We´re proud to note that Iberia is the official airline of the Spanish Olympic Team in one of the great sporting events of the decade, the 2024 Summer Olympic Games which will will run in and around Paris from 24 to July to 11 August.
Paris 2024 by the Numbers
This of course is the first Olympics to return to absolute normality after the pandemic (as you may recall, the Tokyo 2020 games were delayed for a year due to COVID and still imposed severe restrictions to preserve the health of athletes and the public.
This year, 10,500 athletes from 206 delegations gather in the French capital in 32 disciplines, four of which are new: climbing, skateboarding, surfing and breakdancing. Another of the peculiarities of these Olympic Games is their opening ceremony, which will not take place, as on other occasions, in a closed area but rather along the River Seine., with the athletes boarding boats in a parade that is estimated to stretch for six kilometers (nearly four miles).
Iberia & the Olympics
At the end of June, an agreement was signed by Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), and Marco Sansavini, his counterpart in Iberia, to establish our airline as the one which will transport Spain´s athletes to Paris.
And our involvement in the games this year goes even further, as well will be a sponsor of Casa de España in Paris´ Cité Universitaire, where athletes, their families and followers will meet, and there will also be competitions in which compatriots participate and where wins will – which we are sure will be many – be celebrated.
At the time of the Iberia´s signing of the agreement with the COE, Sansavini highlighted the pride that the company represents that the Spain´s Olympic Committee has once again placed its trust in Iberia to transport athletes to the Games, of whom he said: “You are an example for all of us, for your daily effort and perseverance. Thank you for allowing us to accompany you on this journey and be part of your achievements. The COE president highlighted Iberia’s support and unwavering commitment to Spanish sport.
Some Facts About Spain´s 2024 Olympians
Iberia will fly the 382 Spanish athletes qualified for the Olympics plus their respective coaching and technical teams beginning on 24 July, including those competing in rugby, football, archery, and handball. The opening ceremony will be held on the 26th and medals will start to be handed out on the 27th. Our country is participating in the following sports: road cycling (five athletes), fencing (two), judo (nine), swimming (18), rugby (seven), vaulting (four), skateboarding (five), and shooting (four). The final medals are handed out on the day of the closing ceremony, August 11, in the following (in which, by the way, our country has 58 representatives), basketball (28 Spaniards), handball (also 28), track cycling (two), weightlifting, wrestling, modern pentathlon (one), volleyball, and water polo (26). Another interesting note is that unlike in Tokyo, where Spain´s 326-athlete cohort comprised 188 men and 138 women, this year in Paris women slightly outnumber men, 192 to 190.
Talent on Board: la acción de Iberia en los Juegos Olímpicos
Our support for sport continues with out programme Talent on Board, an action that is repeated after the success in Tokyo, Iberia has once again supported a group of athletes from different disciplines on their way to Paris, such as Alberto Ginés, who has qualified in men´s climbing and bouldering; Irene Sánchez-Escribano, who will compete in the women’s 3,000-metre hurdle; Ray Zapata, who´s participating in artistic gymnastics both individually and as part of a team; and Rodrigo Conde (men´s doble scull); Hugo González de Oliveira (swimming races including individual 100m and 200m backstroke, 200m medley, and freestyle relays; Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (judo in the under 100-kilo/220-pound weight class); Antía Jácome (canoeing women’s C2-500); Adriana Cerezo (taekwondo in the women´s under-49kg/108-lb. weight class); Diego García Carrera (the 20K men’s walk and mixed relay walk); and Marcus Cooper for last (a canoeist in the K4-500 and K2-500 as well as Spain´s opening-ceremony flag bearer along with sailing team member Támara Echegoyen). Congratulations to everyone and the rest of the Olympic athletes – see you on board soon!