It has been a century since Paris hosted the Olympic Games, and undeniably the 2024 Summer Olympics will look quite different from the 1924 Olympics. The 1924 Olympics had 17 sports and 126 medal events, while the 2024 Olympics features 32 sports and 329 medal events. Only about 5% of athletes in 1924 were women, while in 2024 that number is around 50%. In 1924, 44 nations were represented, but in 2024, there are athletes from 206 nations competing in the games. A highlight of the 1924 Olympics included the performance of
Johnny Weissmuller (who later became an actor known for his portrayal of Tarzan) who won three gold medals in swimming and a bronze in water polo.
Paris has now hosted the Olympics three times: 1900, 1924 & 2024. While many sports have been added, others have faded away. One sport which was part of the 1900 & 1924 games, but will not be part of the 2024 games, is polo. What is polo, why is it no longer part of the Olympics, and what is the sport’s connection to Staatsburgh?
