The Olympic Games, Paris 2024

Written by, Matt Joy

With cancelled trains from Bristol, delays at St Pancras, and a slower rail once we got through the tunnel, the beginning of the Olympic journey offered up plenty of suspense and tension before the sporting entertainment even began. (although I could have done without that)

But – from arrival in Paris – 9 hours after leaving Bristol, 

You felt it. 

The Olympics. Truly the greatest show on earth, and now I know why. 

I was lucky enough to head to three events:

3×3 basketball – Since moving to Bristol ten years ago, and working with Coach K & the Bristol Flyers, I became a huge fan of basketball, and wow, what an event this was, even if we were robbed of the opportunity to see WNBA will-be-hall-of-famer Cameron Brink following injury, this was entertainment. Getting to watch four games, including both the men and women gold medalists from Tokyo (USA – Women & Latvia – men), seeing so many different flags and nationalities – it was incredible! Any basketball fans – I’d highly recommend you to follow the work of Martin Dyan and what is going on with the UK 3×3 movement, and hopefully there will be a team GB heading to LA in 2028!

Volleyball – This atmosphere was one of THEE best sporting atmospheres I have been part of with second favourites, Brazil, taking on Japan women, and the stands were packed with Brazilian flags and colours! With activations in the arena before hand from the Volleyball Foundation and some famous sporting faces, as well as being able to see the warm up areas, the whole place was buzzing, from old and young, with Brazilian fans, Japanese fans and everyone in-between. The crowd interaction before, during and in all the breaks in play was by far the best I have seen and been involved in, even if the stands were slightly shaking from the crowd noise and stomping of feet! Add in the skillset of the players which I had never truly appreciated – what a sport and what a sporting occasion! One that I would definitely watch more of! 

Athletics – Athletics is probably in my top 2 or 3 sports and probably the sport that comes to mind when I think ‘Olympics’, and I was lucky enough to be in a full stadium for the first session that opened up athletics for this games. Although not the greatest tension or any gold medals won, there was still a 77,000 sell-out stadium with a big buzz, especially when any French athletes were taking part, and there were some world class athletes starting their campaign including Brits Josh Kerr, Daryll Neita and Dina Asha-Smith. Athletics, for many, not just me, is the Olympics and having followed Athletics indoors and outdoors for many, many years and lucky enough to have been to Commonweath Games, European Team Champs and actually being in the stadium for World Championship Athletics in 2003 for the infamous Jon Drummond incident, it was amazing to be back for the ‘big one’.

All of this excitement, all of these incredible sporting memories and atmospheres created around the city, and remember – not a drop of alcohol served in any of the venues! 

On top of the tickets themselves I had access to ‘Clubhouse24’, dubbed as ‘City Hospitality’ and “the place for all things entertainment”. They were not wrong.

Live music, sport demonstrations, along with physical and virtual reality activities and plenty of large screens to catch the multitude of competition going across the city, with food tastes to cater for the entire world, it really did deliver on a truly world-class experience! 

All of this in 35º city heat – and city heat hits differently – it was HOT – but, a week never to be forgotten – and very hard to be matched….And then there was a day trip to Disney …. But let’s keep it Olympics focused for now! 

Back in a cloudy UK, I am now looking forward to watching the athletics (as well as other sports) at home to see who can become the stars of the games and faces for the next generation. I’m looking at Molly Caudery, Keely Hodgkinson, Josh Kerr .. Laviai & Lina Nielsen and Matt Hudson-Smith and hoping they continue their inspiring performances! 

PS. All of this focuses on the experience and the sport. I could talk more and more about the branding (which I loved), the ease of travel and transport around the city, the city itself, as well as the official Olympics instagram page, which was top tier!

Bravo Paris!