While we are watching the Paris 2024 Olympic Gamesthe incredible feats of all the incredible athletes are obviously at the top of our minds. But sometimes there are some other (less risky) events that creep into our thoughts as well. And let’s say we accumulate a very of questions as the Paris Games unfolded.
We’ve delved into some of the quirks, technicalities, and other defining factors that make each sport stand out. Go ahead, read through the list — we bet you had the same burning questions, too. And keep checking back here throughout August; we’ll continue to update this story with more questions and answers throughout the Games.
Why is the stripe purple?
One advantage of hosting the Olympics is being able to design the aesthetics of the Games, and the French take that role seriously. The Olympic Committee has designed what they are calling the “The look of the Paris 2024 games“to give the entire city (plus Tahiti and other French competition venues) a unified look and feel — racetrack included. The colors of this year’s Games are blue, red, green and purple, and if you’re updating the stadium track for a global audience, why not add a splash of color?
As for why purple, the answer is simple: the Parisian Olympic Committee wanted to be iconic. They summed it up in a Press releaseexplaining that the purple surface “will allow images of the Paris 2024 Games to be etched in the memory of spectators, TV viewers and athletes.” And Mondo, the Italian company that created the racing surface for the France Stadium incorporated another pillar of the “Look of the Games” into the track: Sustainability. This track gets its elasticity from the Mediterranean – specifically ground mussel and clam shells. Paris will be the first time athletes will achieve their dreams of gold against a stunning purple backdrop featuring seafood.
Why are Australia’s uniform colors green and yellow, while their flag is red, white and blue?
We may be tuning in to see medals won and records broken, but we’re also here for the attacks. And it’s hard not to notice that the Australian team is sporting a very different color scheme to their red, white and blue flag.
It turns out that the country national colors are gold and green. The gold represents, well, the hardware the athletes hope to take home (also wealth, sandy beaches, ample grain harvests and the sunny hue of Australian wool). The vibrant green represents the country’s lush forests and fields, famous gum trees and “horizons of growing crops”. If you look closely at the Australian uniforms, you’ll also see that each one is designed with indigenous prints. According to the Australian BrandThe Australian team’s wardrobe represents “the largest integration of Indigenous artwork into athlete uniforms in Australian Olympic history”.
Does the Olympic cauldron in Paris have real fire?
At the end of the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, two French athletes — the sprinter Maria Jose Perec and judo athlete Teddy Riner—lit a giant cauldron of what appeared to be fire in the iconic Jardin des Tuileries in central Paris. The nearly 23-foot ring of fire, which is attached to a giant balloon, burns in the Tuileries each competition day and floats 200 feet in the air each night, allowing all of Paris to get a good view. Don’t worry, there’s no fire risk here; the flame is an illusion created by the water and light mist known as FED. According to NPRThis is the first year that the Olympic cauldron does not contain a real flame. It turns out that it takes 200 water sprinklers and 40 LED lights to keep the Olympic “flame” flickering, according to The New York Times.
What’s with the water polo caps and earmuffs?
Water polo is a high-contact sport: Imagine competing against 13 gold-winning Olympians to hold the same ball—in a swimming pool, no less!—and you might want to take some protective measures, too. Head and ear injuries are common in water polo matches, and ear protectors are an important safety measure for players. The rounded ear protectors protect players from a fellow player’s errant elbow and guard against scrapes and cuts, as well as more serious eardrum injuries and even cauliflower ear—a condition that results from repeated blunt force trauma to the ear. In addition to safety, ear protectors also keep players’ ears dry, which can make it easier for teammates to communicate during the hustle and bustle of a match—especially underwater.
What’s in that mysterious box that medalists receive on the podium?
If you stuck around after a competition for the post-event ceremonyYou’ve probably seen the mystery box that athletes receive along with their bronze, silver, or gold. The unassuming cardboard box is about a foot long — but inside there’s no trophy, baton, or magic wand. It turns out it’s a commemorative poster for Paris 2024. And you don’t have to grab any Olympic gear to get your hands on one: They’re $32 at the Official Olympic Store.
Why are the Olympics held every four years?
We can thank the ancient Greeks for bringing us the Olympic Games — and for making us wait four years to see our favorite swimmers and gymnasts on the global stage. According to the International Olympic CommitteeTime was measured in four-year blocks called Olympics. Today’s Olympic calendar pays homage to the ancient calendar.
Why do male gymnasts’ uniforms look like football pajamas?
On the one hand, as WFLA reportsFootball pajamas are actually stirrup pants and socks. And the uniform choice is actually for a good reason, as Ian Gunther, a four-time NCAA champion at Stanford, explained in a newsletter TikTok two years ago. While demonstrating on different devices, Gunther says it’s all about safety and judgment.