PARIS – The idea of the Olympics leaves many people imagining a mega-event with flocks of people from all over the world participating in cultural exchange, contributing to a flourishing economy and filling up restaurants and bars.
Yet as many tourists and Parisians have discovered, the Olympics have not brought the expected amount of customer traffic that local businesses wanted. As a large number of Parisians have left the city to vacate the Olympics altogether, businesses like historic cafe Le Sarah Bernhardt hoped to capitalize on the event, yet this opportunity for increased business didn’t material for many.
PARIS – Walking down the canals and streets of Paris, the Summer Olympics’ presence is felt everywhere. Multi-colored signs say “Paris 2024,” fan festivals buzz with thousands of people and stadiums at the feet of iconic Parisian architecture highlight the energy of the Games.
Slug: Sports–Nico Young Olympics Reflection, 1,000 words.
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By Abigail Scott Cronkite News
PARIS – For Nico Young, the moment was like no other.
“Walking out into the stadium was overwhelming,” he said. “At first, it felt like being at a concert, but I was the singer, the one everyone was looking at.”
Many of them were. On Aug. 2, the day of the Paris Olympics’ 10,000 meters, Young was barely 22, the youngest U.S. Olympian in the race in 20 years. And his time of 26 minutes, 58.11 seconds was so fast it would have set the Olympic record at any other Summer Games. Except this competition was so fast Young, who stayed with the leading pack much of the race, finished 12th.
PARIS – For the first time, amateur runners had a chance to follow in the Olympians’ footsteps and run the same course used for the marathon earlier in the day. Among the athletes that competed Saturday?
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
The congresswoman is a fitness fanatic, having competed in multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons, summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 and hiked Mount Fuji in July
“The opportunity to run in the Olympics, that’s like a bucket list, so I couldn’t miss it,” Sinema told Cronkite News Friday in Paris.
And she didn’t. She was one of 20,000 amateur runners who competed in the Marathon Pour Tous (Marathon For All), finishing in 4:48.48. The race started in Paris and looped through Versailles, passing through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The senator, 48, started running cross country in high school, and by her own admission, wasn’t very good. Not until her 30s and now 40s did she start getting faster, she said, a classic late bloomer.
“Growing up, my family, we were pretty poor, and so I didn’t have a lot of money to play lots of different sports,” Sinema said. “But running, all you need is a pair of tennis shoes. I just kind of increased my distance over the years and found it’s a great way to relieve stress and also hang out with friends.”
It wasn’t long before Sinema was competing in long distance races and finishing well. In 2019, she qualified for the Boston Marathon, and in a three-mile race for government officials and media staff, she posted the fasted female time and broke a senate record in the process. Sinema would soon start competing in Ironman triathlons, which required her to learn how to swim.
“I didn’t have a lot of access to swimming (as a child), so I was an adult learner,” Sinema said. “I can swim good now, you know, I’m pretty decent.”
In all, she’s done four full Ironmans and “a bunch” of half Ironmans.
Sinema trains almost everyday to keep in shape. Within the busy schedule of being in Congress, how does she find the time to train? It’s simple.
“The reality is, I just wake up early in the morning,” Sinema said. “If you are dedicated to it, you can get the training in, you can work your job and you can enjoy this incredible opportunity of running.”
The reality is she may have more time to train in the future. In March, she announced she would not run for a second term.
She does her best to run or cycle every single day and lift weights a few times a week in order to not lose muscle mass. While some are collecting chip crumbs on their couches, she’s making sure she’s in physical shape to allow for her demanding athletic schedule. If she’s on the treadmill though, she might watch a Netflix show or two.
“I like ‘The Gentlemen,’” Sinema said. “There was a movie, and then they made a Netflix show, and they’re both very good. I would highly recommend it.”
Another advantage of coming to Paris? The anonymity. It’s a far cry from the U.S. where security escorts her wherever she goes.
“Nobody knows who I am here, nor do they care,” Sinema said. “So I get to be kind of normal. It’s wonderful.”
The same can’t be said for the incredible athletes who are recognized everywhere they go that Sinema has been following throughout the Olympics.
“I am one of those people who struggles with productivity during the Olympics because I obsessively watch everything and I get super hyped,” Sinema said. “Obviously the U.S. athletes are amazing, and we’re killing it in track and field.”
With less than 100 days until the election, Sinema preaches a message of inclusivity, saying as a country we have more in common with each other than we don’t, and the Olympics promote the same message.
“What I love about the Olympics is how it brings people from all over the world together, and the camaraderie and support that you see through sport is amazing,” Sinema said. “It has the power to transcend pettiness and politics and show the real heart of the human spirit and bring us together.
“The person who’s making the most noise on Twitter is not usually the one who’s going to solve your problems.”
Ariizona Sen. Krysten Sinema meets with media Friday in Paris, where she will run in the “Marathon Pour Tous” (the Marathon for Everyone) Saturday on the same course on which the athletes compete. (Photo courtesy of Cronkite News)
PARIS – Food is sacred in Paris. From the way cafes make croissants differently to each brasserie’s take on steak and frites, the culinary scene in the City of Light is one of the most prestigious in the world. Yet tucked in a courtyard on the corner of Place du Colonel Fabien sits a restaurant that is one of a kind and has its roots in a culture far outside France’s borders.
The first soul food restaurant in Paris: Gumbo YaYa Southern Kitchen.
Located in Paris’s 10th District, Gumbo YaYa was started in 2015 by Afro Parisian chef Lionel Chauvel-Maga. In the near decade that followed, the spot received awards, grew into a passionate community, and attracted big names to its doors, including some of the biggest current stars in American music, including Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean and Lil Yachty.Continue reading “Soul food in Paris? Popular Gumbo YaYa attracts hip hop stars, loyal following during Olympics”
PARIS – With over 15 augmented reality experiences developed, this year’s Summer Olympics is incorporating AR like never before.
The IOC and the Paris 2024 organizing committee engaged in a variety of digital partnerships to bring AR into the Olympics. From the world’s first AR vending machine to Olympic-themed filters and Lenses, each AR experience offers a new way for users to engage with this year’s Games.
PARIS – The Paris Olympics have taken social media by storm, and at the top of the trending list are the beds that were provided in the Olympic Village.
“Oh my God, these cardboard beds are so stiff,” said Sierra Vista native Jasmine Schofield, a swimmer competing for Dominica this summer. “It’s actually terrible.”
Slug: Sports–Drag Community Reaction Olympics, 830 words.
3 photos available.
By Abilgail Scott Cronkite News
PARIS – A man painted entirely in blue sits on top of a lavish table, surrounded by people in extravagant, festive outfits. To many, the scene feels like a modern twist on a Dionysian feast, with everyone enjoying rich food and wine in a lively, joyful atmosphere that channels the spirit of the Greek god of celebration.
Others saw the recent Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony in a different light, suggesting it attacked Christianity and questioned its inclusion of drag queens in the event, prompting many in that community to come to the show’s defense.
“This is very French, to be provocative, because in France we read Voltaire literature and Enlightenment literature, which is always making fun of religion, making fun of the president,” said Lola von Flame, a performer at Madame Arthur, a renowned cabaret venue in Paris, who added that satire and challenging authority are important in French culture. Continue reading “As closing ceremony nears, Paris drag community offers support of artistic Olympic celebrations”
PARIS – Few expressions of human creativity are as freeing as art, and dancing is surely one of its most taxing forms.
Break dancing – officially called breaking – has long been a powerful form of self-expression for urban youth. Originating in New York City, kids have been popping and locking to whatever the currently charting hip-hop tracks were since the late 1960s and early 1970s. Breaking – while at times can be aggressive – is an interactive, intimate, liberating and spiritual connection between the music and dancers.
PARIS – Snoop Dogg isn’t the only one looking forward to breaking’s debut at the Olympics this year. Unfortunately for the darling of the Paris Games, he won’t get to see the sport in 2028 when the Summer Games land in Los Angeles, his home city.
The inclusion of sports such as breaking are part of a flexible process to align with the goals of each host city’s organizing committee, which “proposes events that it feels are fit their vision for their specific edition of the Games,” an IOC spokesman said in an email.
PARIS – Those walking around one of Paris’ many districts often notice a small, red stuffed animal hat with big blue eyes and eyelashes that represent France’s flag.
The Phryge is this year’s Paris Games’ mascot. It inspired the Phrygian Cap, which fans are wearing throughout Paris.
PARIS – From sitting courtside with Snoop Dogg to fan-girling over Simon Biles, the U.S. women’s basketball team is determined to make the most of its time on and off the court.
Team USA, which takes on Nigeria Wednesday, understands part of bonding with teammates is what you do on the court, but also what happens off the court. Participating in the Olympics is an experience that athletes recognize is rare, and seeing other athletes perform makes them become like everyone else watching at home – a fan.
This approach to balance is paying off. The U.S. women beat Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals Wednesday behind A’ja Wilson’s 20 points and 11 rebounds.
LILLE, France – A large swath of fans in Lille gather along portable barricades outside the Team USA hotel, L’Hermitage Gantois, hoping to catch a glimpse of the towering men’s basketball players boarding the team bus to Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
“DBook I’m Your Biggest French Fan,” says one sign carried by Axel Grégoire, a local resident.
PARIS – Five-time Olympic archer Brady Ellison narrowly missed winning the gold medal Sunday. However, for his wife, Toja Ellison, and his devoted supporters in Arizona, he remains a champion.
Brady, an Arizona native, has represented his country on the world stage numerous times in his career. This summer, he brought home the silver medal in the men’s individual and the bronze in the mixed team doubles alongside women’s archer Casey Kauffold.
PARIS – Lost in the celebratory scene of the Team USA boat floating down the Seine – somewhere behind LeBron James doing his Washington crossing the Delware impression – stood a misty-eyed Rocky Harris.
“I was getting really emotional over and over again that I couldn’t believe I’m there,” Harris said about his Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony experience.
Slug: Sports–On-Tap Cocktail Bar Paris, 650 words.
2 photos available.
By Becca Glantz Cronkite News
PARIS – With the Summer Olympics in full swing, many are scoping out what the go-to bars and nightclubs are in the City of Light. Opening just over a year ago, The Honey Moon Paris – the first Parisian all-on-tap cocktail bar – is attracting international visitors in the 11th arrondissement.
Although the concept of serving only cocktails from custom taps isn’t new, the idea only really started picking up steam in the past decade. The approach has received some pushback, especially from bartenders who believe it took away from the art of crafting drinks, but it also found success, like at Brooklyn’s Yours Sincerely that opened in 2016. More could be opening in Arizona.
Slug: Sports–Sunkist Wrestling Olympics Finale, 700 words.
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By Walker Smith Cronkite News
PARIS – Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club, a powerhouse in the wrestling world, has produced talent that has won more than 120 world and Olympic medals. In February, the program’s owner announced he would close the organization’s doors following the 2024 Paris Olympics, ending a dominant USA wrestling run.
It’s particularly poignant during the final week of the Paris Games as wrestling competition begins Monday.
PARIS – The City of Light has become a “gold medal” example of modern bicycle infrastructure, making transportation during the Summer Olympics more accessible than ever.
Improvements to existing infrastructure has allowed the French capital city to also be widely known as the capital city of biking.
