In just one week, the Paris 2024 Olympics have brought fans in the stadium and at home to tears with sweet broadcast cameos and adorable messages dedicated to athletes’ loved ones.

The 2024 games began on July 26 with an extravagant opening ceremony. Some described it as “over the top.” The event took place in the City of Lights, welcoming competitors from around the world. Teams were ushered in boats down the River Seine. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion’s performances sparkled as they ignited the Olympic torch, heralding the start of this year’s competition.

The Paris games have been history-making, with athletes like Team USA’s swimmer Katie Ledecky breaking world records. Ledecky also set tenacious tones in her sport. Simone Biles’ return after her Tokyo Olympics forfeit would have been remarkable on its own. Her achievements were even more impressive when she claimed first place in the women’s gymnastics all-around final. Biles also solidified Team USA’s triumph in the women’s team final.

As Biles waited eagerly by the mat, Lee, Chiles, Carey, and Rivera soon joined her, holding an American flag. They anxiously prepared for the announcement of their ranking. Finally, when the US was given a winning score of 171.296, the girls rushed onto the platform. They proudly held the flag high, with tears in their eyes and big smiles on their faces. This moment, which had once seemed impossible after the Tokyo games, was now a reality.

Here are all the sentimental moments from the Paris 2024 Olympics so far.

Gianmarco Tamberi’s wedding ring

Amid the opening ceremony spectacle, Italian Olympic flag bearer Gianmarco Tamberi lost something of great value – his wedding ring. While riding along the River Seine alongside his teammates, the Olympic high jumper saw his wedding band fly into the water. Tamberi viewed what many would consider a moment of despair as a moment of hope and a sign of something greater.
In a poignant post on Instagram, the athlete wrote a romantic apology note to his wife. “I’m sorry my love, I’m so sorry,” he started. “Too much water, too many kilograms lost in the past few months or maybe the uncontrollable enthusiasm of what we were doing.”

After a strong comeback winning the world championship, Simone Biles showed up in Paris with determination. Her teammates, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, were just as focused. On July 30, they secured the gold in the women’s gymnastics team final. The competition featured four rounds – vault, uneven bars, beam, and floor – scoring three members from each team in all four. At the very last second, Biles bumped her team up to first place with her outstanding, high-difficulty floor routine.

As Biles waited eagerly by the mat, Lee, Chiles, Carey, and Rivera joined her, holding an American flag. They prepared for the announcement of their ranking. The girls rushed onto the platform when the US received a winning score of 171.296.. They held the flag high, with tears in their eyes and big smiles on their faces. This moment seemed impossible after the Tokyo games.