All the Google Doodles for Paris 2024 Olympics explained

Surfing, breaking and climbing have all been featured, with more added throughout the Games

The August 11 Google Doodle marks the conclusion and closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Photo: Google

Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics

In what is becoming another established Olympics tradition, Google has started releasing its latest series of Doodles marking various sports throughout the Paris Games.

These are the seventh Games celebrated by Google, having started with Sydney 2000.

In addition to the sport-specific themes, expect to see other aspects of the competition highlighted from notable milestones to those celebrating the Olympic humanitarian and egalitarian values.

The Paris Olympics run until August 11. Here are all of this year's Google Doodles released so far.

July 26: Paris Olympics begin

The illustration of five birds on the Seine is a nod to the opening ceremony. Photo: Google

Google’s first Olympics-themed doodle during this year's event pays homage to the grand sporting competition and host city. The image has five birds showcasing different Olympic sports on the Seine, in homage to athletes' floating parade as part of the opening ceremony.

July 27: Skateboarding

Skateboarding is returning to this year's Games, following its Tokyo 2020 debut. Photo: Google

For the first day of the competition after the opening ceremony, Google highlighted the skateboarding event taking place at Place de La Concorde.

The Doodle highlights the acrobatic twists and turns of the sport, which made its debut at Tokyo 2020, which took place in 2021 due to Covid-19.

July 28: Football

Football is back on the global stage, with games kicking off two days before the opening ceremony. Photo: Google

With football one of the few competitions kicking off before the opening ceremony, the popular sport shined with its own Doodle of two birds playing the game on a Parisian street corner.

July 29 to 30: Artistic gymnastics

The balance beam represents one of the most-watched contests of the Games. Photo: Google

To mark one of the most fierce competitions of the Games, an animated Doodle has a bird doing a flawless axle jump on a windowsill. As for the judge, a sophisticated house cat, the routine was rated a perfect 10.

July 31: French cultural figures and Olympic sports

Most Searched Playground is an interactive game. Photo: Google

Google launched the latest update of its Most Searched Playground, a game in which users try to spot as many features of Paris and the Olympics in a park. These include the city's landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Seine as well as the gymnastics and water polo.

August 1: Surfing

Surfing, depicted within a fountain in the Doodle, will actually be held on the beaches of French Polynesia. Photo: Google

After making its debut as part of Tokyo 2020, surfing is back. However, this time, the competition is being held on the beaches of Tahiti in French Polynesia. The Doodle features a sea turtle, a venerated animal in Tahitian mythology and considered a sign of good fortune and longevity.

August 1: Olympic diver Sammy Lee

The late Olympian Sammy Lee won back-to-back golds in diving. Photo: Google

The Doodle celebrates the career of diver Sammy Lee, who became the first Asian-American man to win a gold medal for Team USA (at the 1948 Olympics in London). He repeated the feat four years later at the Helsinki Games. Sammy Lee died in 2016 aged 96.

August 2 to 3: Sailing

Sailing at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Google

Sailing has been part of the Olympics since the inaugural competition in 1896. For this year's Games, the event takes place at the Marseille Marina in southern France. Running until August 8, this year's competitions include the men's and women's single-handed dinghy and the mixed-foiling catamaran races.

August 4: Rings

Male gymnasts take part in the rings at the Olympics. Photo: Google

Depicting the reverse butterfly, one of the most challenging moves on the rings at the artistic gymnastics competition, the animation pays tribute to the Olympic sport taking place at the Bercy Arena. The rings have been part of the Olympics since the inaugural games in 1896 in Athens.

August 5 to 6: Artistic swimming

The artistic swimming competition at the Paris Olympics is highlighted in a Google Doodle. Photo: Google

With three birds dancing in synchronised form in a water fountain in a Parisian park, the Google Doodle pays tribute to the artistic swimming competition. It is a combination of water acrobatics and music. Contested in both duet and team formats, the panel of judges base their scores on several criteria, including the level of difficulty, artistry, synchronisation and execution.

August 7 to 8: Climbing

After making its debut in Tokyo, climbing is back on the schedule for Paris. Photo: Google

With the Google bird valiant striving to overcome a statue of its own image, the latest Doodle celebrates climbing. Returning for the second time, medals will be rewarded for competitions including speed climbing.

August 9 to 10: Breaking

Breaking is one of the new sports featured at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Google

A bird executing one of the main breakdancing moves "down rock" to a blaring boombox celebrates the new Olympic sport of breaking. Making its debut in Paris, the competition will take place on August 9 and 10 at outdoor venue La Concord and feature dancers from countries such as the US and Papua New Guinea.

August 11: Closing Ceremony

The August 11 Google Doodle marks the conclusion and closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Photo: Google

The conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics and its closing ceremony is being marked with a special Doodle. Set at the Stade de France, amid celebrations and fireworks, the doodle features the now-familiar bird standing on the highest of three podiums, merrily leaping and flailing its wings in victory. The two birds standing beside it on shorter pillars are less animated, but seem no less jovial, holding up bouquets. Other birds are cheering from the nearby rooftops and the Eiffel Tower looms in the background. The Doodle is a fun way to say au revoir to Paris Olympics, at least until the Paralympics begin at the end of the month.