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Why this Olympics feels festive

The pandemic’s impact on the last Games has put many athletes and fans in a grateful, celebratory mood for the Summer Olympics in Paris.

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Greek Olympic gold medalist Antigoni Ntrismpioti, left, and Gabriella Papadakis, French Olympic champion ice dancer, pass the Olympic flame at Panathenaic stadium in Athens, April 26.
  • By the Monitor's Editorial Board

Soon after Olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby won her first gold medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Games, she graced the winners’ podium in a white tracksuit, her red hair tied up in a bun and her face hidden – under an N95 mask. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the American athlete had to place the medal around her neck herself. With family members banned from attending, her parents watched her on TV from Florida.

What a difference three years makes. The pandemic is over and Paris will be hosting this year’s Summer Olympics. Fans from around the world can visit the Games, bursting with pride and encouragement for their favorite athletes. Athletes can cheer, hug, and smile for pictures with their parents, siblings, and friends.

Visitors to one of the world’s greatest cities can explore familiar sites, but also watch the equestrian competitions at Versailles or boxing and tennis at Roland-Garros. There is much for everyone to happily anticipate, including Ms. Jacoby.

“I’m very much looking forward to just ... hang out with everyone and not have to worry,” she says in a Monitor interview. She plans to stay in Paris after the swimming events to explore the city. This time, the experience should be what she envisioned of the Olympics as a child. She especially looks forward to the closing ceremony, saying, “I was very bummed to have to miss that last time.”

This year’s Games may be more than just a welcome return of international sports. For two weeks, the world will enjoy a respite from global strife, bringing people together to cheer, laugh, and cry for good reasons. No talk there of elections, natural disasters, or what world leaders must do to fix problems. When the first Olympic competition starts in July, it will be a signal for celebration. And the winners can again bow their heads to let someone bestow a medal.

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