Saudi Swimmer Sets New Personal Record at Paris Olympics

Saudi swimmer Mashael Al Ayed. SPA
Saudi swimmer Mashael Al Ayed. SPA
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Saudi Swimmer Sets New Personal Record at Paris Olympics

Saudi swimmer Mashael Al Ayed. SPA
Saudi swimmer Mashael Al Ayed. SPA

Saudi swimmer Mashael Al Ayed set a new personal record and secured the sixth position in the 200-meter freestyle event at the Paris la Defense Arena during the 33rd Olympic Games.

The competition was attended by President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal.

Al Ayed, 17, delivered an exceptional performance in her first Olympic appearance, finishing the race in 2:19.61, breaking her previous record of 2:21.04.

Al Ayed is one of the first female swimmers in the Saudi Swimming Federation. She is also the first Saudi female swimmer to win a regional medal and is registered with the International Swimming Federation.



Paris Olympics Organizers Say They Meant no Disrespect with 'Last Supper' Tableau

Religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment (The AP)
Religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment (The AP)
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Paris Olympics Organizers Say They Meant no Disrespect with 'Last Supper' Tableau

Religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment (The AP)
Religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment (The AP)

Paris Olympics organizers apologized Sunday to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” during the glamorous opening ceremony.

Da Vinci's painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. The scene during Friday's ceremony featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon — flanked by drag artists and dancers.

Religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment, with the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deploring “scenes of derision” that they said made a mockery of Christianity — a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed its “deep regret” Sunday, saying the ceremony could cause the IOC to “lose its distinctive sporting identity and its humanitarian message.”

The ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly said it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy. Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps was asked about the outcry during an International Olympic Committee news conference on Sunday.