France ready to “host the world”: Paris 2024 celebrates 500 days to go with 24-hour around-the-world sports relay, with millions more tickets set to go on sale
To mark the 500-day countdown to the opening of next year’s Olympic Games, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France is ready to “host the world”. At the same time, demonstrating the global significance of the Games, the Organising Committee celebrated the milestone by organising a 24-hour sports relay involving over 20,000 participants from 116 countries and French overseas territories.
France ready to “host the world”
At an event marking the 500-days-to-go milestone, French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the preparations for Paris 2024 and promised that France is ready to “host the world” during next year’s Games.
“All that remains for us are 500 short days that separate us from the extraordinary events that are the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games,” he said. “We are going to host the world.”
Relay Around the World
This unique global event spanned all five continents and engaged the public and figures from the world of sport in sports activities, each starting at 9 a.m. local time. As well as marking the latest milestone in the countdown to the Games in Paris, the relay also showcased sport’s unique ability to bring people together through the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Held in collaboration with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, French embassies and the French overseas territories bearing the “Terre de Jeux 2024” label, the global relay began in New Zealand, where French Ambassador Laurence Beau completed a run along the waterfront in Wellington.
Other activities included a fun run for schools in Fiji and a swimming event for children in Australia, as the unique relay crossed Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, before finishing in the Pacific, in French Polynesia.
“On Track”
In further comments on social media, in anticipation of Paris 2024 opening its volunteer recruitment process, President Macron thanked the potential applicants who will help bring the Games to life. He also highlighted the impact that these Games are having on French citizens, with 5,000 new sports grounds being created and a major environmental initiative launched to clean up the Seine and Marne rivers.
“At 500 days, we are on track to achieve what will be one of the greatest legacies of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; this will be a little revolution for the inhabitants,” he said, while also stating that these Games will be “an exceptional event for the entire world”, and pledging to “receive the planet in the best possible conditions of security organisation, and social and ecological responsibility”.
Next phase of ticket sales set to launch in May
Coinciding with the 500-days-to-go celebrations, the Paris 2024 Organising Committee also released details of phase two of ticket sales for the Olympic Games, with millions of single tickets for Olympic sports sessions set to be made available to the public in May.
While phase one of the sales process allowed fans to purchase packs for multiple sporting events, this phase allows them to register for a draw for the chance to purchase up to 30 single tickets for the Olympic sports sessions of their choice.
Tickets for every single Olympic sports event will be available for purchase during this phase. For the first time, tickets for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will also be available.
Registration for phase two of the Paris 2024 ticket sale opened on 15 March and will run through to 20 April 2023.
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place between 26 July and 11 August, with the Paralympic Games then taking place from 28 August until 8 September.