The best athletes on the planet will congregate in France this summer to take part in the biggest carnival of sports in the world – the Olympic Games.
And just like the previous Games, this year's Olympics, which take place in July-August, will feel the impact of elements beyond the sporting arena.
The Tokyo Olympics was held in the shadows of a global pandemic. This time, it is the unrest due to heightened terrorism threats and ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza that is having an impact on Europe and the Games in particular.
The hope is that it will be an incident-free Paris Olympics, remembered for the right reasons, especially when it comes to planning and efficiency.
The cost of hosting any Olympic Games is regularly questioned, given that it routinely spirals out of control. But this time, only two new permanent venues have been built for Paris 2024 to make the event cost-effective.
Almost all events are set to take place at existing venues or in front of temporary stands. For example, beach volleyball will be played in front of the Eiffel Tower, archery at the Invalides monument, skateboarding is set to place at Place de la Concorde, and the Chateau de Versailles will host the equestrian events.
In all, around 200,000 seats are being installed at the temporary venues.
There are other significant moves afoot. Athletics is set to become the first sport to offer prize money to Olympic champions. The 48 gold medallists in Paris this year will earn $50,000 each, ending a 128-year tradition.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said there had been no discussion with the International Olympic Committee, but stated that his organisation had informed the IOC about the $2.4 million prize pot.
As we count down to the start of the Paris Games – on July 24 with the opening ceremony two days later – here is what you can expect.
Paris Olympics 2024 venues
Aquatics Centre
Events: Water polo, diving, artistic swimming; Capacity: 5,000
Bercy Arena
Events: Artistic gymnastics, basketball, trampoline; Capacity: 15,000
Champ de Mars Arena
Events: Judo, wrestling; Capacity: 9,000
Chateau de Versailles
Events: Equestrian, pentathlon; Capacity: 80,000
Chateauroux Shooting Centre
Events: Shooting; Capacity: 3,000
Eiffel Tower Stadium
Events: Beach volleyball; Capacity: 12,000
Elancourt Hill
Events: Cycling mountain bike; Capacity: 25,000
Bordeaux Stadium
Events: Football; Capacity: 42,000
La Beaujoire Stadium (Nantes)
Events: Football; Capacity: 35,000
Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium (St Etienne)
Events: Football; Capacity: 42,000
Parc des Princes
Events: Football; Capacity: 50,000
Lyon Stadium
Events: Football; Capacity: 60,000
Marseille Stadium (Stade Velodrome)
Events: Football; Capacity: 68,000
Nice Stadium (Stade de Nice)
Events: Football; Capacity: 35,000
Grand Palais
Events: Fencing, taekwondo; Capacity: 8,000
Hotel de Ville
Events: Marathon
Invalides
Events: Archery, marathon, cycling; Capacity: 8,000
Parc Urbain La Concorde
Events: 3x3 basketball, breakdancing, BMX, skateboarding; Capacity: 30,000
Le Bourget
Events: Sport Climbing; Capacity: 5,000
Le Golf National
Events: Golf; Capacity: 35,000
Marseille Marina
Events: Sailing; Capacity: 5,000
North Paris Arena
Events: Boxing, pentathlon; Capacity: 6,000
Paris La Defense Arena
Events: Swimming, water polo; Capacity: 15,000
Pierre Mauroy Stadium
Events: Basketball, handball; Capacity: 26,000
Pont Alexandre III
Events: Cycling, marathon swimming, triathlon; Capacity: 1,000
Porte de la Chapelle Arena
Events: Badminton, rhythmic gymnastics; Capacity: 8,000
Roland Garros
Events: Tennis, boxing; Capacity: 36,000
Saint-Quentin Velodrome
Events: Cycling, BMX; Capacity: 5,000
South Paris Arena
Events: Handball, weightlifting, table tennis, volleyball; Capacity: 6,000
Stade de France
Events: Athletics, rugby sevens, closing ceremony; Capacity: 77,000
Tahiti
Events: Surfing; Capacity: 5,000
Trocadero
Events: Athletics, road cycling; Capacity: 13,000
Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium
Events: Canoe, rowing; Capacity: 22,000
Yves-du-Manoir Stadium
Events: Hockey; Capacity: 15,000
Events
The 2024 Olympics will feature 329 events in 33 sports, including the 28 "core" Olympic events. Breakdancing is set to make its Olympic debut as an optional sport, while skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing return from the 2020 Tokyo roster.
How to watch Olympic Games in the UAE
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be shown on beIN Sports in the UAE and Mena region.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%208
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041mm%2C%20352%20x%20430%3B%2045mm%2C%20396%20x%20484%3B%20Retina%20LTPO%20OLED%2C%20up%20to%201000%20nits%2C%20always-on%3B%20Ion-X%20glass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20S8%2C%20W3%20wireless%2C%20U1%20ultra-wideband%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2032GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20watchOS%209%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHealth%20metrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203rd-gen%20heart%20rate%20sensor%2C%20temperature%20sensing%2C%20ECG%2C%20blood%20oxygen%2C%20workouts%2C%20fall%2Fcrash%20detection%3B%20emergency%20SOS%2C%20international%20emergency%20calling%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GPS%2FGPS%20%2B%20cellular%3B%20Wi-Fi%2C%20LTE%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP6X%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%2050m%2C%20dust%20resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20308mAh%20Li-ion%2C%20up%20to%2018h%2C%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eSIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinishes%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aluminium%20%E2%80%93%20midnight%2C%20Product%20Red%2C%20silver%2C%20starlight%3B%20stainless%20steel%20%E2%80%93%20gold%2C%20graphite%2C%20silver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Watch%20Series%208%2C%20magnetic-to-USB-C%20charging%20cable%2C%20band%2Floop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starts%20at%20Dh1%2C599%20(41mm)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C999%20(45mm)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
If%20you%20go
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