A day on target

Yesterday's blog post from the rugby venue in Paris started with the expectation that I had not received a ticket for the opening ceremonies, which are coming up on Friday.

However, not long after I got back to the Main Press Center from the Stade de France, there was an e-mail from Bill Hancock at the USOPC stating he had sent out the digital tickets for the opening ceremony and sure enough, when I checked my online account, there was a ticket there for the ceremonies.

I am incredibly grateful to Bill and Team USA for getting me this ticket, as I know there are limited tickets available to the press and in the grand scheme of things, I am a small-time journalist and the ticket could've gone to someone else. Maybe my continued coverage of the Olympics over the course of COVID helped, as could my stopping by in person and thanking Bill for the tickets in China and Tokyo. Whatever the case may be, assuming I navigate the public transport correctly tomorrow, I will be along the Seine watching the boats pass by.

This morning, on my second full day in Paris, I decided to head to an event I didn't get to see in Tokyo. And considering it was one of the only things happening early in the morning, I made my way to Invalides for the start of the archery competition. I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay too long but I wanted to check out the venue. 

And it did not disappoint. The place was absolutely gorgeous, and though the athletes weren't competing on the main field for the first round, the view from the top of the bleachers was amazing, looking at the Eiffel Tower in one direction, Invalides in the other direction and the Grand Palais in another direction. On the way there and back, the bus passed by the Arc de Triomphe, which I hadn't seen in more than 20 years. 

My plan for the rest of the day is to go see some handball, which is another sport that I didn't get to see in Tokyo. Knowing that the great Eric Frede is calling the games from the NBC headquarters in Connecticut, makes me want to check out the game even more. I am a big fan of Frede and am excited that he gets the chance to call the Olympics, filling out a lifetime dream for him.

And the good thing about tomorrow is that there is not really any sports happening, so it will be a relatively slow day leading up to the Opening Ceremonies.


The main field at the archery venue at Invalides has a pretty good view of the Eiffel Tower.

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