Paris Diary on August 11, 2024 — Rare gesture from Dilip Tirkey

Former India captain Dilip Tirkey celebrates hockey team's bronze win with journalists; Dhanraj Pillay acknowledges media's role in sport.

In a rare gesture to the contribution of journalists covering the sport, former India captain and Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey invited some of them over lunch to celebrate the national hockey team’s second consecutive bronze medal win in the Paris Olympics. Tirkey, always warm towards the scribes through his long career and even beyond it, underlined the importance of sports writers in the growth of the sport as he requested everyone present to give their autographs on a piece of cloth, which he planned to frame and place at a pride of place in the HI office. A call from another hockey great, Dhanraj Pillay, to acknowledge the role of journalists in popularising the sport made the occasion all the more special.

Watching athletics at the iconic Stade de France is some experience. It gets enhanced because of the exciting response of the near capacity house, backed with their knowledge and love for athletics, every night. If it’s the 100m race, the 80,000 spectators fall silent before the gun shot. If it’s the 1500m race in its last lap, then the high decibel level outsmarts the fairly loud public announcement system. If there’s an Olympic or World record, then the noise level reaches its peak to celebrate the mark. The animated faces in the stands, backing athletes from their own countries, and display of jerseys and flags of different nationalities add colour to the grand show. The electric atmosphere tells why athletics is the most loved sport in the world.

Paris 2024 authorities have put up merchandising stalls across all Games venues to cater to the fans by making available the Olympics memorabilia. As the prices were high, the response to the products was varied at different outlets. With the Olympics drawing to a close, the organisers decided to offer huge discounts and as a result one could see long queues in front of the merchandising outlets with fans grabbing the opportunity to purchase the Paris 2024 products for their near and dear ones.