French Olympics 2024

by?Christopher Yukna

The story which asks could the French win all the gold medals?

(International Press)

Today it was announced that there were only five finalists to host the Olympics in 2024. The five remaining cities are Sydney, Australia, Boston Massachusetts in the U.S., Saigon in Vietnam, Paris, France, and Santiago, Chile. Boston is reported to have the inside track. It is in the largest media center and a lot of corporate money is riding on the outcome.

(Eurosports)

Celebrations abound in the French capital as news spread of the French victory in the hunt to host the 2020 Olympics. Paris will be the site of the Olympics in just eleven years time. Work is scheduled to begin on renovating many of the stadiums and venues next year. Several of the old sites are in such disrepair that they will have to be completely rebuilt.

(BBC News)

President Francois Pompidou, grandson of George Pompidou called a secret meeting of his cabinet at the Presidential Palace. Included at the meeting was the Prime Minister, who is from the opposition party. Since the President is a caretaker president it is rather unique to see the Loyal Opposition invited to such a high level meeting. Speculation on the content of this very hush hush meeting is everywhere. Our correspondent has it on good authority that the subject of this get together has something to do with the Euro and European monetary policy. The question is now that the going is getting tough are the French going to leave the common monetary system and go back to the French Franc?

(N.S.A. internal memo)

One of our men was able to get a glimpse of the document signed late last night by Francois Pompidou. All he could tell us was that the French President had signed the bill with a huge flourish, signing first his name and then all across the document:?Pour la Gloire de la France ? Since the session was Top Secret and France is nominally an ally we are badly placed to discover more on this meeting...

(CNN Business Today)

The French and German governments parted ways in the exploration of space today. The Germans will stay in the ESA but the French officials were apologetic but firm when they announced that they would be leaving the European Space Agency. Several of the Space Agency's contracts are currently being filled by French firms. Under existing agreements, only member states can bid for Agency contracts. Stocks of British Aerospace and the German company DASK jumped in value by almost 5 percent.

(Science News)

The newly formed French National Space Agency unveiled an extensive plan to explore the solar system. Perhaps the word that should be used to describe this plan is grand. Not since the days of the Apollo space program has such amounts of money been spent and from only one fairly small nation at that. The centerpoint of this vast effort is a scientific and mining expedition to the planet Jupiter and its moons. More details on this enormous task will be issued in the following weeks.

(Sports Illustrated)

The 2020 summer games are finally here and South Africa is a modern showcase. I don't think that anyone can match the enthusiasm and sheer exuberance that is being displayed here. Of course, the 2024 games will be in Paris so will have to wait four years to see if anyone can top this. Speaking of Paris, the French team is woefully understaffed. Most of their team seems to be composed of hasbeens and neverwas. Where are the young promising athletes? This does not bode well for the host country of the next Olympic games. Looking at the 100 meters relay the Canadian team ...

(New Scientist)

Discoveries on the composition of the Jovian atmosphere have come fast and furious since the French floating laboratories were set down in the upper reaches of the atmosphere of Jupiter. Speculation and new theories on the interior of the planet are published daily. Even more surprising is the huge amount of astronomical data being recorded in both radio and the visual spectrum from the Jovian system. The intricacies of planetary magnetic fields and Chemical interactions are being put in the forefront says Marc Doumas, astrochemist. The French are really on the cutting edge of science now. Their gamble of spending so much money on space seems to be paying off...

(A CNN Live event)

Today marks the opening ceremonies at the Parisian Olympics. A gigantic parade down the Champs Elysee is scheduled to begin in one hour. We will be covering it live with cameramen stationed along the route. Now we are going to be talking to Peter Glint at the Arc de Triumph. Peter can you hear us ? Peter...

(Sky News Sports Gold)

The first heat of the 100 meters is going to be a dandy. First, we have the world recorder holder Jamal Wilkens from the USA in lane four. Next to him is the Jamaican runner Bob Marlow Smith who beat Wilkens in the Pan American games. Finally, there is the Russian Ivan Yuknanavic who has been unbeatable on the indoor circuit this year. Since there will only be three runners who will go on from this heat to compete in later rounds you have to feel bad for the French runners who drew this heat. I am sure that they wanted to look good in front of their home fans. They will be cruelly disappointed. To be honest, no one has ever heard of the French athletes before today. I mean Paul Wheal and Jérémie Pourchez are exactly not household names. I had heard there was some question that Mr. Wheal is a French national but certainly the Brits don't want him.

Ladies and gentlemen the runners are in the blocks. The gun is about to sound... and they're off. Folks, I have never seen anyone fly out of the blocks like these two French runners. It's impossible, they are almost a full two meters ahead of the pack and gaining ground. Talk about an explosive start. They have such a strange gait as well. It is as if they were bounding like kangaroos. They are around the turn and coming in to the home stretch. They are ahead of the world record by almost two seconds! We are watching sporting history! Unbelievable! The two French runners have shaved a second and a half off the world record. I am sorry to say this on TV but I am sure we witnessed an act of illegal drug use. No one could run like that and be unknowns. I am positive that these results will have to wait until after the drug tests.

Global Biking Network

The individual sprints start today in France's Olympic Velodrome Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Al, the French have chosen an odd duck to compete today Laurenzo Gibson. It's in their "bring the Olympics back to amateurs" esprit, Okay Suzie, but seriously, he looks so old. and who is he? I know Al, no experience at all, I googled him yesterday and all I found were pages on his guitar playing. Well, guitar playing is not going to help him with Sir Jason Wiggins-Hoy, 6-time world champion and Olympic gold winner at this event. You know Suzie the early parts of these races are highly tactical with riders pedaling slowly, as they carefully jockey for position, often trying to force their opponents up high on the track in an attempt to get their rivals to make the first move. I can't see this rookie Frenchman having the savvy to even understand the sport. And they're off. Huh, Laurenzo popped a wheelie! He is going around the track on one wheel. Jeesh Al he is pedaling like a madman!!! He won?

IWA International Weightlifting Association Olympic Streaming live

We are here covering the long-awaited 102Kg competition at the South Paris Arena #6. First up is Reza Gasparyan, the world record holder hoping to win his first gold medal at the Olympics. Pitted against him, among others, is the uncharted French athlete Helmut Klocker. Peter, isn't he also a member of their basketball team? Yes, Joyce, the French for some reason have had to double up on some of their teams. He is not very tall for a basketball player Ralph. That is odd, Klocker is going to attempt a 220 kilo snatch. Well beyond the world record never mind an Olympic... Joyce do you think this is a way to save face and throw the match. OMG he did it! HE DID IT!!!

(ABC Sports)

The opening round of the basketball tourney begins tonight with the United State's MacDonald Coca Cola Nightmare squad is squaring off against the host team the French.

Yes, Bert the Team USA is a nightmare for any team that has to play them. They've got three talented big men each over seven feet. They've got the most superb guards in the universe and they have Michael Jordan for a coach. What more could you ask for?

Al, the French team just doesn't measure up. Their tallest player is just 6 foot five inches. They've got heart and home-field advantage but frankly, they will be lucky to break fifty points against the MacDonald Coca Cola Nightmares.

Bert, will you look at that to take the opening tip off the French are putting Jér?me Molimard. The stat sheet has him listed at six foot but he can't be any where near that tall. He going up against Scotty Bird the 7 foot 4-inch center for the Orlando Magic. This is going to be a slaughter. I don't wanna watch.

Al, did you see that? Jér?me out jumped Bird! He didn't tap the ball. I swear that he caught the ball at mid-chest. How could anyone jump so high? The ball is down-court to Xavier Delorme. Bert, do you believe that shot? Xavier left the foul line and soared for an incredible dunk. His waist was level with the basket. Johan Debayle just stole the ball, he is so quick, pass up to Marc Rolens, to Olivier Faure on a fast break SCORE! Talk about bounding up the court. Al, this is shaping up to one hell of a game. I would have said that this was impossible.

(Women's World of Sports)

Lucee, the Olympic Village is all a buzz with the news of the French success here at the games.

That's right Betsy every time a French man or woman is entered in an event it seems they have a chance to win the gold. Not even the US or the old Soviet Bloc in its heyday could equal what has been happening here.

Lucee, any clue as to how the French are doing it?

Not the slightest indication Betsy. Drugs have all but been ruled out and the French officials are indignant that they were even considered. Lucee, who have we got on the card tonight?

Betsy, women's wrestling has come a long way since the beginning of the sport. Tonight there are athletes from every continent except Anarctica. Normally, we start with the flyweights but tonight's wrestling match begins with the 100 kilo class.

Those are the big girls.

Betsy, usually you're right but look at the size of the French wrestler. what is her name?

Claire Maurice.

Thanks, Betsy she can't weigh more than fifty kilos what is she doing in there with that Chinese heavyweight? She looks like a typical French housewife.

Lucee the 100-kilo class is often called the cruiser class and these girls are all muscle. I know the French have had success in these games but they can't win a medal with a weight differential like this. Betsy, while the girls are warming up, let's talk about Lin Mae, the Chinese wrestler. She won bronze in the Pan Asian games and last winter a silver medal in the Nordic Countries' Invitational.

Lucee, Lin Mae is a competitor. She is simply too experienced and too strong for this pretty French wrestler. Well, they are about to start. The women are grappling and that's not really good technique but Claire has somehow thrown her opponent to the floor. What is she doing now?

Lucee, Ms. Maurice has picked up Lin Mae from the floor and is twirling her above her head. I have never seen such an awesome display of raw physical power.

Awesome!

(Science and Technology Week)

The French announced that they will be opening up research posts for non-French nationals in their prestigious space agency. Preferential treatment is to be accorded to European applicants first.

No cameras film high above the planet Jupiter. There are no newsmen covering the story. But if there were, they would see a colossal dirigible the size of a small city floating majestically in the upper reaches of the Jovian atmosphere.

On the sides of this impressive airship are written in large letters: Navire Francais de Recherche et d'Exploration

But that isn't the most interesting thing. Beneath words that basically say French research and exploration ship is an Olympic logo and next to the five multicolored rings are the words:

Centre Francais d'Entrainement Olympique

Nota Bene: Originally this story posted on the internet 22 May 1997 I did get the date wrong by four years (2020), and this was just an English oral reading exercise so that students could each read apart aloud that I posted on the scifi pages of the Ecole des Mines of Saint Etienne, https://web.archive.org/web/20160807044630/https://sf.emse.fr/AUTHORS/CYUKNA/cyfrolymp.html In addition this short story was translated into French and published in Gamete a French fanzine as XXème Olympiades – Paris 2020 https://www.noosfere.org/livres/EditionsLivre.asp?ID_ItemSommaire=119177

Alas, today I would have to change its classification to Alternate or Parallel Histories. I have updated the story slightly

?Ce texte ? 1997?Christopher Yukna?- tous droits réservés