The Paris 2024 Olympics, which concluded yesterday, witnessed historic results for the Arabs, as they won 7 gold medals, the largest in the history of Arab participation in the Olympic Games, compared to five gold medals in the last Tokyo edition, which was their most successful. The games also witnessed the breaking of a number of world and Olympic records in various competitions, and a number of prominent athletes winning an unprecedented number of gold medals, and the sudden rise of unclassified athletes to the top of their games.
The Arabs succeeded in recording their best results in the history of their Olympic participation after the champions won 7 gold medals through 5 countries: Algeria, Tunisia, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt.
Algeria achieved an unprecedented accomplishment by winning two gold medals in the Paris Games, in gymnastics and boxing, through players Kalia Nemour and Iman Khalif, respectively.
In turn, Egyptian Ahmed El Gendy won the gold medal in the modern pentathlon competition, setting a new world record, while Tunisian Firas Al Qatousi snatched the gold medal in taekwondo (under 80 kg). Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali won the gold medal in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Bahraini Winfred Yafi won the gold medal in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Bahraini Ahmed Taj El Din won the gold medal in the men’s freestyle wrestling competition in the 97 kg weight category.
The Paris 2024 Olympics came to carry many hopes and expectations for Arab and international audiences who dream of returning to their countries with gold, silver and bronze medals.
As for the Arab countries, Bahrain comes in first place with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze, followed by Algeria with two gold medals and one bronze.
Egypt and Tunisia are tied in winning one gold medal, one silver medal and one bronze medal, followed by Morocco with one gold medal, one bronze medal, a silver medal for Jordan and a bronze medal for Qatar.
America is in the lead
The United States of America has taken the lead in the overall medal table for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after concluding the competition by winning the gold medal in women’s basketball.
The United States finished first with 40 gold medals and a total of 126 medals.
China came in second with the same number of gold medals, but won a total of 91 medals.
The irony is that the United States did it and outperformed China in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in almost the same way, when it won 39 gold medals while China won 38 gold medals.
Closing of the Olympics
Yesterday, Paris brought the curtain down on the Olympic Games, which brought the magic of sports to the heart of the French capital, to be handed over to Los Angeles at the Stade de France. The ceremony witnessed the handing over of the Olympic flame, during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, to the city of Los Angeles, which will host the next Olympic Games 2028 in the United States of America.
The star-studded ceremony reflected Los Angeles’ hopes of capitalizing on one of its strengths: its multiculturalism.