Olympic Games in the most beautiful places in Paris. These are the Olympic splinters from the last day before the opening ceremony.
25.07.2024, 15:38
25.07.2024, 15:52
SDA
"The most beautiful place"
The athletes in Paris are aiming high, and that also applies to the Swiss beach volleyball players, who start the tournament at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Saturday. The temporary stadium is located directly in front of the city's 300-meter-high landmark. Nina Brunner was impressed by the setting after the first training session: "It's a dream, probably the most beautiful place we've all ever played on," enthused the Zug native, who is aiming for a medal together with Tanja Hüberli.
Wawrinka, "the old man"
In 2008 in Beijing, Stan Wawrinka became Olympic doubles champion together with Roger Federer, and four years later in London he was allowed to carry the Swiss flag into the stadium at the opening ceremony. In Paris, the Vaud native is taking part in the Summer Games for the third time. He is therefore something like the big brother of the Swiss delegation. "You just didn't want to say I was the old man," the tennis player laughs at himself. "I'm very happy that I still have this chance at the age of 39." A wildcard has made it possible for Wawrinka to make his comeback under the sign of the Olympic rings after twelve years.
The fastest policewoman
Elena Hartmann "inherited" the place of Marlen Reusser. The 33-year-old from Graubünden, a police officer by profession, will be riding full throttle through Paris on a time trial bike on Saturday. At the media meeting, she naturally has to put up with the question of whether she has already paid speeding fines. She denies this, but reveals herself to be a parking offender.
Cheers to the metro
The streets of Paris are chronically congested, especially in the city center. In contrast to the large boulevards and ring roads, it is difficult or even impossible to set up a separate Olympic lane here. As the Swiss beach volleyball players Tanja Hüberli/Nina Brunner and Esmée Böbner/Zoé Vergé-Dépré experienced that this takes a very long time when traveling to training at the Eiffel Tower, they opted for the metro for their meeting with the media. The metro takes just over 20 minutes to reach the Maison Suisse at the Swiss Embassy without changing trains.
Ponti with the jackpot
Rafael Nadal is one of the most sought-after subjects in the Olympic Village. Everyone knows the Spanish tennis superstar, everyone wants a photo or an autograph. And the 38-year-old Mallorcan is patient and approachable. Noè Ponti has hit the jackpot. The bronze medal swimmer from Ticino in Tokyo 2021 immortalized himself alongside Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, his legitimate successor and French Open winner from two months ago. Ponti showed himself beaming with the two of them on Instagram. Nadal and Alcaraz, who is 17 years younger, will play singles and doubles together in Paris.
"The Ingebritz"
Norway's Olympic song is sung by Jakob Ingebrigtsen (23) with his brothers Filip (31) and Henrik (33). The three runners call themselves "The Ingebritz" and the song, produced by Norwegian television, is called "Ingen gjör det bedre", which means "Nobody does it better". Jakob Ingebrigtsen won gold in the 1500 m three years ago. In Paris, he is the favorite to win gold in the 1500 m and 5000 m.
