The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics Kick Off

The much-anticipated 2024 Summer Olympic Games are officially underway in Paris, France! With the opening ceremonies kicking off a thrilling series of competitions, athletes from around the globe are ready to showcase their talents until the closing ceremonies on August 11th.

As always, the focus is on the medals, and this year, there will be plenty to go around. Medals are awarded in gold, silver, and bronze to the top three competitors in each event. Notably, boxing, judo, taekwondo, and wrestling will feature two bronze medals for standout performers.

The tradition of awarding medals goes way back to 1896, with the 1904 Games in St. Louis being the first to implement the now-familiar gold, silver, and bronze ranking system. It’s interesting to note that in team events, the medal count remains singular, reflecting the collective achievement of the team.

As the games progress, each country’s medal tally will be updated, with China currently leading the count with a total of 22 medals, followed by Australia with 11. Great Britain and the United States have each snagged 11 medals, while South Korea and Kazakhstan have contributed to the medal leaderboard as well.

The excitement continues to build as athletes prepare to compete fiercely for nearly 1,000 medals in events tailored for men, women, and mixed-gender categories. This year marks a historic moment with an equal number of male and female athletes participating.

Team USA enters the games with an impressive legacy, holding a record of 1,070 gold medals overall. They’ve set the bar high as they go up against countries like the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and China. With more than 60 countries at these Olympics still looking for their first medal, it’s anyone’s game, and anything could happen in the coming weeks!