Paris Games TV coverage review – just going through the channels feels like the Olympics

SI’d like to be sarcastically British, but there’s no avoiding talking about the miserable weather when it comes to television coverage of the first day of the Paris Olympics. When the Games started, the rain was giving the “main man” energy as he came down from the window of the BBC Sport studio. Sofa designers Jeanette Kwakye and JJ Chalmers asked viewers to see their beautiful (albeit blurry) view of the Eiffel Tower instead.

After that they moved to a “Parisian cafe”, a plate of croissants was on the table, no rain to deal with. Here, they discussed each other The first days‘ Fred Sirieix, who was almost proud of his daughter, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, diving for Team GB. “You will fight like a lion!”, he roared.

As with these many international stars (16 days. 329 events. 32 games…etc.), channeling is starting to feel like an Olympic team in itself. What to watch and where? Does Eurosport provide a comprehensive overview of the various men’s/women’s rowing tournaments? (Former Olympian James Cracknell was mercilessly furious with Kate Mason for insisting they use an umbrella: “I didn’t want one!”). Still on Eurosport, there was men’s hockey (in a beautiful indoor arena, England beat Spain 4-0 in their first game).

On Discovery Plus, the women’s 3-metre synchronized springboard diving event delivered Team GB’s first medal: bronze for Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper (the first for British women’s diving in years 64), after an unfortunate dive ruined the chances of the Australian team. . As I watched the Olympics, I quickly became over-invested in the event I had just heard about, marveling at how the competitors balanced on the balls of their feet before launching themselves into the air. perfect match. When you caught it again on the BBC, the camera mysteriously but magically followed several underwater species, to an effect so vivid you could smell the chlorine.

All channels have former Olympians (Jessica Ennis-Hill, Beth Tweddle, Matthew Pinsent, Tonia Couch and others) presenting, commentating, or appearing as experts. There were also some emotional moments during that time: watching Team GB go through graduation in the men’s gym felt even better because the king of Our darkest pommel horse, Max Whitlock, had announced that Paris would be his last Olympics.

Likewise, this will be Andy Murray’s last time competing for Britain in Olympic tennis (what about Wimbledon too, it’s been a wet-eyed year for him) . Despite the rain, people were beginning to wonder if the men’s tennis (featuring the likes of Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic) would even take place at Roland-Garros Stadium. Garros (adulterer: it happened).

Weather hazards included the skateboarding event (postponed) and, in cycling, the women’s time trials. With Australia’s Grace Brown winning, and Team GB’s Anna Henderson winning the silver medal, the serious competition came down to slippery slopes. However, it was equally surprising how many times the stations felt we needed to see these blood-curdling waterfalls.

I am looking forward to the new Olympic event of “Breaking” (breakdancing). Otherwise, we’ll all have to wait to see former Team GB star Tom Daley in action. We also have to be patient for our first look at the event which is US gymnast Simone Biles.

Any gripes? At times it felt as if the number of repeaters could have filled the Bercy Arena twice. Seeing actor Tom Hiddleston strutting around, David Niven-style, for the opening credits of BBC Sport almost makes me want to keep talking about the license fee. And while you’d have to wait for the sights of the City of Light, it got to the point where I started moving with a big shot of the Eiffel Tower or the Arc De Triomphe in the rain.

After all, when the Paris 2024 Olympics got wet, as evidenced by the cover, it wasn’t fun. All that is left to say is, That’s righteveryone!