Gold-medalist Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States celebrates by ringing the bell after winning the women's 200-metre final at the Paris Olympics, on Aug. 6.Michael Steele/Getty Images
Anyone watching the Olympics might be confused about a couple of innovations Paris 2024 organizers have introduced, like what’s up with the stick thumping and why do the winners in track and field ring a giant bell?
Let’s start with the stick.
At the start of every event someone emerges with a giant club and thumps it three times on the ground. It’s a dramatic flourish that officials have borrowed from the ancient days of French theatre when performances opened with trois coups of a piece of wood, which is also known as a brigadier.
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“We wanted to use a tradition in the sports world but also in the drama world,” said Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 organizing committee.
Some scholars say the ritual has religious overtones, with the three knocks representing the Holy Trinity. But others argue it is just a handy way to let everyone know that the play is about to begin.
Not just anyone gets to wield the big stick.
Billie Jean King is introduced ahead of a men's doubles first-round match between Spain and Argentina, at the Paris Olympics, on July 27.Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Thumpers have so far included actors Bruno Gouery and William Abadie, from the Netflix series Emily in Paris, who traded thumps before a recent men’s 3-on-3 basketball game. Dan O’Brien, a former American decathlete, gave the whacks before the high jump portion of the men’s decathlon and India’s shooting legend Abhinav Bindra did it before the 10-metre air rifle event.
Tennis great Billie Jean King took a turn last week before a doubles match at Roland Garros involving Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, although she looked a little befuddled and wasn’t quite sure what to do after pounding the stick.
According to the Paris 2024 website the “tradition imposes a certain solemn and ceremonial dimension to each event, emphasizing the importance of respecting the athletes’ performances.” Maybe, but most spectators don’t seem to have a clue what’s going on, though they always give the thumpers a warm applause.
Okay, and what’s up with the bell? This has really caught on with athletes and fans.
The finish line bell at Stade de France.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/Getty Images
The winners of every track and field event get to ring a giant bell set in a metal frame at one end of the Stade de France. The bell was cast in a foundry in Normandy and after the Olympics it will be hung in Notre-Dame cathedral, which is in the final stages of repairs from the devastating fire in 2019.
The bell is inscribed with “Paris 2024″ and will be installed in the cathedral’s roof in time for the first mass on Dec. 8. “In a way, Paris 2024 is helping to rebuild Notre-Dame. A part of the Games and the Olympic spirit will remain in Notre-Dame for life,” said Pierre-André Lacout, one of the Stade de France managers.
Even if most gold medalists don’t know the back story of the bell, they sure love ringing it.
American Valarie Allman practically rang the bell off its rope after she won the gold medal in women’s discus. So did 100-metre gold medalist Noah Lyles whose enthusiastic ringing – he gave it eight yanks – drew applause from rapper Snoop Dogg in the stands.
“It’s absolutely sick, it just brings another atmosphere to it,” Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson told Britain’s TalkSport radio after she won the women’s 800-metres. “Everyone went quiet, and to get to ring that bell, it really is your moment. I forgot I would be able to do that, so that was really cool.”
The tradition began during the first week of the Games when rugby sevens took over the Stade de France. At that time organizers were more flexible and allowed players to give it a pull after each match if their team won.
“The bell is from Notre-Dame? I was not too sure, I was just so excited to ring it,” said Dietrich Roache of Australia after his team beat Argentina. “One of our co-captains had rung it before and I was like, ‘He’s not here so I might as well just ring it.’ It’s very special.”
Canada rugby sevens players celebrate by ringing the bell following a semi-final win over Argentina.Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
There’s one more innovation coming up near the end of the Olympics.
Organizers are holding a Marathon Pour Tous, or a Marathon for Everyone, on Aug. 10, the day between the men’s and women’s Olympics races.
It’s the first time a public event has been held during the Olympics and there will be two runs – a 10-kilometre run and a full marathon – both starting well after sunset. Organizers hope to make it a festive occasion with bands, DJs and a light show along the route.
There are 20,024 participants in each event, a nice play on “2024,″ including around 100 Canadians, according to Canadian Running magazine. They’ll follow the same course as the Olympic athletes through central Paris with the finish at Les Invalides.
Participation is restricted to runners who have “earned” 100,000 points by taking part in various activities over the past two years via the Marathon Pour Tous app. There’s one other requirement: all runners must be off the course by 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 11, less than four hours before the start of the women’s Olympic race.
Athletes compete in the mixed marathon race walk relay at the Paris Olympics, on Aug.David Ramos/Getty Images
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