Paris Bid Committee
In order for
the Olympics to happen a host city must be chosen to hold the games. Right now
the city of Paris is awaiting a decision from the International Olympic
Committee to find out if they will host the 2024 Olympic games. At this moment
they are trying to outbid Los Angeles. Today we met with the group of people
responsible for putting together Paris’ proposal on their plans if they should
be chosen to host the 2024 Olympic games. They explain a lot about the process
of getting a city ready to host the Olympics and how much planning has to be
worked out before they submit the bid. This year Paris is focusing on the needs
of the athletes and asking for their input to ensure the success of the games.
In order to better understand how they could improve the athletes’ experience
they sent out questionnaires to help select the Olympic village. Another
strategy they are using to create a stronger connection with the athletes and
the city is pairing them with a domestic sponsor that reflects the values of
that athlete to help tell their story better. Most importantly the Paris bid
has put a large emphasis on sustainability and creating a more environmentally
conscious atmosphere for the games. This was a unique experience as they were
able to answer many of our questions and we got a first hand look at the behind
the scenes of planning the Olympic games.
French Open: Qualifiers
This year we
were fortunate enough to be in Paris at the same time as the qualifying rounds
of the French Open. While there weren’t any huge names like Serena Williams or
Rodger Federer we still got to enjoy matches from other countries. What makes
Rolland Garros so special is that the matches are held on clay courts, whereas
Wimbledon boasts grass courts, and the U.S. Open is hard court. I cannot tell
you how hot the day was but I can tell you how exciting it was sitting
courtside for an international sporting event. We had gotten in too late to
watch the USA vs. Australian match but we did catch a USA vs. France match. The
two young men competing in the qualifiers were only 19 years old – and I
thought getting into college at 17 was impressive. Because we had gotten there
later in the afternoon we had missed quite a few matches and the heat was not
inviting us to stay longer. However, with some cooler weather and an earlier
start I would definitely had stayed all day. What made it so interesting is
that the courts are literally back to back with each other and for tennis there
was a lot of background noise. You were also able to turn around and watch the
match behind you. Altogether the French
Open Qualifiers were much more casual than I would have thought but it was definitely
a good time.
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