Olympics
Sydney Olympic stadium grandstand named after Indigenous icon Cathy Freeman
The eastern grandstand of Sydney’s Olympic stadium will be named after Cathy Freeman in tribute to the Indigenous runner who won the 400m gold medal at the venue during the 2000 Games.
Freeman, who also lit the Olympic cauldron at the start of the Games, said she was honoured by the decision announced by the New South Wales state government on Friday.
“This stadium and Sydney Olympic Park hold a truly special place in my heart and that will never change,” the 50-year-old said.
“I hope that my story continues to inspire generations of girls and boys to chase their own dreams in sport and life.”
The grandstand will be named ‘Cathy Freeman Stand’.
Watched by a record TV audience in Australia, Freeman’s 400m triumph made her the first Aboriginal Australian to claim an Olympic gold in track and field, and the second to win any Olympic title following Nova Peris’s field hockey gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Freeman also took the 400m silver at Atlanta and won back-to-back world titles in the distance.
“For the past two Summer Olympic Games, Australia’s Olympic team has comprised more women than men, all of whom have an inspirational story,” Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman said in a statement.
“But it’s Cathy Freeman’s achievement that continues to shine a light on what young women can achieve if they have a dream and they pursue it. We owe her a great debt.”
-Reuters
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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