Comparison Between 100m Men’s Final and 100m Women’s Final
The women’s marathon made headlines for all the right reasons, while the men’s 100m final did not receive the same attention. The men’s 100m final was celebrated with great fanfare at Stade du France, with dimmed lights, lighted wristbands, music, and hype. In contrast, the women’s final in the same event did not receive a similar buildup. Despite gender parity, there was a lack of event parity.
Achievements of Different Countries
Let’s shift the focus from the hype around staging to congratulate Julien Alfred, the fastest woman on the planet, who won St Lucia’s first-ever gold medal. There were several notable firsts at the games for both men and women, including Thea LaFond for Dominica in the triple jump and Lin Yu-Ting winning Taiwan’s first boxing gold.
Controversy in Women’s Boxing
Women’s boxing faced controversy at the Paris Olympics due to disputes over gender. Despite passing all gender tests of the IOC, Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Yu-Ting of Taiwan were subjected to scrutiny and misinformation. Imane Khelif, like Yu-Ting, won gold and became the first Algerian, Arab, and African woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal. Congratulations to Imane and Lin!
Gymnastics Highlights
While women’s boxing was mired in controversy, gymnastics performances had to be swiftly analyzed and assessed. Jordan Chiles and her USA team faced criticism from Team Romania, with Chiles ultimately losing the bronze to Romanian gymnast Barbosu. It appears that procedures were not followed by several gymnastic bodies, leading to repercussions for the gymnasts.
On a brighter note, a memorable moment at the Games was when Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won her country’s first Olympic gold medal for gymnastics on the floor. This historic moment was further highlighted by Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing down to her on the podium, exemplifying women supporting women. The medal ceremony made up of three Black women is also worth celebrating.
These are just a few notable moments from the Games in women’s sports, both positive and negative. What stood out to you?
Let’s look forward to the Paralympics!
