Athletes Stick Around Paris Games to Watch Other Sports and Get the Full Olympic Experience

Taylor Knibb, left, Morgan Pearson, Taylor Spivey and Seth Rider, right, of the United States, jump as they hold their medals at the end of the medal ceremony for the mixed relay triathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Taylor Knibb, left, Morgan Pearson, Taylor Spivey and Seth Rider, right, of the United States, jump as they hold their medals at the end of the medal ceremony for the mixed relay triathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
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Athletes Stick Around Paris Games to Watch Other Sports and Get the Full Olympic Experience

Taylor Knibb, left, Morgan Pearson, Taylor Spivey and Seth Rider, right, of the United States, jump as they hold their medals at the end of the medal ceremony for the mixed relay triathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Taylor Knibb, left, Morgan Pearson, Taylor Spivey and Seth Rider, right, of the United States, jump as they hold their medals at the end of the medal ceremony for the mixed relay triathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

For many athletes at the Paris Olympics, the fun was just beginning after they were done competing.
During the second full week of the 2024 Olympics, going home wasn't an option. Now that the pressure of having to compete is gone, it was time to become a fan: Enjoy Paris and watch other sports.
“I’m a huge track fan,” said triathlete Morgan Pearson, who won the silver medal with the US team in the mixed relay on Monday. “I hope to go to some of those races. I’m a huge Olympic fan in general.”
American sport climber Zach Hammer, who was finished competing on Tuesday, also was headed to the track, The Associated Press reported.
“I would definitely be excited to watch the men’s 200(-meter) with (Noah) Lyles. He’s one of my favorite athletes,” he said. “I’m definitely excited to get the full Olympic experience, and I’ll go watch whatever there is to watch. It will definitely be cool to see Americans competing on the biggest stage.”
US rower Jacob Plihal was among those who stayed in town after competing during the first week.
“Hopefully I can watch a little handball if that’s still going, maybe 3x3 basketball," he said. “I don’t know what the schedules are. I’ve been focused on the racing but I’m excited to stick around and watch other sports, cheer Team USA on and get to know some athletes at the (Olympic) Village.”
Another American sport climber, Sam Watson, who broke the speed world record in an elimination heat on Tuesday, was making the most out of his stay at the village. He was challenging fellow athletes to chess games and trying to get selfies with a member of every delegation at the Games.
Some of the American women rowers who competed last week were at the women's basketball game between the US and Nigeria on Wednesday.
Molly Thompson-Smith, a British sport climber, was interested in watching some of the other smaller sports that don’t often get much attention. She said “it’s been really cool to kind of learn how they work and all the weird things about them.”
Thompson-Smith added that she "did see a bit of beach volleyball,” but “I think everyone wants to see the athletics, just to see something like that and feel the atmosphere of the crowd would be incredible. But I’m open to seeing anything now ... I’m here to make as many memories and see as much as I possibly can.”
Rower Viktorija Senkute, who won Lithuania’s first medal at the Games last week, was sticking around to watch her boyfriend, Simonas Maldonis, compete in canoe sprint.
Athletes can watch their own discipline with their accreditation, but need tickets for other sports. Some said they can get them through their national Olympic committees, or with the International Olympic Committee, which gives each athlete one free ticket per day.
There was an additional Olympic experience for athletes this time in Paris, as for the first time in the Summer Games organizers gave them a place to be closer to fans and celebrate their medals. In the new Champions Park, athletes got a chance to parade with their medals and interact with fans.
“I feel as if this year they’ve done a really good job of treating after winning athletes with memories that we’re going to cherish forever,” French rugby player Aaron Grandidier Nkanang said after going to the Champions Park. “We’re just in front of the Eiffel Tower, and there’s thousands of people out to come and cheer us on.”



Djokovic Faces 'New Reality' after Losing Another Opening Match in Madrid

Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Djokovic Faces 'New Reality' after Losing Another Opening Match in Madrid

Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves to the crowd after losing against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

After losing a second straight opening match and three in a row overall, Novak Djokovic said he was facing a “new reality” in his two decades of pro tennis.
Djokovic's public coming to terms with his rare losing streak came after he fell in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi in his first match of the Madrid Open on Saturday, The Associated Press reported.
The 37-year-old Djokovic came to Spain after also losing his opener to Alejandro Tabilo at the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago and, before that, the Miami Open final.
“I was hoping I can play one more match than I played in Monte Carlo. (It's) kind of a new reality for me, I have to say, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament," Djokovic said.
The struggles by the winner of 24 Grand Slam titles coincide with the start of the clay-court swing culminating in the French Open next month.
“It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis,” he said. “It’s a challenge for me mentally to really face these kinds of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in tournaments.”
Arnaldi won 6-3, 6-4, delaying Djokovic’s search for a career 100th title. The Serb was undermined by 32 unforced errors to his opponent's 18 and had his serve broken three times.
It was the first meeting between Djokovic and 44th-ranked Arnaldi of Italy.
“He’s my idol, he’s always been,” Arnaldi said of Djokovic. “To play him at a stage like this was already a victory for me. He’s not at his best right now, so I came on court to try to play my best tennis and win and it happened.”
Arnaldi raised his arms and turned to the crowd after striking a winner that gave him a second-set break. Djokovic tried to hit right back and had three break points, but Arnaldi rallied to save his serve and finished off the three-time champion.
He wrote “OMG” (Oh my god) on the camera when given the marker for the now customary message by the winner to the television audience.
Djokovic is still seeking his first title of the season after winning his 99th title last August at the Paris Olympics. He has lost four finals since then. The only two players to reach the 100-title milestone are Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Arnaldi will next face Damir Dzumhur after he rallied past Sebastian Baez 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-3 and moves on to play Denis Shapovalov after the Canadian defeated Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas fought back against Jan-Lennard Struff 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and will face 10th-seeded Loranzo Musetti, who beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (3), 6-2.
Cameron Norrie also came back to down Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. He will play Gabriel Diallo.
Other winners included fifth-seeded Jack Draper and 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov.
Second-seeded Iga Swiatek saw off Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-2 as the defending champion advanced to the round of 16.
Swiatek will play Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva advanced to the last 16 for the third straight year by defeating Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3.
The 17-year-old Andreeva, ranked No. 7, has yet to lose before the Madrid fourth round.
She reached that stage for the first time in 2023 while playing as a wild card in her second WTA main draw. Last year, her first big quarterfinals came in the Spanish capital.
“I was very, very nervous,” Andreeva said. “I still struggle to find my best tennis in Madrid. Super happy that I could manage to play consistent throughout the whole match.”
Andreeva, who will turn 18 on Tuesday, will next face Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva, who defeated 18th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova in three sets.
Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Keys also advanced with straight-set wins.
Fourth-seeded Gauff beat compatriot Ann Li 6-2, 6-3, while the fifth-seeded Keys edged Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 7-6 (3).