The Olympics are the world’s most famous sports competition that will be taking place in Paris this year, but what sports should you watch? This article provides a quick guide to each sport and includes interviews with athletes in our school who participate in these events.
Track Sprinting – Zach Feit – Sophomore (100m, 200m, 110m Hurdles)
Me: What skills are required for your event?
Zach: You need to be fast and be able to go all out.
Me: How does an athlete do hurdles?
Zach: Despite popular belief, it is not about jumping over them. It’s more like an exaggerated step over the hurdle to go faster.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Zach: It is one of the most popular events. It is very interesting to see people go as fast as they can at an Olympic level.
Mid Distance – Michael Cera – Sophomore (800m 1600m)
Me: What skills are required for your event?
Michael: You need physical endurance, a high lactate threshold (ability to take pain), and the will to push your body past its limits.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Michael: It’s fun to see how fast people can run two laps, and the athlete’s form is so incredibly fluid that it is very amazing.
Long Distance – Max Kahn – Junior (1600m,3200m)
Me: What skills are required for your event?
Max: Endurance, strength, form, and mental fortitude.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Max: At a championship level, running becomes very tactical, with big-name athletes making calculated moves to outlast and outkick their opponents.
Javelin Throw – Ben Cholet – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required for your event?
Ben: The most obvious prerequisite for a javelin thrower is raw strength, but you need to coordinate and have good technique to do your best. It’s a balance of both of those.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Ben: The throwing events are the coolest out of all other events.
Discus Throw – Jonathan Spell – Sophmore
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Jonathan: Discus is really all about technique and explosive force. Even if you weren’t the biggest guy, you could still throw the discus about 60 feet with good form. All the power of the throw comes from your lower body, so you definitely would want to train your legs often.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Jonathan: I personally think it’s very interesting to watch the different techniques each person uses and how they affect their performance. Seeing the discus soar through the air can also be very satisfying.
Long and Triple Jump – Stephen Sun – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Stephen: Jumping events rely on speed, explosiveness, and technique. They all work together to get a good jump because you need speed to build up momentum, explosiveness to get a powerful jump, and technique to keep yourself stable to have good air time and landing.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Stephen: People should watch the long and triple jump during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games because it is incredible to see their talent and capability. Compared to what a high school athlete would see at one of their meets, it is drastically different in the Olympics.
High Jump – Jessica Tsang – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Jessica: Skills like flexibility, speed, vertical, and not being scared of the bar. Confidence is a big part.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Jessica: People should watch the event because it’s so cool to see what heights people can reach with the proper technique, and the high jump is an underrepresented sport.
Pole Vault – Christian Lim – Freshman
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Christian: Pole vaulting requires good form, and running faster is always better.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Christian: The pole vault is fun to watch. People fling themselves 20 feet with a giant pole, and Duplantes will probably set another world record by a centimeter or two.
Swimming – Nick Kahn – Freshman (500 and 200 Freestyle)
Me: What skills are required in your sport?
Kahn: Form, speed, and dedication.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Kahn: It’s amazing to watch how much dedication each swimmer puts in.
Relays – Jonah Caso – Senior (200 Freestyle Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Medley Relay)
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Jonah: Being part of a relay is a unique experience because in the relays, you get to work as a whole team instead of an individual, and instead of relying on just yourself, you have to make sure that your team is in the best shape possible so that everyone has to do well to succeed and I think that’s a cool thing about swimming.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Jonah: It is the only team event in swimming where people have to work together.
Diving – Zach Kahn – Senior
Me: What skills are required in your event?
Zach: Some essential skills include posture, takeoff, and water entry. You must also have a strong sense of courage because it can be very nerve-wracking when you’re 20 feet in the air.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Zach: People should watch diving because it’s a unique art. You watch many different sports, including racing, but in diving, you can see athletes perform in the air, have total control over their bodies, and still have to limit the splash they make at the end of the jump.
Rowing – Matthew LeVar – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required in your sport?
Matthew: Teamwork and timing. The ability to stay on time with the other members of your boat and pull consistently with each stroke is critical. Athletes have to have good stamina and be able to remain concentrated.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Matthew: People should watch rowing at the Olympics because rowing is a very impressive sport. Seeing those boats race through the water, one gaining a lead on the other, and then going back and forth for first place is very exciting. Most races end up being quite close, and the boat you are rooting for can have the chance to win until the very end.
Archery – Sophia Scerbo – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required in your sport?
Sophia: A skill required for archery is patience because it takes a lot of time to get the proper form and concentration when setting up your shot. You need to focus only on the target.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Sophia: People should watch archery during the 2024 Olympic Games because archery does not require much physical strength or athleticism, so many people of different ages and sizes compete together.
Tennis – Anders Czeiter – Sophomore
Me: What skills are required in your sport?
Andras: Good agility, ball control, arm muscles, leg muscles, and the ability to know where the ball goes, along with good reflexes.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Andras: Because skilled players in tennis are highly talented, and they put on a good show.
Rugby – Ben Cholet – Sophomore
Me: How does rugby work?
Ben: Rugby is basically nonstop football, as the clock always continues, and there are a few opportunities to execute a case-by-case strategy. Rugby is just as physical, but the only piece of gear is a helmet to prevent injury, and tackles are done differently. The ball can only be passed backward, and you must put it down to score any points, with a turnover kick just like football.
Me: Why should people watch your event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?
Ben: In my opinion, it’s the most entertaining sport in the Olympic Games.
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