NorthStar and the Olympics
By Onyinyechi U.
Three medal is gold and silver and bronze on white background. By ภาพของnisara Created in Canva
The 2024 Paris Olympics began on July 26 and ended on August 11. In those sixteen days, thousands of athletes competed in different disciplines such as swimming, wrestling, and archery. More than 30 million people watched these events (Reilly). Among these viewers were many NorthStar students, and this fall, they were surveyed on what they liked best about the Paris Olympics.
When asked what their favorite sport to watch this summer was, about thirty percent of participants picked gymnastics, with many specifically appreciating the gymnasts’ complex floor routines. An equal percentage chose track and field. Some preferred viewing the running events, such as relay and hurdle sprints, but for others, field contests such as “the pole vaulting final” were the most special part. Another forty percent of students chose other events such as weightlifting, shooting, beach volleyball, and equestrian sports.
Which national teams did NorthStar support the most? As this is an international school, one would expect many different responses, but more than 70% of students indicated that they were cheering for the United States team, with one joking, “I was supporting the US because that is where I am from. If I hadn't I might as well have been committing treason.” A few, however, backed other countries such as Argentina, England, and Brazil.
Many performances became famous (or notorious) at the Paris Olympics, and the students were asked which ones they enjoyed. One liked watching Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who became popular for his composed demeanor as he fired his way to a silver medal in the 10 m air pistol mixed team event (Tuysuz et al.). Another was greatly entertained by Raygun, the Australian athlete whose breakdancing, though heavily criticized, became a highlight of the event. Nearly half of the participants focused on the accomplishments of gymnasts such as Stephen Nedoroscik, Suni Lee, Simone Biles, and Rebeca Andrade, calling them “fun to watch,” “amazing,” and “inspiring.”
If the role of the Olympics is to entertain and inspire, then they certainly did so this summer in Paris. They might have ended in August, but the Paris Olympics have left a great impact on the students of NorthStar!
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Onyinyechi U. lives in Pennsylvania with her parents and two siblings. She is in eleventh grade. This is her fourth year at NSA and her second year on the Navigator. In her free time, she enjoys writing novels and poetry.