The Philadelphian’s Guide to the Paris Olympics

In the summer of 1996, my family drove from New York to Lake Lanier, a man-made body of water about 35 miles northeast of Atlanta. There, the six of us set up our pop-up trailer and prepared to enjoy the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games.

We’d venture into the city every few days for whatever events my parents could afford — wrestling, early rounds of track and field, mountain biking — then return to the camper to huddle around a six-inch portable TV and experience history.

We watched Michael Johnson and his gold shoes become the first man to win both the 200 and 400 meters. We watched Kerri Strug limp across the gymnastics floor and drag the United States to victory. And we did it all on a TV screen smaller than the average iPhone.

When I watch the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad with my four-year-old and seven-year-old this summer,­ the experience will be — hmm — quite different.­

There’s the obvious, of course: The Olympics are taking place in Paris, and we will not be there.

Beyond that, NBC is adding more star power: Jimmy Fallon, Kelly Clarkson, and Philly’s own Kevin Hart will be on hand for some of the Games.

And there will be plenty of streaming opportunities and new ways to experience all of it — vicariously — here in Philly. Here’s everything you need to know. — Bradford Pearson

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Events and Contests Worth Watching in the Paris Olympics

With 32 sports and hundreds of medal events, there’s a lot to see. So we’ve narrowed it down for you. You’re welcome.

Opening Ceremony

Set for July 26th, the festivities will take place not in a stadium but on the River Seine, with the parade of 10,500 athletes traveling by boat — about 94 of them — from the Austerlitz bridge near the Jardin des Plantes to the Trocadéro for the finale. We suggest hosting a viewing party complete with takeout from French-Moroccan spot Sofi Corner in Midtown Village, so you can feel like you’re in Paris, too.

Women’s Gymnastics

The GOAT Simone Biles, who holds seven Olympic medals, will be there to show us how it’s done, along with her four teammates. There are six medal events — team, all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. If you want to spot Biles and other world-renowned gymnasts in person post-Olympiad, you can catch them in October during the Gold Over America tour at the Wells Fargo Center.

Men’s Basketball

Much of what makes the Olympics fun for viewers are the sports you don’t see all that often, so it would seem basketball might be a hard sell. Bear with us: The 76ers’ Joel Embiid, a dual citizen of France and the United States, has been named to our team of 12. There are reportedly some feelings in the French basketball community about this decision, but we trust the process.

Track and Field

The Penn Relays this year became a stop on the road to Paris for many track-and-field athletes, including women’s high-jump champion Vashti Cunningham. (You may have heard of her dad, Randall, the iconic Eagles quarterback.) Cunningham will be competing in her third Olympics, and we can’t wait to watch her latest journey. We’re also looking forward to seeing fan favorite Sha’Carri Richardson compete in the 100 meters. And with 48 medal events on the docket, there’s no shortage of other track-and-field events to view.

Beach Volleyball

There aren’t many local ties to beach volleyball, other than that we like to play it down the Shore. The gold-medal matches are set for August 9th and 10th at Eiffel Tower Stadium, a temporary outdoor arena erected in the shadow of the landmark.

Swimming

The women’s 400-meter freestyle, one of the most anticipated­ competitions, could see Rio Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky take on Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus of Australia and 17-year-old Summer McIntosh of Canada.­ (They’re the three fastest­ women in history at this event.) Then there’s the men’s 100-meter butterfly, with seven-time Olympic gold medal-­winner Caeleb Dressel. And we’ll be rooting for open-water swimmer Ivan Puskovitch, who grew up in West Chester, as he competes­ in the men’s 10-kilometer­ marathon. He’s just the fifth American ever to qualify for this event in the Olympics.

Closing Ceremony

Still in the game? Then tune in for the final fête on August 11th, held at the Stade de France. The last of the medals will be awarded, French performers will take the stage, volunteers will be honored, and you’ll be treating yourself for all your viewing efforts with a French pastry from Machine Shop in East Passyunk. — Kristen Schott

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The Paris Olympics By the Numbers

44 Years

The Philly-based Comcast-NBC family of networks has been in charge of the Summer Olympics since 1988 and will continue to run the show through at least the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia.

5,000

The hours of live events Peacock will stream this year.

329

Total medal events across the 17-day competition.

7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Peacock’s daily program Gold Zone will bounce viewers from sport to sport from morning till evening, showcasing the most exciting moments live. Prefer to stick with a sport? Click a prompt on-screen to do just that.

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Where to Train Like an Olympian in Philly

Inspired by the Summer Olympics? Go for the gold around town with our picks. Keep reading …

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Local Talent

We caught up with two local Olympic athletes to see what drives them.

Justin Best

Sport: Rowing
Age: 26
Event: Men’s four
Last thing he did in Philly: Dine at Bar Hygge when visiting brother Darren, who lives in Fairmount.

Justin Best says he likes to row angry, but you’d never know it from his good-natured demeanor. “I feel like I’m at my best when that happens,” says the Drexel grad, who grew up in Kennett Square, was introduced to the sport at age 14, and likes to listen to rock music to amp himself up pre-contest. Best currently lives in the Bay Area and will be competing in the men’s four along with Nick Mead, Liam Corrigan and Michael Grady, all of whom also appeared in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Those, you may recall, actually took place in 2021 due to the pandemic.) Best says he learned some lessons from that experience — namely, to be smart about distractions. “You could fill up your day with stuff at the Olympic Village,” he says, “but you have to know where your schedule will put you in terms of recovery and maintaining mental clarity.” A distraction he’s not planning to partake in this year is the Opening Ceremony; it’s too close to his heats, which begin July 28th. Something he’s excited about: This time, his parents, who still live in Kennett Square, can attend. Another perk? Exploring Paris and the South of France after the contests — hopefully with a medal. Whether or not he makes the podium, he longs for fulfillment. “When I’ve taken my last stroke at the Games, I want to feel that I’ve done literally everything in my power to facilitate a good performance,” he says. “I’ll know internally if I did it.”

Amy Wang

Sport: Table Tennis
Age: 21
Events: Singles and team
Last thing she did in Philly: Headed to Chinatown with her family to find somewhere new to eat.

Amy Wang has only played “regular”­ tennis a few times in her life. “It’ll mess up my stroke,” says the Sewell, New Jersey, native. And we wouldn’t want any of that ahead of her Olympic debut in the women’s singles and team table-tennis competitions. If she wins, the U.S. Table Tennis team would earn the first Olympic medal in its history. Wang got her start at age four — while also dabbling in piano and dance. But by the time she was 12, table tennis was her focus. Today, the UCLA student is known as an attacker in the sport — she plays close to the table, with control and aggression — though her expression remains ever stoic. Inside, she says, she gets nervous but tries to focus on the game to come while listening to piano music beforehand. Wang will go to Paris a week or so ahead of the Games to see the facilities and get her bearings. (She’s also booking time to explore the city with her family.) And yes, she’s going to the opening and closing ceremonies. “We’re gonna be on boats,” she says with glee, adding that she hopes to meet the NBA and tennis players, plus gymnasts — Simone Biles, specifically: “I look forward to watching the other athletes and learning from their fighting spirit.” — K.S.

 

Published as “Good Sports!” in the July 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.