Paris 2024 Olympic cauldron lit in unique fashion
The 2024 Olympic opening ceremonies are officially in the books on Friday evening. And fans were treated to several spectacular displays, including some phenomenal singing from one of the greatest vocalists of all-time, Celine Dion. There was also a phenomenal lighting display with the Eiffel Tower, one of the prized monuments in France. To wrap up the opening ceremonies, they had a unique way of lighting the Olympic cauldron, hoisting it several hundred feet in the sky with a hot air balloon.
The Olympics are a great showcase for some of the top athletes on the planet. Plenty of athletes from Team USA were in a boat during the opening ceremonies. There was also a boat with Olympic legends Carl Lewis, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, and Nadia Comaneci.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see how Team USA does at the Paris Olympics. Optimism is not exactly high for Team USA men’s basketball team, after they have limped through the exhibition rounds. They’ve escaped near disasters against South Sudan and Germany.
USA only defeated South Sudan, 101-100, and that was thanks to a late bucket by LeBron James. The Americans trailed South Sudan by one point with 20 seconds to go, but James was able to answer with a layup in the closing seconds. In doing so, he helped the Americans avoid what would have been one of the most embarrassing losses in Olympic history.
The first game of the group stage for Team USA basketball begins on Sunday, July 28th, against Serbia. That one will be played at 11:15 AM and it will be televised on NBC. Serbia features one of the best players on the planet in Denver Nuggets star, Nikola Jokic. He’s already been named a three-time NBA MVP and propelled the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA Championship. The Americans will have to be locked in early, or else Jokic could make them pay dearly.
Team USA brings a strong team to the golf competition this year. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa will be the four golfers that will represent the Americans at the Olympic games.
Scheffler has been having one of the best seasons in the history of the game, claiming The Masters and five other wins. In 16 events played this year on the PGA Tour, Scheffler has placed in the Top 10, 14 times. It’s been a pretty remarkable stretch and he’s not done yet, with the Olympics coming up and the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs. Regardless of what he does the rest of the way this year, the season he’s had will be tough to match by any golfer ever again.
Xander Schauffele is having one of the best seasons of his career. He won the PGA Championship and the British Open, joining an elite class of golfers who have won those two majors in a single season. Schauffele has always had remarkable consistency in the majors, but this year has been a bit of a breakthrough year for the superstar. Right now, everybody is chasing Scheffler, but Schauffele is certainly the closest thing to it on the tour.
This season, he was the only player to finish in the Top 10 in all four majors, certainly an impressive feat. In 18 events played this year, Schauffele finished in the Top 10 12 times. His two majors this season also give him the most for any golfer, whether it’s LIV or PGA Tour. It’ll be interesting to see how he finishes up in the Olympics and the upcoming FedEx Cup.
Wyndham Clark currently sits 5th in the FedEx Cup Playoff standings. He’s had one win this year, but has also had six Top 10 finishes. Clark won the US Open in 2023, a breakthrough moment in his career no doubt about it. While he had his breakthrough in 2023, Clark has struggled to find that same level of success in the majors in the 2024 campaign. He missed the cut in three of the four majors, and in the only one he did make the cut (US Open), Clark finished T56. That said, he still ranks 5th in the FedEx Cup standings and will be a name to watch in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Collin Morikawa has established himself as one of the elite players on the PGA Tour over the years, and his sparkling track record in the majors speaks for itself. He’s had a great season this year, finishing in the Top 10 in two majors and in the Top 20 in the other two. Morikawa, Schauffele, and Scheffler should all be considered as top contenders for the gold medal at Le Golf National. The Olympic golf competition for the men will begin on August 1st.