We talked with faculty members to learn what they enjoyed most about the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
This summer, the faculty members of UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) have been busy around the world — from speaking at conferences in Indonesia to doing fellowships in Italy, and much more in between. But even while they were conducting world-leading research and preparing to teach again in the fall, many still found the time to sit down and enjoy the Summer Olympics, which wrapped up earlier this month in Paris. GPS News got in touch with our professors to hear what they enjoyed most about this year’s Games.
Samuel Bazzi
I enjoyed a few soccer games and also the controversy surrounding the opening ceremony.
Jennifer Burney
I love everything about the Olympics! I love watching people who are the best in the world at X, Y or Z do their thing. I adore the backstories; I love cheering for underdogs and heavy favorites alike. I especially enjoyed the videos and memes of Parisians: they were initially skeptics and annoyed about having the Games there, which they perceived would be a nuisance, but they have since had their hearts absolutely melted by this incredible event.
Anna Feuer
I loved watching the U.S. women’s 4×400 relay team. It was amazing to see Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone gain such a huge lead in the second leg.
David Fortunato
Apart from the very, very French opening ceremony and really cool Parisian event venues (like setting up beach volleyball in front of the Eiffel Tower) my favorite part was watching the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The other teams can finally give the USA a little competition, but they haven’t got enough smoke to keep Diana Taurasi and LeBron James from winning another gold medal.
Alexander Gelber
My favorite part was watching the surfing!
Stephan Haggard
I was glued; it was a great Olympics. Outside of the marquee events, I have a personal interest in both cycling (my son is a cyclist and owns a bike shop in Bird Rock). I also like watching the weightlifting event, which strikes me as one of those core sports that doesn’t get enough attention because the U.S. does somewhat less well at it. But I have to admit that watching breakdancing and skateboarding lifted my spirits: something fresh.
Kyle Handley
I really enjoyed the memes that came out of the Olympic shooting events that drew a contrast between the low-tech approach of the Turkish silver medalist Yusuf Dikec with most of the other competitors. But I prefer to watch events with a “first to the line finish” format, like swimming, running and cycling. The end of the women’s cycling road race, when Kristen Faulkner took the gold, was very exciting.
Elizabeth Lyons
What I always enjoy most about the Olympics is watching people who have worked tremendously hard and who have made sacrifices most people are too uncomfortable to make to achieve their objectives. It’s inspiring, whether or not they win, to see these humans strive and show up. This year, my favorite outcome was the Canadian team’s winning gold in the men’s 4×100 meter relay. Andre De Grasse and the whole team ran so well after a series of tough races beforehand.
Craig McIntosh
My favorite part of the Olympics was watching the South Sudanese basketball team as they almost defeated the U.S. dream team!
Lauren Prather
This was the first year my kids were old enough to watch the Olympics with me. It was so fun seeing it through their eyes. We really loved watching gymnastics, diving, swimming and track.
Nico Ravanilla
The highlight for me was definitely the men’s gymnastics finals for floor and vault. I’ve been closely following Carlos Yulo, a Filipino gymnast, since the Tokyo Olympics, and I knew he had a real shot at medaling. Coincidentally, Aug. 3 was my birthday, so I got up at 6 a.m. PDT to watch the floor finals with my mom. Yulo’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. We cheered so loudly that I’m sure our neighbors weren’t thrilled, but when the Philippine national anthem played, both my mom and I got misty-eyed. It was one of the best birthday gifts I could have asked for.
Susan Shirk
I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t see much of the Olympics this year because I had grandparent-babysitting responsibilities while the children’s parents were in Paris, watching the Games live!
Mateo Vásquez-Cortés
My favorite part of the Summer Olympics was the incredible display of athleticism and competition across such a wide range of sports. Normally, I only follow soccer, so seeing athletes excel in various disciplines was really fun. The global spirit was also great. The event provided a refreshing and engaging distraction from challenging times. I’m looking forward to the excitement and energy of the upcoming Olympics in Southern California!
Barbara F. Walter
My favorite part of watching the Olympics was snuggling on the sofa with Zoli and playing the game of “What’s the most obscure sport we can watch?” Who knew the trampoline, badminton and breakdancing could be so fun?