Olympic rings to be displayed on the Eiffel Tower for Paris Olympics 2024
Paris Olympics 2024 organizers, on Tuesday, April 9, announced in a statement that the Olympic rings will be displayed on the Eiffel Tower as the French capital prepares for the 100-day countdown of the Summer Games.
A 29-meter (95-foot) long and 15-meter (49-foot) high structure composed of five Olympic rings, crafted entirely from recycled French steel, will grace the south side of the 135-year-old historic landmark in central Paris, with a commanding view over the Seine River.
Notably, around 10,500 athletes will parade through the heart of the French capital on boats along a six km (3.7-mile) route on the Seine during the opening ceremony at sunset on July 26 in front of up to 500,000 spectators.
The Eiffel Tower in Central Paris has seen soaring visitor numbers in the lead-up to the 2024 Games. The five rings representing the five continents and the universal nature of sport will be installed by the end of April on the side of the tower that faces the river Seine.
As organizers remain focussed on the Eiffel Tower news, Paris Olympics 2024 Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet has openly acknowledged that the rise in E. coli bacteria levels due to heavy rain poses one of the “biggest challenges” for the organizers.
This issue is particularly concerning as the Seine River, slated to host open-water swimming as part of the triathlon event, is directly impacted.
“When we decided to have this competition in the Seine we knew it would be a big challenge … and we are still confident that the triathlon will be based in the Seine because we have contingency plans,” Estanguet said as quoted by Sky News.
“We can postpone for rainy conditions,” he stated while adding there is no alternative location if Paris is hit with heavy rainfall.
A brief about Paris Olympics 2024 medals
Furthermore, in February 2024, Tony unveiled the Olympic and Paralympic medals for Paris Olympics 2024. These medals showcase embedded hexagon-shaped tokens of scrap iron sourced from the original construction of the Eiffel Tower, with the Games logo engraved into them.
Approximately 5,084 medals would be produced by the French mint Monnaie de Paris and were masterfully designed by Chaumet, a luxury jewelry firm based in Paris. Parthenon and the Eiffel Tower are prominently featured in the background on both sides of the medal.