Page 5 - Paris

Paris Olympics 2024: Security thins out tourists, business down 50%

Many are hoping that tourists will flood back after the restrictions are eased, but Paris trade organizations warned that more than 1,000 entrepreneurs would struggle to recoup losses

With AI, jets, police squadrons, Paris secures Olympics, worrying critics

A year ago, the head of the Paris Olympics boldly declared that France's capital would be "the safest place in the world" when the Games open this Friday. Tony Estanguet's confident forecast looks less far-fetched now with squadrons of police patrolling Paris' streets, fighter jets and soldiers primed to scramble, and imposing metal-fence security barriers erected like an iron curtain on both sides of the River Seine that will star in the opening show. France's vast police and military operation is in large part because the July 26-Aug. 11 Games face unprecedented security challenges. The city has repeatedly suffered deadly extremist attacks and international tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Rather than build an Olympic park with venues grouped together outside of the city center, like Rio de Janeiro in 2016 or London in 2012, Paris has chosen to host many of the events in the heart of the bustling capital of 2 million inhabitants, with others dotted around

Sports Ministry's TOPS to finance Prannoy's trainer during Paris Olympics

The Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved Olympic-bound shuttler HS Prannoy's proposal for financial assistance towards his trainer Rohan George Mathews during his stay at Paris. The ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) will finance Mathews' airfare, boarding and lodging, daily fees, visa fee, expenditure for miscellaneous expenses such as local transportation and medical expenditure and will also provide him an OPA for the duration. Prannoy are Lakshya Sen are only the two shuttlers to represent India in men's singles badminton event at the Paris Games. Besides Prannoy, the MOC also approved proposals of athletes Vikash Singh, Suraj Panwar, Ankita Dhyani, Sarvesh Kushare and shooter Anantjeet Singh Naruka for assistance towards various equipment for training and competition. The MOC also approved the proposal of Indian rifle shooter Rudrankksh Patil for financial assistance towards training in Serbia for 50m 3P event for a period of 20 days. Rudrankk

Paris Olympics 2024: French troops secure River Seine for opening ceremony

French soldiers and police are being deployed both in and along the River Seine to make it safe during the grandiose opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, when thousands of athletes will sail down the river at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. The unprecedented decision to use a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) stretch of the Seine as a spectacular stage for the July 26 ceremony in front of a 320,000-strong crowd has created a huge challenge for security services, who will need to ensure the safety of Olympians and spectators alike. French authorities said 45,000 police officers and gendarmes are being deployed for the occasion, as well as 10,000 soldiers of the so-called Sentinelle military operation. A specially-created battalion has been tasked to secure the embarkation zone for athletes located along Paris' eastern portion of the river. The battalion's mission includes the full protection of the area, the boats and the attendees, in close coordination with other security forces. This ...

Paris Mayor Hidalgo swims in Seine to show it's safe for Olympic races

Several swimming clubs that had gathered to watch Hidalgo dive in were enthusiastic about the possibility of a swim. A huge line quickly formed to go in the water

Olympic Games 2024: 60% surge in visa applications for Paris from India

Paris' iconic landmarks and Olympic venues are expected to draw millions

CAPF & special forces canine squad in France for Olympics venue security

Ten specially-trained Indian CAPF and special commando force dogs are in France to provide a counter-terrorist and anti-sabotage security cover to various venues of the Paris Olympics slated to open next week, official sources said on Wednesday. The ten Indian K9 (canine) teams will undertake sniffing and patrolling duties at various venues that will hold events for the Paris Olympics. They have been given a special 10-week training for this first-ever kind of collaboration of canine squads between the Indian and the French government, a security officer told PTI. The teams along with their handlers are drawn from the central armed police forces (CAPFs) like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force apart from the elite federal contingency commando force National Security Guard (NSG) and the Assam Rifles. The dogs are from the sturdy Belgian Malinois breed which undertake infantry patrol and anti-sabotage sniffer task

Paris 2024: Can Indian wrestlers deliver or medal winning legacy under risk

Indian wrestlers have delivered a medal every single time at the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing edition. Success in four consecutive editions has enhanced the status of wrestling as a prime Olympic sport in the country. There was success at junior level too. The sport also produced U23 world champions. It raised hopes of big success in Paris. It was Sushil Kumar who changed the way wrestling was perceived in the country by winning a bronze in 2008. He bettered his medal four years later in the London Games, where he fetched a silver. While Yogeshwar Dutt also won a bronze in the British capital. Sakshi Malik carried forward the trend by bagging a bronze in Rio in 2016 and Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia made it a double delight in the delayed Tokyo Games (2021). However, the sport which was soaring high and was expected to reach even greater heights, was brought down to earth by the prolonged protests against then Wrestling Federation of India chief by the country's elite ...

Olympics-bound javelin thrower Jena says nearly quit sports last year

Asian Games silver medallist javelin thrower Kishore Jena says he was on verge of quitting the sport in 2023 after a string of poor performances but he heeded to his father's advice, leading to a revival of his career. Jena admitted that Neeraj Chopra's Tokyo Olympics gold medal motivated him to achieve more in his sport but he found it difficult to get the big throws and thought of quitting the sport in July last year just before the World Championships. "When Neeraj won at the Olympics, we celebrated and enjoyed his victory. But honestly, the victory also left me dejected because I too was playing the same sport. I felt it was time for me to achieve something in sports," Jena said. "I participated in Lebanon National Championships after a dip in my rankings and produced a throw of 78m. Despite giving it my all, I couldn't achieve much. I started doubting if all the hard work was worth it. I called my father, who encouraged me to participate in next competition in Sri Lanka," he sa

Breakers weigh pressure, excitement as they make their Olympic debut

Logan Edra knows her journey to securing a spot as one of the breakers on the U.S. team heading to the Olympics took longer than some expected. The 21-year-old Filipina American didn't officially qualify for the Paris Games until last month. It was the last competition for her to earn an Olympic spot despite being of one of the world's best breakers more commonly referred to as breakdancers. As much as we have people around us that are encouraging or part of the hype, it's still a lonely journey. No one really knows what you're going through except for you, said Edra, who is ranked No. 14 in the world and had a meteoric rise on the global breaking scene since 2018. She was expected to defend her championship at the 2022 Red Bull BC One World Final in New York, but was beat out in the intense final round by India Dewi (b-girl India) from the Netherlands before dominating in the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest in June. With all the anticipation around breaking officially debuti

Paris Olympics: Neeraj Chopra's gold boosts athletic budget by over 1600%

Paris Olympics: Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will lead a 28-member contingent of athletes at the Paris Olympics, in which a total of 118 Indians will participate

Team Mongolia's uniforms for 2024 Paris Olympics has netizens in chokehold

Team Mongolia's stunning uniforms in Paris Olympics parade 2024 designed by local label 'Michel & Amazonka' is grabbing headlines. The progressive fashion brands are run by two sisters

Olympics 2024: What to know, who to watch in men's basketball competition

A roadmap to follow for the men's basketball competition during the Paris Olympics: ATHLETES TO WATCH: LeBron James, United States: The NBA's all-time scoring leader seeks his third Olympic gold medal (2008, 2012) and returns to the Games for the first time in 12 years. At 39, James presumably is playing in his final Olympics. Kevin Durant, United States: He is seeking to become the first four-time men's basketball gold medalist, after helping the U.S. win gold at Tokyo in 2021, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and London in 2012. Victor Wembanyama, France: The NBA rookie of the year and runner-up for defensive player of the year (behind French teammate Rudy Gobert) will be one of the faces of the Paris Games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada: The runner-up in this season's NBA MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic of Serbia (another likely Olympic player this summer) will be asked to help deliver Canada a medal. It's not out of reach, as proven by Canada's bronze at the World Cup last summer. Ste

Olympics 2024: What to know, who to watch during wrestling competition

A roadmap to follow for the wrestling competition at the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch: Hassan Yazdani, Iran: Nicknamed The Greatest, Yazdani was a gold medalist at 74 kilograms in 2016. He lost to David Taylor in the gold medal match in the 86-kilogram division in Tokyo. Taylor isn't competing in Paris, possibly clearing a way for Yazdani to return to the top. Taha Akgul, Turkey: A 2016 gold medalist, Akgul was among those who lost to American Gable Steveson at the Tokyo Games. He beat Georgia's Geno Petriashvili, the silver medalist in Tokyo, at the European Championships earlier this year. With Steveson not returning, Akgul could emerge victorious in the 125-kilogram class. Kennedy Blades, United States. The dynamic 20-year-old beat Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Adeline Gray at the U.S. trials and is competing in the women's 76-kilogram freestyle division. Helen Maroulis, United States. She is aiming to become the first American women's wrestler to win three Olympic medals.

Paris Olympics: What to know, who to watch during men's, women's handball

A roadmap to follow for the men's and women's handball competition during the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch: Mikkel Hansen, Denmark: With his shoulder-length hair and headband, the powerful left back is one of the most familiar faces in Danish sports. A three-time men's world player of the year, a record he shares with longtime rival Nikola Karabatic, Hansen enters the tournament as a world champion. Hansen's only Olympic gold came eight years ago in Rio de Janeiro. Paris will be the last chance for the 36-year-old five-time Olympian to add a second. He is retiring after the Paris Games. Yahia Omar, Egypt: The right back will stay in Paris whatever happens at the Olympics because he's signed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain until 2027. The 26-year-old was one of Egypt's best players when the Pharaohs achieved a national-best fourth-place finish three years ago. Nikola Karabatic, France: The elder of the Karabatic brothers Luka is the younger one the 40-year-old Nikola is one o

Paris Olympics: What to know, who to watch during badminton competition

A roadmap to follow for the badminton competition during the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch: Beiwen Zhang, United States: After winning the women's singles gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, the 33-year-old is the best shot at the first American badminton medal at the Olympics since its debut as a medal event in 1992. Born in China, Zhang moved to Singapore as a teenager in 2007 and has represented the U.S. internationally since 2013. Viktor Axelsen, Denmark: Axelsen was Europe's only medalist (gold) in Tokyo three years ago, and he was the top qualifier for Paris. At 30, this will be his third Olympics; he won bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Chen Yu Fei, China: The defending women's singles champion led China to a tournament win in May and finished behind only An Se-young of South Korea in the Paris qualification rankings. Storylines to Follow: The U.S. mixed doubles team of Vinson Chiu and Jennie Gai qualified at the Pan Am Games. It still will be an uphill climb for the

Paris Olympics: What to know, who to watch during weightlifting competition

A roadmap to follow during weightlifting competition at the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch: Hampton Morris, United States: At 20, the Marietta, Georgia, native will be the youngest American weightlifter to compete at the Olympics since Cheryl Haworth in 2000. Morris broke the clean and jerk 61-kilogram world record by lifting 388 pounds (176 kilograms) at a World Cup event in Thailand earlier this year. Lasha Talakhadze, Georgia: Having set 26 world records over the course of his career, the 30-year-old back-to-back Olympic champion in the heaviest weight class is returning to try for a three-peat. He's back after missing the European championships earlier this year because of a knee injury. Maude Charron, Canada: The 64kg gold medalist in Tokyo is again one of the top contenders, now in the 59kg division. The 31-year-old from Quebec is just one of five Canadians men or women to win an Olympic medal in the sport. Yekta Jamali, Refugee Team: From Iran initially, she fled to ..

Paris Olympics: What to know, who to watch during water polo competition

A roadmap to follow for the water polo competition at the Paris Games: Athletes to WatchMaggie Steffens, United States: The decorated attacker was banged up at the Tokyo Olympics, but she still helped the U.S. to an unprecedented third consecutive gold medal. She is the highest scoring woman in Olympics history with 56 goals. Alvaro Granados, Spain: The 25-year-old Granados rallied Spain to a dramatic 11-10 victory over Croatia in January for the country's first European championship. He scored a team-high 18 goals when Spain finished fourth at the Tokyo Games. Simone van de Kraats, Netherlands: One of the leaders for the high-scoring Dutch, the 23-year-old van de Kraats poured in a tournament-high 28 goals in her first Olympics in Tokyo. She powered the Netherlands to the world championship last year for its biggest title since it won gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Marko Bijac, Croatia: The goalkeeper remains one of the best in the world. He won silver at the 2016 Olympics,

Paris 2024: What to know, who to watch during modern pentathlon competition

A roadmap to follow for the modern pentathlon competition at the Paris Games: Athletes to WatchJoe Choong, Britain: Modern pentathlon's star athlete won gold at the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and followed it up with two world titles. Last year, he won the world championship title in his home city of Bath, England. Elena Micheli, Italy: After winning the last two women's world championship gold medals, the 25-year-old Micheli is looking for her first Olympic medal after placing just 33rd last time in Tokyo. Storylines to FollowA chance to watch the ultimate all-round athletes in Paris. Probably the quirkiest sport at the Olympics, modern pentathlon challenges athletes to swim, run, fence, ride an unfamiliar horse and shoot a laser pistol. The Palace of Versailles is the setting for the semifinals and finals. The men's and women's final will each be contested in a 90-minute format designed to be more fan friendly than previous day-long competitions. After 112 years on the Olympi

Paris 2024: What to know, who to watch during sport climbing competition

A roadmap to follow for the sport climbing competition at the Paris Games: Athletes to WatchJanja Garnbret, Slovenia: The eight-time world champion and reigning Olympic champion has been the most dominant climber in the sport. Sam Watson, United States: The 18-year-old speed-climbing specialist qualified for Paris by winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games. Aleksandra Miroslaw, Poland: She set the women's speed-climbing world record at the final in the Tokyo Games and lowered that mark seven other times since then. Sorato Anraku, Japan: The 17-year-old Anraku is the top-ranked athlete in lead and boulder. Jakob Schubert, Austria: The six-time world champion won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Storylines to FollowThe 25-year-old Janja Garnbret has been one of the sport's greatest stars and will try to repeat her Olympic gold from Tokyo. She has attracted attention for speaking out about how eating disorders have hurt athletes who believe staying skinny is the only