Two consecutive Olympic Games with pandemic restrictions, Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022, shook the Olympic movement to its core. The world's largest sporting event had lost its luster and there were those who believed that the Olympic Games would never recover.
That's why Paris was the best thing that could happen.
The audience is back – in record numbers. Even before the games, it was clear that Paris would break Atlanta's record from 1996 with 8.3 million sold tickets.
Full Stade de France
When the flame is extinguished in a week, the organizers expect around 10 million people to have watched the competitions on site.
Test passes in swimming and athletics are normally no crowd festivals, but in Paris, they have been sold out.
That means 65,000 spectators at Stade de France, where the athletics competitions take place.
"Mighty"
I just looked up at the stands and smiled, it was mighty, said Swedish 1,500-meter runner Samuel Pihlström.
Armand Duplantis added after the pole vault qualifying:
The craziest atmosphere I've experienced. Especially for a qualifying round, it can't be compared to anything else.
The fact that France is one of the world's best sports nations contributes to this. When home favorites compete, the pressure on the stands increases and it becomes almost a carnival atmosphere.
Even if everyone is against me, it's fun that there's such an atmosphere. It's not like ugly football supporters who spit on opponents. The spectators are nice and cheer on all players, the appreciation is very fine despite me losing, said table tennis player Anton Källberg after the match against Félix Lebrun.
National team colleague Truls Möregårdh, who will play in the Olympic final on Sunday, had two set balls in the quarterfinal against Omar Assar when the game was paused.
The reason? The audience went wild after swimming star Léon Marchand won his second Olympic gold in another part of Paris.
At first, I thought "what the hell is happening?". But then I almost enjoyed it and felt "what a sick audience it is here in France". They love sports so much that they can gather 7,000 people and scream out when they win Olympic gold in another hall. It was very cool, said Möregårdh.
"The horses like it too"
Also, at the equestrian events in Versailles, a few miles outside Paris, the atmosphere has been great.
The audience carries you through the entire course. As soon as you gallop, people really shout. I think the horses like it too, said eventing rider Louise Romeike.
Even those who didn't get a ticket have a chance to get close to the Olympic medalists.
Every evening, thousands of people gather in the "Champions Park" in Trocadero in central Paris.
The location itself is the coolest. We're right by the Eiffel Tower and thousands of people come here and cheer us on. It's a memory for life, says French rugby star Aaron Grandidier Nkanang according to AP.
