Any athlete with Olympic dreams knows the feeling of burning their lungs, arms, and legs turning to jelly, as the final moments of some other grueling race or excruciatingly tight fit approach. For that last dose of adrenaline, they take advantage of the power provided by the delirious crowd.
During the last two Olympic Games, one summer and one winter, this crowd did not exist due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This summer all the fans, family members and the strength they bring to laughter and the game will return to Paris.
The Paris Games will celebrate a return to “normalcy” after an era in which host cities became closed shells, depriving those who had earned their place within the so-called Olympic “bubble” of a true Olympic experience.
“A lot of athletes told me that Tokyo was one of their worst Games,” said American skater Jagger Eaton, who made his Olympic debut in 2021 and will return this year. “And I’m like, ‘I love it here. ‘ I didn’t know any better. “
Eaton and many other returning Olympians will no longer want to wear masks, undergo nasal swabs or spit into plastic tubes for COVID symptoms. Separate teams of COVID “cohorts” and quarantines for others suspected of carrying the virus are also a thing of the past.
“I’ve heard horror stories, a lot of horror stories,” said Paralympic sitting volleyball player Nicki Nieves, whose event was canceled when she tested positive for COVID 3 days before the team was due to leave for Tokyo. “I’m thrilled that we’re getting enthusiasts back. “
At the Winter Games held in China two years ago, many enthusiasts were bussed five hours away from the action sports venue to watch snowboarders unleashing loud combined “thunder” and wearing masks in the cold. of 0 degrees. Almost no enthusiasts living outside China were able to attend.
Last year, at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, spectators were mainly coaches, officials and volunteers, occupying only a small fraction of the seats.
When Italy’s Marcell Jacobs won the title of “World’s Fastest Man” by winning the 100 meters, his celebratory screams were barely heard in the nearly empty 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium. reggae selfie festivals that erupted in recent years when Usain Bolt made paintings to the crowd after crossing the finish line first.
Hours after the end of the 100 meters, members of the Italian media joined Jacobs and his teammate, top gold medal-winning jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, on the track to take part in a birthday event that would have attracted many friends and family.
“I think the stadium is great, quiet and a little empty,” said American Paralympic sprinter and long jumper Jaleen Roberts, who encountered similar situations a few weeks after the Olympics. “It also helped a little with the nerves. But I’m excited for what will be another kind of adrenaline with the people in the stands.
For decades, athletes have told stories of how having enthusiasts in the stands helped them succeed at the finish line. Rower Michelle Sechser described the final 250 meters of her race, with enthusiasts roaring from the stands, as “the ultimate crescendo of the sprint. “.
“When it comes time to jump on the board for the race, knowing that the roars of the crowd will be there, that’s extra motivation when you hear them,” Sechser said.
Once the action is over, a rite of passage for Olympic athletes is to travel to other venues to cheer on their teammates from other sports. He will return to Paris. The same goes for the camaraderie and, yes, the debauchery that comes with living and celebrating in the Athletes’ Village.
“I grew up hearing that you had a goody bag and they gave you loose McDonald’s all the time,” said American canoeist Evy Leibfarth. “And I’m not a big fast food girl, but I’m excited about this. ” Apparently the queue is huge.
When Egg McMuffins get older, Paris is a city with a café on virtually every corner and a tourist hotspot in virtually every metro station. Instead of returning home a day or two after finishing their events, athletes can stop at the Eiffel Tower or the Palace of Versailles.
They will also have friends and family to hang out with.
“I almost choke thinking about it because my parents are the other two people who have noticed me since day one, when I first put an oar in my hand,” Sechser said. “I’m so excited to have my mom and dad watching, to know that if there’s a special mom at the end of the race, they’ll be there for it. “
To accentuate the return of the festival, Paris has planned an unprecedented opening rite on the banks of the Seine. The parade of nations and the maximum of their athletes will descend in a flotilla along the river that winds through the center of the city. They say 326,000 tickets for seats with river views will go on sale for what will be the largest Olympic opening in history.
It’s all part of a birthday party with friends, family and enthusiasts that, for many of these athletes, is highly anticipated.
“Personally, I feed off the enthusiasts and I love having other people there,” said U. S. rugby player Ilona Maher, “because that’s why we play. “