By TOM NOUVIAN, Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — Lézana Placette felt a wave of calm looking up at Paris’ most iconic landmark.
“Whenever I get a bit nervous, I’ll just turn my head and look at the Eiffel Tower. That should help remind me what I play for,” the French beach volleyball player said, standing on the sand of the Olympic stadium in the tower’s shadow for the first time.
The first training session for the Olympic beach volleyball athletes took place Wednesday at the photogenic venue.
The French women’s team, Placette and her teammate Alexia Richard, took the court for a 45-minute session under sunny Parisian skies. The duo, who have played together for a decade, will represent France in their first Olympics together.
“I got goosebumps stepping into the court and imagining the French fans cheering,” Richard said.
The Eiffel Tower stadium, with its 12,000 seats, is poised to be a centerpiece of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. The atmosphere during practice was a blend of excitement and reverence, as athletes familiarized themselves with the venue installed in a park that once served as the training grounds for Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Paris organizers have made an effort to creatively tie the Summer Games to the city’s rich history, setting events like BMX, 3×3 basketball and skateboarding in the historic La Concorde square, and the equestrian competition in Versailles. For many athletes, the presence of the Eiffel Tower adds an unparalleled sense of grandeur.
“We’ve got the best seat in the house. I don’t know who made the call for setting us here, but I really appreciate it,” Adrian Carambula from Italy said.
Yorick de Groot of the Netherlands, participating in his first Olympics, also took in the extraordinary setting. After his practice session, the 24-year-old spent several minutes capturing the moment with photos, selfies and videos, both with his coaches and alone, cheerfuly laying in the white sand.
“I have to show this to my people at home, to make sure that they believe me. This is a memory that I will never forget,” de Groot said.
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The anticipation is heightened by the promise of a full stadium, a stark contrast to the empty venues of the Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19. Organizers have announced that most of the competition will be played to sold-out crowds.
“Visualizing a packed stadium like this is what gets me going,” said Carambula, who at 36 believes this will be his last Olympics after competing in Rio and Tokyo.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the stadium on Wednesday, accompanied by Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, and French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. Macron shared his enthusiasm in a selfie video from the top row of the stands facing the Eiffel Tower.
“See the rings behind me? And the Eiffel Tower? Everything is ready, let’s open up the Games,” Macron said.
After the beach volleyball tournament, which starts Saturday, the stadium will transition to host the blind football competition during the Paralympics.
