What I wrote yesterday in my updated blog needs yet another update today.
The reason is that the Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis has made it again. My latest post about him was in April, when he had just set yet another world record, 6,24 m, see 121’2024 (2024-04-30). And today, he raised that mark to an even higher level, 6,25 m, when he won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. Here is a picture of the exact moment when he surpasses the bar:
Armand Duplantis raises his own world record in pole vault to 6,25 m on 218’2024 (2024-08-05) to win the gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024. Photo taken by Martin Meissner/AP.
Armand and Sarah Sjöström were recently elected to be this years’s Swede of the Year by the organization Svenskar i världen (Swedes in the world) for their incredible performance over the years. How assertive they were when choosing this couple in an olympic year such as 2024. See also reference #1 below.
During the ongoing Summer Olympics in Paris, the fabulous Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjöström once more showed why she, still active, is already considered a legend in the history of swimming. She first became known to the general public in 2008, when she was 14 years old and won the European Championship (for adults) in 100 m butterfly. Maybe you remember that she won the same distance also at the Summer Olympic in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and, although still recovering from a broken elbow, also managed to win a silver medal in 50 m freestyle at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.
And now she has done it again! In Paris, her main goal was to compete in and hopefully win the 50 m freestyle. But since there are a couple of days between the freestyle events of 100 m and 50 m, she decided to also venture into the 100 m event. That final was held today and, of course, Sarah won! Let’s see what 50 m freestyle has in store for us!
As I already anticipated above, Sarah Sjöström won her favorite distance, 50 m freestyle, easily. In the semifinal yesterday, she swam on 23,66 s, only 0,05 s slower than her own world record, 23,61 s from 2023. Today, it was yet another 0,05 s slower, but her result, 23,71 s, was well ahead of all the competitors. Double gold medal to Sarah in the Paris Olympics!
Sarah Sjöström receives her second gold medal during the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo taken on 217’2024 (2024-08-04) by Jonas Ekströmer/TT.
And also today, the Swedish table tennis player Truls Möregård tried his best to win the gold medal, but the Chinese player Fan Zhendong exhibited once more the Chinese superiority in this sport, in a final that really captured the audience. At the end of the fifth game, when Fan was close to conclude his victory, Truls pulled a very nice trick. He saved the ball when it almost hit the ground, returned it in such a way that it bounced on the Chinese half of the table and came back towards Truls’ side, impossible for Fan to reach it. Here are screenshots from the exact moments when Truls picks up the ball and when it is returning to the Swedish side. In reference #2 below, you can find the complete video capture of the feat.
Swedish table tennis player Truls Möregård surprises his opponent. the Chinese player Fan Zhendong, with a very nice trick during the final in Paris Olympics 2024, held on 217’2024 (2024-08-04).
Today’s header photo of the port of Santorini was taken on 194’2024 (2024-07-12) by my friend Anne Clementino during a visit to this Greek island, also named Thira by the locals. It is located in the South Aegean sea and is a very popular turist destination. Besides enjoying the outstanding weather conditions of the Mediterranean sea, they also go there for the Greek hospitality and the famous Greek cuisine. Thank you, Anne, for this marvellous view!
More about Santorini and its explosive past can be found in reference # 3 below.
What did you learn in School today? 