The Olympics is a mega event. Whether you’re a fan of a particular sport or just love the chance to watch sports that aren’t normally televised, the Olympics has the power to have us all sitting on the edge of our seats as we witness the highs and lows of athletes performing on a world stage.
Getting tickets for a session at the Olympics can be like gold dust – anyone remember the scramble for London 2012 tickets?! The opportunity to actually be right there in a stadium is really something very special, and two of the MGN team got to do just that – ooh la la indeed!
Senior event manager Kat and Jamie, our production manager, were lucky enough to be invited to Paris for a couple of days during the first week of the Olympics. There was no way either of them was going to say no and the rest of the team wished them bon voyage when they flew out on 1 August.
Day 1 – off to Paris and more balls please!
Hosted by our friends at Terra Events Sports, a leading destination management company that operates across Europe, Kat and Jamie were part of a small group who, from the moment they arrived, were immersed in an unforgettable Olympics experience. Phryge, the Paris 2024 Olympics mascot, greeted everyone on arrival at their hotel and a lovely touch was the gift left for each of the group in their rooms – a selection of branded Olympics merchandise, including tote bag, hat and keyring, along with all the train tickets needed for the duration.
Once everyone had freshened up, they were off to the world-famous Roland Garros Stadium, home of the French Open. Kat and Jamie watched Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in their quarter final match, followed by the women’s singles semi-final between Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Donna Vekic. Little did they know that Djokovic would go on to win the gold medal in the men’s singles and Donna Vekic would take silver in the women’s. At the time, they simply marvelled at how the players could cope with the heat, which was over 30°C. It was challenge enough simply sitting in the stadium and they had access to an air-conditioned hospitality box, complete with a fantastic array of food and drinks, which was a welcome retreat from the unrelenting heat! It should be mentioned that Karma caught up with Kat and Jamie when leaving the venue, they got drenched in a sudden downpour! With a late finish to a very long day – and an early start in the morning – the group returned to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Day 2 – all things athletic
After a quick breakfast the group took the Metro to Saint-Denis and the biggest stadium in France, Stade de France, where all the field and track events were getting underway. Once again, Kat and Jamie enjoyed the comforts of a hospitality lounge, which included some fun with VR headsets and an amazing simulation of the opening ceremony. Over the next few hours they watched a mix of events, including the first three disciplines in the Men’s Decathlon – 100m, long jump and shot put – and qualifying rounds in the men’s hammer throw, women’s high jump, women’s 100m and men’s 1500m. The stadium’s capacity of almost 81,000 made for an incredible atmosphere that must have spurred on all the athletes, especially the volume of cheering and clapping, and was certainly a memorable occasion.
Exhausted by simply watching the Olympian efforts of so many amazing athletes, it was time to refuel. Returning to the centre of Paris, Kat and Jamie enjoyed lunch in a lovely restaurant in the stylish Les Halles district. After an afternoon of free time, which for Kat and Jamie meant sampling lots of food and drink at every opportunity, there was just time to get back to the hotel to freshen up before meeting for a very special treat – an evening visit to Team GB House! Located in the stunning Pavillon d’Armenonville, which was once a hunting lodge, this is the first time in Olympics history that Team GB House has been opened up to the public. What could be better than the chance to rub shoulders with some of Team GB’s athletes! Indeed, Jamie and Kat found themselves in the presence of greatness – Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Tom George who had won silver medals in the Men’s Rowing Pairs the day before and Emily Craig and Imogen Grant who won gold in the Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls just that morning. And if meeting four athletes whose names will go down in history wasn’t enough, the gymnastic legend that is Beth Tweddle was in the house for an interview. There was also plenty of entertainment laid on along with plenty of food and drinks, which made for a fantastic evening. As well as watching live events on a big screen, there was an incredible artist who was busy creating paintings based on all the sporting action from the day, live music and yet more merch!
When Team GB House finally closed its doors at 11pm, Jamie and Kat went to Jardin des Tuileries to join the crowds watching the spectacular hot air balloon and cauldron – the Olympic flame displayed as an incredible 7m diameter ring of fire (cleverly made of water and light) – rise up over the Seine and high into the sky. It was definitely one of those ‘you had to be there’ moments to really feel the magic, something that could never be truly expressed through a TV screen. And to round off a perfect evening, what better than an amble along the banks of the river Seine, taking in the beauty of Paris at night and a visit to the Eiffel Tower all lit up and proudly displaying the Olympic rings.
Au revoir Paris!
Saturday and it was time to head home. But in their inimitable manner, Kat and Jamie managed to fit in one more delicious French meal before travelling to the airport! As well as coming back with plenty of Olympics swag and some great stories to share with the team, Kat and Jamie both commented on what a memorable experience they’d had. Jamie doesn’t profess to be a huge sports fan but his highlight was visiting Team GB House. He was blown away by the celebratory atmosphere and how all the different entertainment worked so well to deliver a great experience, and he’s returned to work with plenty of fresh ideas that we will undoubtedly implement in future events for our own clients.
Kat was wowed by the sheer scale of the event and the amount of behind-the-scenes planning and organisation that went on. Being a guest (for once!) on a hosted trip also gave her new insight into all the details that make the experience so good, be it little gifts, pre-allocated train tickets or simply remembering the importance of communication to manage expectations of the itinerary.
Naturally, the rest of the team now have fingers crossed that there will be a similar invite to Los Angeles in 2028! Now, does anyone have Mr Cruise’s mobile number….
