Athletes now know they can never take for granted the screaming fans and a hug from mom or dad as the post-COVID Paris Games approaches.
The biggest races, routines and games for many of this generation's Olympic athletes were contested in front of mostly empty stands, largely devoid of coaches to help them out or friends and family to cheer them on.
Willoughby and about 100 other U.S. athletes are doing interviews and photo shoots this week at the Team USA media summit at a hotel in Times Square — an event that itself was made impossible in the lead-up to the Tokyo Games in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.One topic of conversation this week is how grateful the bikers, rowers, gymnasts and the rest are to be past the days of contact tracing, quarantines and daily swabbing or spitting for COVID-19 tests inside the so-called Olympic bubble.
“I’ll be able to see the audience’s emotions. I want to build that with them and I can tailor my routines to that,” said American rhythmic gymnast Evita Griskenas, who plans French music to accompany one routine and “All-American” number for another, all with the goal of getting fans caught up in the moment.
With crowds, naturally, come other issues that were mostly set on the sideline in 2021. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the much-touted opening ceremony scheduled for the Seine River could be moved to the Stade de France if the security threat is deemed too high.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsThe biggest moments for many of this generation’s Olympic athletes came in front of mostly empty stands. That was three years ago at the COVID-19 Summer Olympics or two years ago at the COVID-19 Winter Olympics.
Read more »
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsAs part of our Water Watch Campaign 12News is giving you tools and resources to keep your family safe around water.
Read more »
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsA deputy asked an inmate if he would kill someone for her, according to the 2023 annual report from Denver's Office of the Independent Monitor.
Read more »
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsTeachers Nathan and Kristin Keys received a national grant to study Esports worldwide as they develop the next generations of gamers.
Read more »
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsIf permitted, the facility would operate across the highway from a future Northwest ISD high school.
Read more »
Paris-bound Olympians look forward to a post-COVID Games with fans in the standsA Houston judge is deciding whether rapper Travis Scott will be dismissed from a civil lawsuit over his deadly Astroworld Concert in 2021.
Read more »