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Why athletes are ringing a bell at the Paris Olympics

Home> News> Sport

Updated 13:38 5 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 13:37 5 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Why athletes are ringing a bell at the Paris Olympics

Dozens of 2024 Paris Olympics athletes have posed with and rang the bell

Tom Earnshaw

Tom Earnshaw

Thousands of people have been descending on Paris' Stade de France as the Olympics moves to its track and field events after undergoing a major transformation for those competing in the rugby.

But whether you're playing rugby sevens or competing in the 100 metre final, one common question remains: why is everyone ringing a large bell at the side of the pitch?

For the 2024 Paris Olympics, the historic stadium had at first been used for the rugby events, with the sevens tournaments taking place across the first week of the XXXIII Olympiad.

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The French men and New Zealand women won their respective tournaments, with many of the teams taking to the symbolic bell at the end of their bouts.

It has continued now that the athletics events have taken over the French capital city stadium, as many iconic moments from the 2024 Games were captured with the bell—including the men's 100m winner, USA star Noah Lyles, after a dramatic race on Sunday night.

For the ruby, it was positioned to the side of the playing field, with it now on the edge of the track after the finish line.

The French athletes started the trend (Alex Ho/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
The French athletes started the trend (Alex Ho/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

What is the bell?

The bell - which has Paris 2024 on the side of it - nothing to do with the Olympics in an historical sense.

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In fact, it is all about the refurbishment of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, with the bell set to be hung in one of the cathedral's bell towers after the 2024 Games come to an end.

Pierre-André Lacout, a manager at the Stade de France, said: "In a way, Paris 2024 is helping to rebuild Notre-Dame. A part of the Games and the Olympic spirit will remain in Notre-Dame for life."

The purpose is for the bell to act as a permanent reminder of the Olympics every time it rings across the city for years to come.

Noah Lyles gave it a ring after securing gold (ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)
Noah Lyles gave it a ring after securing gold (ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)

What happened to the Notre Dame Cathedral?

Notre Dame was the victim of a huge fire back in 2019, with its iconic spire collapsing alongside the majority of the cathedral's roof.

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Since then, special preparation has been taken to preserve the cathedral and repair it for the future.

Since the fire five years ago, the bells of Notre Dame have only rang twice.

The first time was for the funeral of former French President, Jacques Chirac, and the second to mark one year since the fire happened.

Ukrainian gold medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh ringing the bell (Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Ukrainian gold medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh ringing the bell (Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

What are the athletes doing with the bell?

The French men's team, who are likely to be more invested in the story of the bell given their more local connection, rang the bell after winning the gold medal in the rugby sevens tournament.

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Other teams posed next to it after winning silver and bronze medals, including the American women's team.

And in recent days, Ukraine high jump winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Noah Lyles have also rang it after securing gold medals.

Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 organising committee, said the bell-ringing was a way to engage supporters and incorporate Parisian culture into every venue.

"It's just for the gold medalists, and it's a great way for them to celebrate," Estanguet said.

Featured Image Credit: Jean Catuffe / Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Topics: Olympics, Viral, Sport, World News

Tom Earnshaw
Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible Group in 2024, currently working as SEO Lead across all brands including LADbible, UNILAD, SPORTbible, Tyla, UNILAD Tech, and GAMINGbible. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

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@TREarnshaw

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