As many of you left your last exam classroom with either a grim or excited expression last school year, looking ahead to the glory days of summer, you may have noticed the Olympic games on your television when you got home. These games in particular are special, because newer events got a turn in the spotlight, and a new sport, breakdancing was added. But with so many events to choose from, which ones were the fan favorites? Most enjoyed? Will the spotlight ever be turned back to breakdancing?
Many traditional events, such as gymnastics and swimming, were as usual, captivating worldwide. But some of the non-traditional events, such as skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing also made an appearance in this year’s games; they first emerged in the 2020 Olympics. Luca Banderashville, a Sophomore at St. Pete High likes the idea of new sports being added to the games but thinks “breaking needs to be dropped after the Australian girl’s performance”. He is talking about Rachael Gunn, or otherwise known as “Raygun”. She received a very low score and included a kangaroo-type hop-dance and the sprinkler in her routine. This gave rise to many criticisms and led to memes and abuse. Gunns’s routine was even made fun of on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Although some dancers put their heart and soul into their routines, performances such as Gunn’s give breakdancing a bad reputation and led the the cancellation of Breaking as an Olympic sport.
Although there are many events, gymnastics was the clear winner of the all-time favorite event. It won with a whopping 68% ranking among the top three favorite choices. The excitement, heart, and commitment these athletes brought to the games were unmatched, especially their bonds as teammates. This was clearly shown with the men’s USA team. Every time one of their teammates stuck and finished a routine, they would all jump with joy, and hug each other before they even knew the scores. Stephen Nedoroscik, otherwise known as the pommel horse hero and expert, was up to compete in the last round of the Olympics for the USA. As soon as he stuck the landing, head up high with a huge smile, you could see his teammates joy as they jumped with pride for their teammate. The bond this team has alone is one of the reasons gymnastics is a fan favorite. Vivian Do, a sophomore at St. Pete High, said her favorite event to watch was women’s gymnastics, because she believed that they as a team “represented the United States, women, and racial minorities all at once.” Simone Biles also plays a big role in the popularity of women’s gymnastics, being a huge inspiration to women that age is simply a number, and your dreams are never out of reach.
As for the most enjoyed event, it really depends on the viewer. A lot of people were enjoying the swimming events, others preferred events such as archery. It’s hard to categorize what events were most enjoyed when every household is fond of something different. For example, Banderashville’s favorite event was the +102 kg air pistol shooting, while Do’s favorite event was the track and field 4×400 mixed relays. These are two completely different events, so if just two students enjoy events so different, how can we find the most enjoyed events worldwide? Statistics may show that one event was enjoyed more than the other, but the most watched and most enjoyed events are two entirely different things. Without going door to door, there is no real way of proving the whole world enjoys one event over another.
The 2024 Olympics were games to never forget. The USA now leads the medal count overall, and a new event made its first appearance. One would call that a success. Even though breakdancing didn’t spin as well as some of the athletes, it will go down in history. Although the most popular event was gymnastics, the teams, what they stood for, and the strength of their bonds are what gave birth to that popularity. The 2028 Olympics will hopefully go down in history as another success, and an addition of memories, friendships, laughs, bonds, and victories.
