Faster, Higher, Stronger in Paris

"Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter", or for us less intellectual jocks who have never understood Latin, "Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together".

Yes, it is that time every four years when we sit glued to our screens for just over two weeks and watch the best of the best compete in 32 different sporting codes at the world's biggest sporting jamboree. The 2024 Olympics in Paris is racing along with the normal combination of joy and heartbreak, all mixed with a smattering of controversy and a dash of the bizzare – and that is just the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony was definitely different, and that extended to more than just the fact it was the first Olympic ceremony not to be held in a stadium.

It started with a flotilla of boats carrying the athletes down the Seine, and, as a hardened sporting jock, I enjoyed seeing the athletes front and centre of the ceremony, and personally also enjoyed most of the artistic elements on the river banks.

The biggest controversy was the so-called depiction of Da Vinci's iconic artwork, The Last Supper. However, it turns out that the offensive piece had nothing to do with The Last Supper and was actually inspired by Dionysus, the Greek god of wine-making, fruitfulness, and ecstasy. According to Thomas Jolly, the director of the Opening Ceremony, the sequence was called "Festivity" and was meant to depict community tolerance – well, a quick look at social media and we can see that backfired in a spectacular fashion.

Once the organisers had apologised for the confusion, that commotion faded away, and we could concentrate on the sporting aspects. That is, after all, the real purpose of the Games, and thankfully we were able to watch the real heroes battling for gold, silver and bronze.

A week in and we are revelling in the faster, higher, stronger aspects with a few highlights.

The South African Sevens rugby squad put us on the medal table by claiming a dramatic bronze medal, and then Alan Hatherly lived up to his billing as one of the pre-race favourites in the mountain biking by finishing third. We then moved up the standings when Golden Girl Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) improved on her 100m breastroke silver medal from Tokyo and then ensured she was SA's most successful Olympian by adding a silver to her collection – before announcing her retirement.

There is plenty of action to suit all preferences and hopefully our medal count is going to grow. If you are supporting South Africa you can pick from hockey, canoeing, cycling, rowing, skateboarding, surfing, golf, athletics, sport climbing, swimming, wrestling, equestrian, judo, archery and fencing. We have 142 athletes taking part so you should be able find something to get excited about – or there is always the closing ceremony to look forward to.

One of the real highlights on any sportsman's career is competing in an event away from home.

You get to race in different conditions and experience and explore other parts of the country, and sometimes even travel abroad. Competing away from home can be stressful however if your accommodation turns out to be not what you expected – and we all know photos on websites can be very misleading … and I bet you know a few horror stories from people who found that out the hard way.

This is where FinishTime comes to the rescue. Our timing teams are constantly on the move and producing results from events all over Southern Africa, so we have a bit of experience when it comes to finding good places to stay, and now we are passing that knowledge on to anybody who wants our help.

On the FinishTime website, under the “Where We Stay” tab, there is a list of accommodation that has been tried and tested by our staff. It covers places to stay throughout Southern Africa and extends as far afield as Mauritius, Tanzania, Mozambique and Namibia. There is a short review from one of our staff members about the accommodation and the facilities available.

So, if you’re struggling to find a place for an event, check out where we have been at https://finishtime.co.za/

The FinishTime sporting calendars below come with a warning to check with the event organisers to ensure events have not been postponed or cancelled.

More event information, a regularly updated events calendar and results of all events timed by FinishTime can be found at www.finishtime.co.za and all results of events timed by FinishTime at results.finishtime.co.za

MAURITIUS CYCLE TOUR: September 15, 2024

Pedal your way through paradise at the 30th edition of the Mauritius 100km Cycle Tour on September 15th. This iconic event promises an adrenaline-pumping experience for both participants and spectators. Picture yourself amidst breathtaking scenery, conquering challenging terrain, all while soaking in the vibrant and festive atmosphere.

SPAR WOMEN'S CHALLENGE – Mbombela: July 13, 2024

The fourth leg of the Spar Women's Challenge on July 13 in Mbombela means we are now more than halfway through the popular women's only series. Next up is Tshwane, and then Maritzburg, Gqerberha and finally Jozi in October.

KILIMANJARO HALF MARATHON: AUGUST 31-September 1, 2024

Kilimanjaro Trail Run is a weekend of six trail running events on the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. There is a race for every runner. Event distances on offer are 10 kilometres, half marathon, full marathon, and three ultra marathons (50, 65 and 75km). .