Olympic success seen from Brazil and South Africa

Brazilians are a little jealous of French victories at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while in South Africa, the results of athletes are followed from quite far away.

The success of the Olympic Games is more and more obvious in France every day. Sporting success for the French athletes and popular success. While France is, on Sunday morning, August 4, third in the medal table (with 41 medals, 12 of which are gold), this success arouses the covetousness of many nations. For example, we are green and yellow with jealousy in Brazil.

Of course, with all these medals, France makes the Brazilians a little angry, as they miss out on several awards they were hoping for. It is also an opportunity for them to get behind their women’s champion, gymnast Rebeca Andrade. For gymnastics, of course, for judo or Rayssa Leal for skateboarding. They have become real national prides. Jealousy is also felt on the side of the organization because the Brazilians admire these Olympics in the middle of Paris, a capital that they love but also make fun of. Several clichés are there, from the antipathy of the waiters to the lack of hygiene of the French. The saga of the quality of the water in the Seine particularly amused the Brazilians. In 2016, the triathlon events took place on Copacabana beach in Rio, of course the setting was not the same, nor the color of the water.

On the African continent, South Africa is currently the best ranked in the Paris Games table, with four medals including one gold, but the passion for these games is shared more at home. Don’t imagine bars and fan zones going crazy. South Africans are quite homebodies, especially during the southern winter and the cold nights from 6 p.m. We follow these games more at home and from afar to be honest except when it comes to raving about the latest feats of swimmer Tatjana Smith, the most decorated South African in the country, who is bowing out. As for France, we mainly see it through the prism of the oval ball, with the disappointment of seeing the Blues and Antoine Dupont take their revenge in rugby sevens.

While the opening ceremony was more or less appreciated depending on the circles, it was generally agreed that it was more rock’n’roll than that of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Ostrich farmers in the south of the country particularly appreciated Lady Gaga’s use of their feathers, in a cabaret style. In any case, all of this will have inspired a few commentators who dream of seeing the city of Cape Town bid for the 2040 Olympics.