The Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games which kicked off on Liberia’s Independence Day, July 26, and are expected to end on Sunday, August 11, have brought together over 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees to compete in 32 distinct sports for 329 medals. The race is on but who will win?
The 19-day sporting fiesta across 16 cities in France has garnered 754 ceremonies, over 9.2 million ticket sales, over 2 million spectators, 20K accredited journalists, 45K volunteers, and a record 23.4 million viewership just on day one via French broadcasters or outlets alone.
The multi-athletic global sporting jamboree, which debuted in Athens in 1896, is held every four years, and its previous host before this year’s 2024 Olympic Games was China from February 4, 2022, to February 20, 2022. The next Olympic Games will be held in Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6, 2026 to February 22, 2026.
Among 10,500 Olympic athletes competing for 329 medals in Paris, eight (8) Liberian athletes are featured in 6 track and field events from August 2-10, 2024 at Stade de France. Representing Team Liberia in various track and field races are:
1) Emmanuel Matadi (Men’s 100m and Men’s 4 x 100m Relay)
2) Joseph Fahnbulleh (Men’s 200m and Men’s 4 x 100m Relay)
3) Destiny Smith-Barnett (Women’s 100m)
4) Ebony Morrison (Women’s 100m)
5) Thelma Davies (Women’s 100m and 200m)
6) Jabez Reeves (Men’s 4 x 100m Relay)
7) John Sherman (Men’s 4 x 100m Relay)
8) Akeem Sirleaf (Men’s 4 x 100m Relay)
Team Liberia Results:
So far, Team Liberia has not won any Olympic medals but has made some inspiring inroads.
In Round One of the Men’s 100-meter race, Emmanuel Matadi, age 33, secured a semi-final feat scheduled today at 20:14 CET, after completing 4th place with a score of 10.08 behind Canadian De-Grasse’s 10.07. Athletes Destiny Smith-Barnet, 28, and Thelma Davies,24, could not secure a win in this year’s Women’s 100-meter contest due to hamstring injuries.
Joseph Fahnbulleh, 22, will compete on August 5 in a 200-meter men’s race while tracker Ebony Morrison, 29, will be in action on August 7 in a 100-meter hurdle race. Liberian athletes Sherman, 19, Reeves, 21, Sirleaf, 27, Matadi, 33, and Fahnbulleh, 22, will all be racing on August 8 in a 100-meter relay men’s track and field competition.
Will Team Liberia inch closer to an Olympic medal this year? Liberians remain hopeful, but let’s see what happens as Verity’s sports reporter follows through with ongoing Olympic events.
