By Sportswriter Su Bin
PARIS, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Running, swimming and cycling, athletes could wind through many of the world's most famous scenic sites in the center of Paris if the French capital wins the 2024 Olympic Games bid.
Whether or not that could happen will be upon decisions by the International Olympic Committee less than three months later in Lima, Peru, but on the Olympic Day, at least conception has come into life.
The Olympic Day was initiated in 1948 in commemoration of the foundation of the International Olympic Committee on June 23, 1894.
At a crucial stage of its bid, Paris has decided to integrate that into its Olympic Day celebration.
Starting from the Alexandre III Bridge, fields were on offer for visitors along the 500-meter road stretching to the Invalides, featuring a total of 33 Olympic and Paralympic sports.
According to the Paris bid committee, 250,000 square meters in the center of Paris were dedicated for the celebration activities.
Two hundred kayaks, led by three-time Olympic champion and the Paris bid co-president Tony Estanguet, kicked off the activity around 6:15 a.m. on Friday near Stade de France.
A floating running track was set up on the Seine River. After the kayaks, spearheaded by Estanguet and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, arrived at the Alexandre III Bridge, a 100-meter race, featuring eight top-level French athletes of all sports, just went underway.
On the opposite side of the Bridge, some divers plunged into the water from two diving boards, 17 and 12 meters high respectively, drawing warm applause from the visitors.
Renaud Lavillenie, pole vault world record holder, did give the sports fans many reasons to feel fortunate with his performance, just as some other star athletes in their own familiar sports.
Great attention was paid to the young generations by the city of Paris and the bid committee, as there were sports specific for the teenagers.
For some unfamiliar sports, such as shooting and archery, interested visitors could finally have a better understanding after receiving guidance from the coaches.
Felix, a Dutchman living in Paris for six years, was watching a hockey match as his kids were involved in rugby nearby.
"This is a nice way for common people to know more about the Olympic and Paralympic sports," he said.
That was echoed by Peter, a Californian who is on a tour in the French capital.
"It's good to promote some sports to people. Paris has done a good job to let its people know about the support from the government in infrastructure," said Peter who came from the American state where Los Angeles is competing against Paris in the 2024 bid.
"Whoever wins the bid, it will be successful Games," he added.
The Paris bid committee announced Friday night that the celebration activity attracted 320,000 visitors in total, and expressed their hopes for more visitors at site on Saturday.
Paris and Los Angeles will give their presentations to IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 11 and 12. The host city of the 2024 Olympic Games will be decided during an IOC session in Lima on September 13.
The IOC Executive Board unanimously approved of the proposal for awarding two Olympic Games' hosting rights on one occasion earlier this month, while it was upon consideration during an extraordinary session featuring IOC full members in July.
