When I booked this Olympic adventure, I looked for combinations of events which made sense geographically. For August 1, I was able to find a combination of 4 events which I knew would be a stretch, but was definitely possible.

The day started with Archery in a picturesque location – Les Invalides. The historic French military complex is also known as the location of Napoleon’s elaborate tomb, which I’d visited in 2017. Set up in the complex’s sprawling gardens, I took my seat in the bleachers and baked in the sun.

Archery works a lot like tennis – there’s a seeded bracket, two competitors face off, and the winner is the first to get to 6 points like a tennis set. There was a constant set of matchups, and some would compete twice in an hour (round of 32 quickly followed by round of 16). The skill is incredible – a number of them hit three 10s (three bullseyes) during the course of the match. Many nationalities were represented, and I was able to see an American man and women compete.

Wandering the seine after the Archery competition, I spotted the Chase Sapphire Lounge boat, moored on the quay. I’ve had that credit card for a number of years and it is one of my “secrets” for accumulating the miles I use on my travels. After a complimentary cocktail, I headed to my next event in the Place de la Concorde.

Paris 2024 has grouped several events into what they call the “Urban Park”. BMX, skateboarding, 3 on 3 basketball and breakdancing. While I was there, 3 on 3 basketball was taking place.

I walked back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the next phase of the day – Volleyball and Handball at Paris Arena Sud. This is the Paris Expo convention center, which they’ve broken into several small arenas for various sports, about a 45 minute metro ride and walk from where I’m staying.

First up was Italy vs the Netherlands in Volleyball. Thankfully, the convention center was very well air-conditioned. I was thrilled to find that my seat was 11 rows from the court with a great view of the action. Italy won in an exciting match.

After Volleyball, I walked across the plaza to the Handball arena for Germany vs Denmark. Handball is a huge sport in Europe and it’s roughly a combination of basketball and soccer. I learned about it when I went to the World Cup in Germany in 2006. The match went down to the final shot, with Denmark narrowly edging Germany by a goal.

What a day. Four sports which I’ve never seen before in rapid succession making for an incredible Olympic day 😊