Paris 2024 Messages from the CEO
Day 3
Kia ora and bonjour from Paris.
It’s been another day of fine margins today, with Paralympian #201 Tupou Neiufi and Para athlete Devon Briggs both narrowly missing finals berths in the pool and at the velodrome. But both wore the fern with pride and will have further opportunities with more events scheduled over coming days. Para badminton athlete Wojtek Czyz completed his matches at the Games and bows out after making his fourth Paralympic Games appearance, his first in the NZ Paralympic Team uniform, which he continued to show the tenacity and fight he is renowned for, in each of his matches.
I’ve mentioned previously that the crowd support for all Para athletes has been amazing regardless of the nation they are representing. The noise and the volume the crowds bring to each venue is something I haven’t seen before at any event.
But when the French have athletes in an event, the roof is raised even higher. Incredible support – that feeling of goosebumps when the noise is deafening that you feel so close to the action – like today when two French brothers were first and second in their heat of the 400m Freestyle S13 event at the pool. The crowd swam every stroke with them across the eight laps of the pool and continued to celebrate them when they exited the pool, chanting their names at the top of their voices. If anyone has ever been to a European or South American Football match, think of that volume and still dial it up a few notches. I wasn’t at the Finals session but can imagine the noise generated when the brothers finished with a silver and bronze medal.
Aside from the noise the crowds are generating, which is creating a cauldron like effect for our own members of the NZ Paralympic Team to compete in, just consider that these full venues are now educating, creating awareness and inspiring the wider population of France (and spectators visiting from further abroad) about the power of the Paralympic Movement, and delivering on the objectives of the Games that were outlined by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee President Tony Estanguet at the Opening Ceremony.
And it’s only Day 3! We’ve still got hundreds of thousands, maybe more than a million more people to still come to witness the performance of the worlds Paralympians.
This evening I visited another iconic venue Stade de France – to cheer on Paralympian #211 Danielle Aitchison in the heats of her 200m. It was great to be able to spend time in the stands with Danielle’s coach Alan McDonald and his wife Heather, ready to support her in her first of two events at the Games. Next to Alan was Heather and Derek Walker, our amazing winners of the NewsTalk ZB We’ll Give You Something To Talk About radio competition. They are both having the time of their lives, with thanks to Flight Centre, and once again, it’s only Day 3 for them too.
Our Para canoe team have arrived in Paris, the last of our Para sports to enter the Village and the spirit and energy amongst all of the Team remains high, with a focus on competition over the remainder of the Games.
Tomorrow I am off to see our Shooting Para sport Team – all of which will be in action – at the Shooting range at Chateauroux, nearly 300km from the Paralympic Village in Paris.
By the way, Danielle qualified fastest for the final tomorrow, setting a new Paralympic record in the process. So make sure you continue to tune in on TVNZ and across our social channels – Danielle will be in action in the final and more of the NZ Paralympic Team take to the field of play in search of medals.
