair traditionally do their final preparations for major competitions.
"Everything we wanted to achieve we have achieved and after all the medals, I can honestly say the feeling (about the Olympics) is the same as the first time," 34-year-old Martin said.
"The Olympics are special. All the athletes, all the sports together, it's a very special feeling.
"It's never easier and it's never less fun than the first time. I expect a lot of tough races and a lot of fun in Paris," he said.
His brother Valent, 15 months older, echoed that view — stressing they missed being on the water even after a short break.
"After major competitions, the first week is cool, no obligations, but then you don't feel right and we start to train again," Valent laughed.
'Discipline, suffering, love'
Martin admitted they wanted to tear the boat apart 100 times after a training session if it had gone badly.
"But the next day we returned, believing it will be better," he said, describing rowing as a mixture of "discipline, suffering and love".
The brothers are hoping to continue competing until the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
But, before that, their target is gold in Paris.
"We are always expecting to be in the battle for the gold medal and I expect it again now. I hope we can achieve it," Martin said.
Valent pointed out that these would be their fourth Olympic Games but the "first one at which we are not the favorites, if you look at the results from this year".
"It's a bit strange and different feeling, but if we do our best we can fight for the gold," he said.
The start of the year was a bit slower.
But at last month's World Cup in Poland, the final test for the Olympics, they won silver in the men's pair, a discipline that they had switched to after competing in sculls.
"We narrowly missed winning against the Swiss team who are the current world champions, so it showed us we are on the right path," Valent, a father of two children, said.
"We are in a good position. We can't wait for the Olympics to start to see where we are."
The brothers credit long-time coach Nikola Bralic as key to their achievements, while parents and wives also provide an anchor in a highly stressful sporting environment.
But the bond of being brothers has also helped cement their enduring success.
"Without Bralic we certainly would not be what we are, we would not be on the top for so long," Martin said.
"We certainly wouldn't last that long if we were not brothers," said Valent. "We're connected, it's easier to forgive a brother and you can understand him better than someone else."
AFP
Japanese judo heavyweight Tatsuru Saito will be driven by the memory of his famous father when he goes for Paris Olympic gold.
Hitoshi Saito was a judo great who triumphed at consecutive Olympics in 1984 and 1988 in the+95 kilograms category.
In 2015, at the age of 54, he died of cancer, but his "spirit lives on" in his son, according to Yasuhiro Yamashita, a former Olympic champion who, until last year, headed Japan's judo federation.
Yamashita has long been convinced of the 22-year-old Saito's potential, and said that, after watching him compete as a junior, he was witnessing a special talent.
"No other heavyweight can twist his hips as much as he does when he throws an opponent," Yamashita said.
Hitoshi Saito enjoyed world and Olympic success in the 1980s, but lost to Yamashita in three consecutive finals at the open-weight All-Japan Judo Championships.
He quipped that he had "climbed Everest (Qomolangma), but never climbed Mount Fuji", but he finally claimed the title in 1988 after Yamashita had retired.
Pursuit of perfection
His son did not have to wait anywhere near as long, winning the All-Japan Championships in 2022, becoming the third-youngest victor at 20 years and one month.
The younger Saito now has the chance to scale the sport's highest peak in Paris, and warmed up by beating Tajikistan's Temur Rakhimov in the final of the Grand Slam event in Kazakhstan in May.
But, Saito will likely have to go through 11-time world champion Teddy Riner if he is to triumph in Paris, with the Frenchman looking to win his third individual Olympic gold.
"I think I can win, I have no fear," Saito said after losing to Riner in the final of the Grand Slam event in Turkiye in March.
"I will get stronger. I just have to keep improving."
Saito stands at 191cm and weighs 170kg, but his imposing physique is juxtaposed by his cherubic face and sunny disposition.
His mother Mieko has described him as a "bold" child whose behavior would surprise those around him.
While his sensitive elder brother would cry if his mother bit the head off a bird-shaped candy, Saito would gleefully gobble one down whole.
It was his brother Ichiro who first showed an interest in learning judo and Tatsuru tagged along — much to the delight of their father.
He could be a harsh teacher, drilling moves into them over and over again in pursuit of perfection.
"If my dad were here now, as soon as he'd shaken my hand, he'd be telling me what I needed to work on," local media quoted Saito as saying after he won the 2022 All-Japan title.
Memories of dad
Saito's world was rocked at the age of 12, when his father developed a rare, but rapidly developing form of liver cancer.
He believed that his father's strength as a judoka would see him overcome the illness, and it took around a month for the reality of his death to sink in.
"Little by little, once I started to accept it, I began to get more serious about my judo," Saito said.
"I felt that I had to repay the people who had supported me, especially my dad."
Saito watches old clips of his father in action, and wonders what advice his dad would give him in terms of technique.
Experts see close similarities between the two, although Saito plays down comparisons and protests that he is "nowhere near" his father's level yet.
He has ambitions of getting there one day, though, and watching the Tokyo Olympics on TV three years ago only fueled his fire.
"It made me feel, more than ever, that I want to win a medal. To do whatever it takes to stand on top of that podium," Saito said.
"At the Paris Olympics, I want to stand in the place where my father once stood."
AFP
While the 2024 Paris Olympics approach in two weeks, the lack of air conditioning is still a concern for most national Olympic teams.
Designed to be eco-friendly Olympic Games, organizers said on Tuesday that the Paris Olympic Village will be fitted with 2,500 temporary cooling units instead of air conditioning when athletes arrive later this month. The cooling unit will be a geothermal cooling system that uses cool water pumped from deep beneath the ground.
The village comprises 7,000 rooms in total, with the geothermal cooling system guaranteeing temperatures inside at least 6 degrees Celsius below those outside.
The decision to keep athletes cool at the 2024 Games without air conditioners came in late March, but it encountered many opposing voices from some national Olympic teams.
The US Olympic and Paralympics CEO Sarah Hirshland said in late June that the federation would be supplying AC units for what is typically the largest contingent of athletes at the Summer Games, while Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada, and Britain were also among the other countries with plans to bring air conditioners to France.
As a compromise, organizers allowed teams to order portable air-conditioning units at their own expense, which can be installed from July 26 to August 11.
Augustin Tran Van Chau, the deputy director of the village, told journalists during a media visit to the Olympic Village on Tuesday that they have ordered around 2500 ACs to provide "a very specific solution" for athletes who might have requirements for their comfort and recovery in a hot summer.
According to the French National Weather Service, temperatures this summer are expected to be warmer than normal.
"Rings of Fire," a report released by The British Association for Sustainable Sport and FrontRunners last month and backed by leading climate scientists and athletes, warned about the dangers posed by extremely high temperatures at the Paris Olympics.
The report said that sleep disruption due to heat has been cited in the build-up to the 2024 Games as a major concern by athletes, especially given the lack of air conditioning in the Olympic Village.
The plan without air conditioning is part of the organizing committee's goal to cut the carbon footprint of the Paris Games by half and stage the most sustainable Olympics to date.
"I want the Paris Games to be exemplary from an environmental point of view," Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has previously said in her plans for the Olympics.
Everything built for the Olympic Village was done with sustainability in mind. Organizers retrofitted several existing structures on the site instead of constructing all the buildings, and all the newly constructed buildings were built with wood and recycled materials, which is said to reduce the project's carbon footprint by 30 percent per square meter.
Inside the apartment, the beds and the mattresses were manufactured with reused materials, and the stools were made with cardboard.
Georgina Grenon, the Paris 2024 director of sustainability, said the village was thought up as a neighborhood that's going to have a life afterward.
Once the Paralympics have finished in September, the village will be converted into office space for 6000 workers and apartments to house another 6000 people, hoping to alleviate a housing crisis in the French capital.
