Mohamed El-Sayed has secured Egypt’s first medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the bronze in the épée fencing event, following his victory over Hungary’s Tibor Andrashfi in the third-place match on Sunday.
El-Sayed clinched an 8-7 victory in overtime after an extensive video review. He had previously lost in the semifinals to French fencer Yannick Borel, who will later compete against Japan’s Kano Kuki for the gold medal on Sunday.
This marks the second medal for the Arab countries at the Paris Olympics and also the second in fencing competitions, following Tunisian Fares Ferjani’s silver in the Arab sword event he won on Saturday.
The 2024 Paris Olympics, celebrated as the centennial of the 1924 Paris Games, is anticipated to be a landmark event, showcasing 32 sports and 329 events. Paris was chosen as the host city after a competitive bidding process that saw Los Angeles as its main competitor; both cities were eventually selected to host the 2024 and 2028 Olympics, respectively. This strategic decision by the International Olympic Committee reflects their aim to stabilize the Olympic movement by ensuring capable cities for these major events.
Paris 2024 will introduce new sports, including breaking (competitive breakdancing), while continuing to feature newer Olympic sports like sport climbing and skateboarding that debuted in Tokyo 2020. This addition aligns with the IOC’s objective to attract younger audiences and adapt to the urbanization of sports. The Games are also notable for their wide-ranging venues, including a remarkable decision to host the surfing competitions in Tahiti, about 15,700 kilometers from Paris, marking the farthest Olympic event from the host city in history.
In terms of infrastructure and legacy, significant investments are being made in urban renovation and sporting facilities, particularly in Seine-Saint-Denis, one of the poorest areas in France. This includes new swimming facilities and other sports infrastructure aimed at leaving a lasting positive impact on the community. Paris 2024 has also launched initiatives like the “Génération 2024” to integrate sports more deeply into the educational system, and the “1,2,3 Swim!” program, which aims to teach swimming to children and their parents in underserved areas.
