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Torchbearer -

Markus Rehm had the honor of carrying the torch during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

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A night to remember -

A beautiful performance unfolded at Place de la Concorde during the Paralympics opening ceremony, with the Luxor Obelisk standing majestically in the background.

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Jump for the birdie -

Pictured: Daisuke Fujihara of Japan jumps for the birdie during the badminton match against Ukraine's Oleksandr Chyrkov.

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Hidden in plain sight -

Ella Sabljak, of Australia, hidden by the ball during a wheelchair rugby match, capturing a moment of intensity and focus.

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Sky high -

The legendary Lebron James doing a layup during the semifinal basketball game between the US and Serbia that ended with a victory for the US team.

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The weight of gold -

The Indonesian weightlifter Rizki Juniansya's reaction after winning the gold.

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A test of strength -

During the 1/8 final, Dauren Kurugliev from Greece finds himself in an uncomfortable position while wrestling with Ethan Adrian Ramos from Puerto Rico.

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Strong competitor -

This whale also wants to compete in the Olympic Games, at least for the public's attention! The humpback whale jumps above water as Tatiana Weston-Webb of Brazil and Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica compete in the surfing women's semifinals in Teahupo'o, Tahiti.

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Tallest vs. shortest -

Victor Wembanyama, 20, made headlines with his impressive height of 7′ 4″ (224 cm). During the France-Japan basketball game, images of Wembanyama standing next to Japan's Yuki Togashi quickly went viral due to the striking contrast between the two players.

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BMX freestyle -

No, the Argentinian Jose Torres Gil is not going up the Luxor Obelisk in Place de La Concorde. It's just an amazing picture by photographer Jeff Pachoud during a BMX freestyle training session.

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Skybound -

Juliana de Menis Campos of Brazil at the peak of her jump during the pole vault qualification round.

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Walking over the water -

On August 5, the athlete from the Spanish team seemed to walk over the water during their performance in the synchronized swimming competition. The picture was taken by Gonzalo Fuentes.

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The end of the road -

Peru's Alonso Correa's massive wipeout during the quarterfinals first heat at Teahupo'o, which is considered the heaviest wave in the world.

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Reaching new heights -

During a basketball game between France and Serbia, two players leap into the air, reaching for the ball in an intense moment.

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Long Jump -

An amazing picture taken by photographer Dylan Martinez of the German athlete Leo Neugebauer competing in the Men's Decathlon Long Jump.

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Flying Biles -

The jury watches as Simone Biles "flies" during her gold medal performance in the Artistic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Final. The photo was taken by Tim Clayton.

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Boxing -

The photographer Richard Pelham chose a great angle to show Khadija Mardi's celebration. The Morrocan athlete had just won her fight against Chantelle Jordan Reid from Team GB. 

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Trampoline -

Sophiane Methot of Team Canada is seen upside down as she competes during the Trampoline Gymnastics Women's Qualification round. The photo was taken by Jamie Squire. 

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The perfect pose -

The perfect pose for an almost perfect score. Photographer Jerome Brouillet was able to capture the excitement of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina after he scored 9.90 in the 5th heat of the men's surfing round 3.

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Sunset over Paris -

As the sun set over Paris on July 28, spectators gathered to watch the women’s volleyball teams compete. This particular game saw the US competing against the Czech Republic, and the Eiffel Tower watched them play as well!

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Olympic rings -

This stunning picture of Carlos Alcaraz, one of Spain’s tennis stars, was captured as he trained on July 25 for his upcoming matches.

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Gymnastic dream -

Simone Biles of the US is seen here training on July 25. Biles is one of the world’s most prolific gymnasts, having won seven medals at the Olympic Games during her career so far, four of which were gold.

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Impressive opening -

During the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, athletes from Team Spain held onto their flags as the rain poured down around them.

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The Olympic cauldron -

Two days after the Olympics started, spectators were greeted with a beautiful sight as the Olympic cauldron rose into the sky next to the Eiffel Tower, both of which were bathed in the fading light of the sunset.

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Architecture -

Paris’s Grand Palais was filled with the sound of clashing swords as athletes competed in women’s fencing. Although the sport itself can be quite riveting, there is no doubt that the architecture would also grab your attention.

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Eye for an eye -

In an impressive game of table tennis, Yang Wang of Slovakia was briefly captured squinting at the ball as he played. It seems that he took it very seriously when they told him to keep his eyes on the ball!

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Eyes on the prize -

It seems that keeping your eye on the ball is quite a mantra to every athlete, since Senegal's Ibrahima Diaw was captured in this photo as he also watched the ball very closely while serving during a match of table tennis.

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Flying high -

During the men’s qualification for artistic gymnastics, Jermain Gruenberg of the Netherlands was caught vaulting over the parallel bars. Such grace!

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Skateboarding serenity -

During a training exercise for skateboarding, this picture of Brazil’s Kelvin Hoefler was captured as he flew through the air before landing on a railing.

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Hold on tight -

Canada's Arthur Margelidon was skillfully pushed to the ground by Tajikistan's Behruzi Khojazoda during a rousing match of judo.

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Diving by design -

As China's Lian Junjie and Yang Hao competed in the men’s synchronized diving, they were seen twisting through the air after leaping from the 33-foot (10-meter) platform in perfect harmony.

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A watery sport -

Using an underwater robotic camera, this picture of Katie Grimes of Team United States was captured during the third day of the Olympic Games as she competed in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley Heats.

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Splashing -

During a riveting round of water polo between Croatia and Montenegro, this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it picture was captured as Konstantin Kharkov made contact with the ball.

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Sail away -

Over in Marseille, sailing athletes competed in the men’s skiff on July 28, and this glorious image was captured as they sliced over the water of the Marseille Marina.

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Running with fire -

During the opening ceremony of the Olympics, a torchbearer ran atop the Musée d'Orsay. This snapshot also managed to capture the Notre-Dame-de-Paris cathedral in the background, truly a symbol of the Parisian city.

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A symbol of France -

The opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics was truly a wonder for many reasons, one of which included the tricolored smoke clouds that formed the French flag above the Pont d'Austerlitz.

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Defenseless -

During a volleyball match between Turkey and the Netherlands, the Turkish team was unable to properly defend as the ball slipped between their outstretched arms.

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Celebration -

Tang Jie Chen and Ee Wei Toh of Malaysia share an exciting celebration after winning a match against Team China.

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Tasty -

During the victory ceremony for the women’s kayak event, the first place went to Jessica Fox of Australia, who didn’t hesitate to celebrate her well-earned victory by biting her gold medal.

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All for show -

The Parisian night sky was full of light as the opening ceremony was underway and the Eiffel Tower spread its lights across the city in perfect symmetry.

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Elevation -

Aside from the athletes who compete, the Olympic Games are certainly renowned for their opening ceremonies. This picture was captured on July 26, as performers rose up above the Pont au Change bridge in Paris.

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Riding the waves -

As William de Smet of Belgium took his sail across the Marseille Marina during a training exercise on July 25, this picture was captured as the waves crested the water.

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Stay focused -

Poland's Katarzyna Wegrzyn focuses intensely on the ball just before serving during a round of table tennis against Sweden's Linda Bergstrom.

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Spreading love -

Noah Williams kisses fellow team member Tom Daley after receiving silver medals at the medal ceremony for the men’s synchronized diving event.

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Exciting stuff -

After winning his bronze medal following his finals match in the fencing event, Mohamed El-Sayed of Egypt celebrated with a leap and a shout that echoed off the walls of Paris’ Grand Palais.

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Rugby gives you wings -

During an intense semi-finals match for the Rugby Sevens event, this picture of Fiji’s Selestino Ravutaumada was captured as he gleefully soared over the line and scored his team’s fourth try.

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Reflection -

As Olga Zabelinskaya of Uzbekistan prepared to cycle in the Women's Individual Time Trial event, the Olympic rings were perfectly reflected on her goggles.

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Ring-colored glasses -

Another shot from the opening ceremony captured handball player Dylan Nahi of France as he wore glasses showcasing the Olympic rings. The addition of the Eiffel Tower’s own rings in the background is a great touch!

Sources: (Reuters) (Olympic Games) (Eurosport)

See also: The biggest disasters in Olympic history

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