August 9, 2024
PARIS – The Eiffel Tower is the world’s most-visited paid monument. Here at the Olympics, it has transformed into a breathtaking backdrop for an unforgettable sight: Beach Volleyball. Seven million people visit the site each year, but last Monday, for 12,860 fans that included our JJJ family, it became the stage for an Olympic spectacle.
Nicknamed “La Dame de Fer” (French for “Iron Lady”), the Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. Three hundred million people have trekked to the landmark since it opened 135 years ago. But last week, it played host to a different kind of celebration — the 2024 Olympics.
Imagine the sight: the Boracay-like white sand court, the world’s top athletes soaring and spiking, and towering above it all, the 330-meter-tall golden iron frame shimmering in the sunset. It’s a postcard-perfect image come to life here in France’s capital.
Jasmin, Jana and I watched two games last Monday. The first, at 9 p.m., was the women’s Round of 16 contest between Brazil’s top-ranked pair, Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa, and Japan’s Hasegawa Akiko and Miki Ishii. The Brazilians, living up to their world No. 1 ranking and 2022 world champion titles, dominated and won, 21-15, 21-16.
The energy then shifted to the men, where Qatar’s Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse (the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalists), battled Esteban and Marco Grimalt, cousins from Chile. The Qatari duo proved too strong, 21-14 and 21-13.
It was a beauty to see the women and men showcase distinct differences in beach volleyball. The much-taller men rely on raw power for serves, spikes, and “monster-blocks;” the women, revealing a different playing style, employ more finesse, shot placement, precision and the occasional “pancake.”
INCREDIBLE SIGHT. The sun sets here around 9:30 p.m. and, as it descended, it glistened even more gorgeously, casting a warm glow over the stadium (temporarily built for the Olympics). The atmosphere rocked with excitement as the DJ host prompted the crowd to turn on their phone flashlights.
Imagine the spectacle — 12,000 spectators creating a sea of glimmering lights as the pulsating rhythm of electronic dance music fills the air. Everyone’s dancing as the stadium transforms into the hottest club in Paris.
By 10 p.m., the Eiffel Tower’s lights themselves flickered to life for five full minutes. It added another layer of grandeur to the already awe-inspiring scene. Every dig, block and spike resonated with the majesty of France’s iconic landmark.
Beach Volleyball isn’t just about volleyball on the beach; here in the Olympics, it was about creating a lasting legacy. The Eiffel Tower Stadium will now serve as a blueprint for hosting future sporting events in unique locations, breathing life into iconic landmarks.
I’ve had the privilege of attending numerous sporting events. But the sight of the tower bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, the roar of the crowd, and the world’s best volleyball pairings diving on the white sand — none will compare with the memory of La Tour Eiffel.
