This week’s list of unmissable news brand content includes insight into athletes’ split-second decisions, a Team GB’s athlete’s journey to the Olympics and Brits bagging their first gold medal of the Games…
1. GB’s plan for Paris
Two-and-a half weeks of sporting excellence starts at the Paris Olympics with 205 countries competing.
2024 is an Olympics of many firsts, such as the first opening ceremony not taking place in a stadium, the first time ‘breaking’ (break dancing) is included as an Olympic sport and the first time in over a century swimmers will be allowed in the Seine even after pollution concerns.
The Guardian’s ‘Today in Focus’ podcast dives into Team GB’s plan for the Games. The squad’s CEO Andy Anson gives readers an insight into what the path to the podium looks like behind the scenes, from horse care to sleep patterns and mental health elements.
2. Team GB secures first gold
On Monday, Team GB won its first gold medal in Paris as equestrians Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett were crowned team eventing champions at Versailles.
As reported by MailOnline, the Brits scored well in both the dressage and cross country to lead the standings on 82.5, with France following on 87.2 — the lower the points, the better the score. The pressure was especially high going into the final showjumping event after Canter was controversially given a penalty after clipping a flag when clearing a gate during cross country.
Collett sealed the team’s first gold medal with the final round of the competition. Hosts France secured the silver medal, with Japan completing the podium by clinching bronze.
3. What’s in the golden boxes?
As athletes step up to the podium during medal ceremonies, they’re given the traditional medal alongside a golden box containing artwork, a replica of the official poster of the 2024 Olympics.
The piece of art is a detailed interpretation of Paris focusing on landmarks as well as Olympic venues and stadiums created by artist Ugo Gattoni. Known for his style marked by fantasy and surrealism, Gattoni spent more than 2,000 hours across six months to produce the design, the Mirror reports.
4. The story behind the Olympics 2024 mascot
Have you wondered what the mascots at the Olympics are? According to Metro, the red shapes are Phrygian caps, a French icon described as “a symbol of freedom [that] has been a part of French history for centuries, dating back to ancient times”.
The caps became a symbol of freedom during the French Revolution.The figure of Marianne, a personification of the French Republic, also wears a Phrygian cap.
Tony Estanguet, an Olympic gold medallist in canoe slalom and head of the organising committee of Paris 2024, said: “We chose an ideal rather than an animal. We chose the Phrygian cap because it’s a very strong symbol for the French Republic. For French people, it’s a very well-known object that is a symbol of freedom.
“The fact that the Paralympics mascot has a visible disability also sends a strong message: to promote inclusion.”
5. Split-second decisions
As the Games get underway, The Independent’s Kate Gill looks into what it takes to train like a Team GB athlete, competing on the world stage. Independent TV’s ‘How To Train Like A Olympian’ is a series focusing on the fundamentals Olympians have to focus on within their training.
In one video, two-time Olympic canoe slalomist Adam Burgess discusses the split-second decisions that could determine the outcome of his race while navigating tight gates down turbulent white-water rapids.
