For a few glorious weeks, the world will watch on as some of sport's grandest talents duke it out in the hopes of hanging a glimmering gold medallion around their necks.
This year's iteration of the Summer Olympics, set to be held in Paris, could be an electric affair. The French capital always tends to elicit fireworks. Whether they spring from a sporting event or a popular uprising is a different story.
There are a treasure trove of luminaries expected to litter playing surfaces across Paris during late July and early-August, from LeBron James to Katie Ledecky. All are hoping to etch their name in Olympic lore, all while flanked by Renaissance-era artwork and Baroque-style infrastructure.
The scenery surrounding the various athletic competitions set to spring up this tournament is certainly eye-catching. And unsurprisingly, it has many wondering just when the iconic competition comes to a close.
So, without further ado, here's what you need about the length of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
How long are the Olympics?
The Olympics are set to start on Friday, July 26. They'll conclude on Sunday, Aug. 11 with the closing ceremony. That leaves 16 days, a little more than two weeks, for scores to be settled and medals to be handed out to the best and brightest Olympic competitors.
Typically, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has earmarked a period of 16 days to hold festivities during the Summer Olympics. Each of the past seven Summer Olympics have featured a 16-day run time, with 1992 serving as the last time the tournament ran over a different timespan (that year featured a run time of 15 days).
The IOC hasn't always pursued such tight parameters on the length of Olympic competition. During the tournament's infancy, it was liable to stretch for months, not weeks. The 1900 Olympics, also held in Paris, spanned more than five months, starting on May 14, 1900, and concluding on Oct. 28 of that year.
The first Olympics to be concluded in 16 days was the 1912 iteration of the event, held in Stockholm, Sweden. A precedent was set shortly thereafter, although it still has wavered from time to time.
When does the Olympics end?
This year's Summer Olympics will conclude on Sunday, August 11 with the holding of the closing ceremony. The event will be led by the Games' artistic director, Thomas Jolly, who produced "Records," a visual and auditory spectacle that will feature more than 100 performers, acrobats, dancers, and circus artists.
An original soundtrack will be produced upon the showcase's reveal, with "world-renowned" musicians reportedly tapped to offer their skill set for the Olympic curtain call.
