Cairo is the first stop on an important four-stop tour for artists hoping to get quota slots for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. The first leg of the artistic gymnastics series, which is set to take place in Cairo from February 15–18, will begin in less than six months and has seen an incredible spike in participation, almost tripling from the previous year’s edition to a daunting field of nearly 300 participants.
The increased excitement highlights the fiercer rivalry and excitement around this important occasion, indicating a higher level of expectation for the road ahead to Paris 2024.
There’s a tangible sense of excitement among the artistic gymnastics community as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games approach in just six months. Prominent sportsmen who haven’t yet guaranteed their places in the tournament are under pressure.
Artistic gymnastics: Gymnasts must send clear message
It’s time for gymnasts from countries where a full five-person team has already qualified or where individual spots have been secured to shine and send a clear message to their national federations: ‘Select me, choose me.’ This selection process is a gripping story that is playing out in the gymnastics world because the stakes are high and there is a clear desire to represent their countries on the big stage.
The first competition in Egypt is drawing near, which will lead to the next match in Cottbus, Germany (22–25 February) and the exciting visit to Baku, Azerbaijan (7-9 March), and finally, the grand finale in Doha, Qatar (17–20 April). Olympics.com carefully selects the main plots to enthrall fans all around the world.
These events promise an exciting trip, starting with the energetic and lively performance by Egypt and ending with the technical mastery in Cottbus and the confluence of cultures in Baku. Prepare yourself for an international spectacle as the best athletes in the world come together to create a lasting legacy on the route to Doha, the destination of excellence’s crescendo.
Over the course of 18 days of competition in the French city and other locations, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will include 3,800 hours of live events and award 329 gold medals in 32 different sports.
The Paris 2024 Olympics will officially begin on July 26, with an opening ceremony. Rather than being held in a stadium, the grand opening ceremony will be held along the Seine River for this year’s Games.
However, the official start of sporting events will be on July 24, days prior to the opening ceremony, with events in football, rugby sevens, handball, and archery.
What’s new for Paris 2024
Breaking is the only new sport scheduled for the 2024 Olympics. This dance form had its start in the 1970s in the Bronx in New York, but it has since developed into a competitive sport. This sport will not be seen in Paris until the latter part of the Games; the men’s event is scheduled for August 10 and the women’s for August 9. There will be 32 competitors in total—16 males and 16 women—who will fight for the medals.
Furthermore, karate and baseball/softball were eliminated from the Olympics this year, despite their inclusion in Tokyo three years ago.
Additionally, Kayak Cross will make its premiere. It’s similar to canoe slalom, but instead of racing against the clock, each heat sets four participants against one another.
The sailing competition now includes two new kite events: kiteboarding and windsurfer-iQFoil. Moreover, men will compete in artistic swimming for the first time in Olympic history, and a team acrobatic routine round will make its debut.
Olympic prize money
The World Athletics has declared that it will be the inaugural international federation to present cash prizes during the Olympic Games. The international governing body announced that a total reward fund of $2.4 million (£1.9 million) has been made available for the Olympics in Paris this summer. The gold medal winners will receive $50,000 (£39,400).
Russian and Belarusian athletes
Athletes from Belarus and Russia may compete as Individual Neutral Athletes, or AIN.The International Olympic Committee has announced that they will not be participating in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics as well.
Dates to remember
Opening ceremony: July 26, River Seine
Archery: July 25 to August 4, Invalides
Artistic gymnastics: July 25 to August 4, Bercy Arena
Artistic swimming: August 5-10, Bercy Arena
Athletics: August 1-11, Stade de France (track & field), Trocadero (race walks), Invalides (marathons)
Badminton: July 27 to August 5, La Chapelle Arena
3×3 Basketball: July 30 to August 5, La Concorde
Basketball: July 27 to August 11, Pierre Mauroy Stadium (group phase) & Bercy Arena (finals)
Beach volleyball: July 27 to August 10, Eiffel Tower Stadium
Boxing: July 27 to August 10, North Paris Arena & Roland-Garros Stadium
Breaking: August 9-10, La Concorde
Canoe slalom: July 27 to August 5, Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium – White water
Canoe sprint: August 6-10, Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium – Flat water
Cycling BMX: July 30 to August 2, La Concorde (freestyle), BMX Stadium (racing)
Cycling mountain bike: July 28-29, Elancourt Hill
Cycling road: July 27 to August 4, Pont Alexandre III (time trials), Trocadero (road races)
Cycling track: August 5-11, National Velodrome
Diving: July 27 to August 10, Aquatics Centre
Equestrian: July 27 to August 6, Chateau de Versailles
Fencing: July 27 to August 4, Grand Palais
Football: July 24 to August 10, Bordeaux Stadium, Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, La Beaujoire Stadium, Lyon Stadium, Marseille Stadium, Nice Stadium & Parc de Princes (finals)
Golf: August 1-10, Le Golf National
Handball: July 25 to August 11, South Paris Arena (group stage), Pierre Mauroy Stadium (knockout phase)
Hockey: July 27 to August 9, Yves-du-Manoir Stadium
Judo: July 27 to August 3, Champ-de-Mars Arena
Marathon swimming: August 8-9, Pont Alexandre III
Modern pentathlon: August 8-11, North Paris Arena (ranking round), Chateau de Versailles
Rhythmic gymnastics: August 8-10, La Chapelle Arena
Rowing: July 27 to August 3, Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium – Flat water
Rugby sevens: July 24-30, Stade de France
Sailing: July 28 to August 8, Marseille Marina
Shooting: July 27 to August 5, Chateauroux Shooting Centre
Skateboarding: July 27 to August 7, La Concorde
Sport climbing: August 5-10, Le Bourget Climbing Venue
Surfing: July 27 to August 4, Teahupo’o, Tahiti
Swimming: July 27 to August 4, Paris La Defense Arena
Table tennis: July 27 to August 10, South Paris Arena
Taekwondo: August 7-10, Grand Palais
Tennis: July 27 to August 4, Roland Garros
Trampoline gymnastics: August 2, Bercy Arena
Triathlon: July 30 to August 5, Pont Alexandre III
Volleyball: July 27 to August 11, South Paris Arena
Water polo: July 27 to August 11, Aquatics Centre, Paris La Defense Arena
The World Athletics Continental Tour Gold assumes a central role as the Tokyo Olympics (July 26–August 11, 2024) approach. Twelve events spread over five continents will feature fierce competition among athletes from all around the world, including Olympic champions and up-and-coming talent.
These events offer the opportunity to earn significant prize money in addition to World Athletics ranking points. Athletes compete not only for glory but also for the coveted qualification spot for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, raising the stakes considerably. Prepare yourself for an exciting global display of athletic prowess and perseverance.
Join the World Athletics Continental Tour, which consists of four exciting divisions: Challenger Meets, Silver, Bronze, and Gold. While the Silver, Bronze, and Challenger tournaments provide valuable ranking points for the path to Paris 2024, the Gold Tour is the ultimate and offers the maximum points for Olympic qualification.
Athletes compete fiercely to win glory on the international scene, and each level brings a different complexity to the game. Prepare for the ultimate road towards your Olympic aspirations and victories in 2024 in Paris.
As the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold 2024 gets underway on February 15 at Melbourne, Australia’s Maurie Plant Meet, get ready. Athletes take a two-month rest following this heart-pounding start before the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 14, 2024. Taking a break now will help prepare for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, which will take place from March 1–March 3, 2024. Athletes vying for the coveted indoor title will face a fierce season of talent and rivalry!
Gold Coast Athletics World Athletics Continental Tour Schedule
The FBK Games and Gyulai István Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix will kick off your athletic adventure in July, and they will prepare you for the ultimate competition, the Memorial Borisa Hanžekovića in Zagreb, Croatia, on September 8, 2024. Come experience an exciting display of international athletic brilliance that will end with a victory and skill celebration on the bright grounds of Zagreb. Don’t pass on this incredible show.
Date
Event
Location
February 15, 2024
Maurie Plant Meet
Melbourne, Australia
April 14, 2024
Botswana Golden Grand Prix
Gaborone, Botswana
April 20, 2024
Kip Keino Classic
Nairobi, Kenya
May 18, 2024
USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix
Los Angeles, United States
May 19, 2024
Seiko Golden Grand Prix
Tokyo, Japan
May 28, 2024
Ostrava Golden Spike
Czech Republic
June 9, 2024
USATF New York City Grand Prix
New York, United States
June 18, 2024
Paavo Nurmi Games
Turku, Finland
June 21, 2024
Irena Szewinska Memorial
Bydgoszcz, Poland
July 7, 2024
FBK Games
Hengelo, Netherlands
July 9, 2024
Gyulai István Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix
The Russian and Belarusian athletes are now facing a crisis as the European Gymnastics just voted against their participation in the upcoming competitions.
FIG uplifts ban
After Russia and Belarus invaded Ukraine in 2022, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) barred their gymnasts from competing in any international competitions/Olympic-qualifying events, slimming their chances to qualify for the Summer Olympics in Paris next year.
But this decision was reversed in July of this year, as reported by Jonathan Crane of DW.
NEW: The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has decided to lift its ban on Russian and Belarusian gymnasts.
They'll be allowed to return to competition as neutrals from January 1, if they adhere to the FIG's as yet unpublished "Ad-hoc Rules" used to determine neutrality.
Following the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) recommendations, the FIG decided to withdraw the suspension and allow the Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to compete starting January 1st, so long as they complied with its “ad hoc rules.”
Gymnasts were thus allowed to take part in Olympic qualifying events as long as they joined the competitions as “individual neutral athletes,” did not actively support the war, or had no direct military affiliation.
Although this is the case, the FIG added that the IOC will ultimately have the last word regarding their eligibility for the Olympics.
The president of the FIG, Morinari Watanabe, also reaffirmed his belief that athletes who are not engaged in the conflict ought to be granted equal opportunities to compete.
European Gymnastics opposes FIG’s decision
A few months after this declaration, however, the General Assembly of European Gymnastics chose not to accept FIG’s ruling and voiced their disapproval of permitting the aforementioned athletes to participate in the official European gymnastics tournaments next year.
The likelihood of their gymnastics team qualifying for the Olympics is now doubtful due to this vote.
Simone Biles hopes she will be sent to Paris for her third Olympic Games after the US Olympic gymnastics trials in Minneapolis. The athlete is one of the 16 women and 20 men who hope to be selected for the US Olympic gymnastics team for the Paris Olympics.
She will face strong competition in Minneapolis after becoming the most-awarded gymnast in history at last season’s global championships. Moreover, her remarkable comeback to gymnastics after taking a long absence to focus on her mental health might result in her becoming just the fourth American woman to compete in the sport at three Olympics.
Biles recently won a record-breaking seventh all-round title at the US Championships four weeks ago. This win showed her dominance as she aimed for her spot after her withdrawal from the Tokyo Games due to “the twisties”, a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose track of their body positions.
Hopeful athletes for the US gymnastics team
Aside from Biles, the reigning Olympic all-round champion Suni Lee is also making a comeback to the sport after receiving a kidney ailment diagnosis last year. Other favourites to make the five-person roster include Olympic floor champion Jade Carey and team silver medallist Jordan Chiles.
Gabby Douglas, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, had been hoping to rejoin the Olympic team this year after taking a break from gymnastics, but her hopes were dashed when she suffered an ankle injury last month.
Following the two days of competition at the trials, the athlete with the greatest overall score will automatically be selected for the Olympic team. A selection committee then selects the remaining four team members based on their performances at competitions starting in September 2023.
On July 25, 2024, the official podium training for the American women’s team at the Olympic Games in Paris was held at Bercy Arena. The four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles was the centre of attention on training day.
Though she didn’t have an ideal day at work, 27-year-old Olympic veteran Simon Biles showed the grace, comfort, strength, and incredible gymnastics that one would expect from a multiple Olympian.
Biles enthralled the audience with her amazing skills and steadfast confidence. There’s no denying that she’s still a powerful force in gymnastics after her performance at the training session, and this will make for a fascinating and much-anticipated competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The event’s high point was a brilliantly executed Yurchenko double pike on the vault that landed perfectly. The incredible precision and ability of the show enthralled the audience.
Audible gasps reverberated throughout the auditorium when she stuck the landing. It was a time to remember because of the profound impact her performance had on everyone in attendance.
Biles Coach stated; “Right now, everyone’s breathing a little easier. I’m not gonna lie.”
“You know, there’s a positive atmosphere throughout the entire crew. The Olympic Games are taking place. You know, the rings are everywhere. We, therefore, feel a lot better. The females are content. We’re feeling great.”
Team USA gets ready for individual and team all-around qualifications and considers Simone Biles’ journey to Tokyo 2020
As Team USA finishes its rotation on all four equipment, the excitement for Sunday’s women’s team qualification grows. This crucial event will decide which two American women will compete in the individual all-around final and their position in the team final.
There were no surprises on Thursday, as 16-year-old rookie Hezly Rivera, two-time Olympians Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, and reigning Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee all put up amazing performances. The coaching crew, including Landi, gave their routines the thumbs up, praising their extraordinary skill and preparedness.
