HPN will be covering the 2024 Paris Olympics, with something coming here every day before or during competition.
It’s over before it starts
Getting to the Olympics – and competing – is often the realization of a life’s worth of hard work.
But what if an Olympic appearance is essentially over before the Games really open?
Each Olympic Games starts with an overwhelming amount of pageantry known as the Opening Ceremony. Among the cultural displays are a number of semi-fixed elements – the reading of the oath, the parade of nations, the lighting of the flame and the declaration that the Games are open.
But in reality, the Olympics usually start before they actually officially open. Usually team sports (and archery) start their competition in advance of the Opening Ceremony. This is in order to make venue and competition logistics work due the ever increasing number of sports in the Olympics.
This year football, handball, archery and rugby 7s commenced before the first official day – a taster of what was to come.
But usually at the 2024 Olympics, eight countries will be effectively knocked out of competition before yesterday’s ceremony. Ninety-six rugby players had their medal hopes dashed before the Games had even been opened.
This is the first time since the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 that athletes have been knocked out from contention before the Olympics had started. In Seoul in 1988 elimination events took place on the same day as the Opening Ceremony, but after it had finished.
The competition that took place in 1956 before the Melbourne Games had opened were the Equestrian events – which was held months earlier in Sweden. This happened because of Australia’s strict quarantine laws.
So spare a thought for the 96 rugby players who have to compete for consolation places only after the Olympics actually start.
Event of the day
Rugby 7s finals -men’s
As above, the men’s rugby finals finish just as Paris opens. It’s been an exciting tournament so far with some heavy hitters getting knocked out in the semi finals.
The first medal handed out will be in the 10m Air Rifle – Mixed Team. Australia has no representation in the event, and the champion team from Tokyo three years ago won’t be defending their title.
Alternative Medal Tally
Each Olympics HPN produces alternative medal tallies based on a semi-related subjects.
Today’s is based on one of the highest exports of the host nation. France exports more wine than any other country, but who wins the most medals per $1000 of wine exported?
France – being both successful at the Olympics and producing wine, sit at 100th in this ranking. Australia sits in lowly 83rd.
I cannot comprehend your wine stat. An export is something you produce and sell to others, so Australia and France should not display as 0 medals. Bahamas, listed fifth, isn’t a wine producer at all. Do you mean wine *imported*? Although that still would not make sense, as a glance at the shelves of any Australian bottle-o will show plenty of imported wine
The measure is medals per $1000 of wine exported. If you produce a lot of wine, you will inherently rate lower than a country that produces little wine but performs well.