Sparkling moments at Paris Olympics 2024 leave lasting memories

PARIS, Aug 11 (AFP): From a colourful, sometimes controversial opening ceremony to boxers caught up in a gender row to respectful bows on the gymnastics podium, the 2024 Olympics served up many memorable moments.

AFP Sport looks at 10 of the best:

Rain on opening ceremony parade

Organisers promised a spectacular opening ceremony and the rain-soaked boat parade on the River Seine ended up making global headlines, but not for the expected reasons.

Church leaders, conservatives and even US presidential candidate Donald Trump were left outraged by a scene involving drag queens and lesbian DJ Barbara Butch that appeared to parody Jesus's Last Supper.

Djokovic's roar of approval

Novak Djokovic stunned Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable men's final to clinch tennis gold and become only the fifth player to complete the Golden Slam of all four majors plus Olympic gold.

The 37-year-old celebrated with a roar which echoed around Roland Garros before the tearful Serb clambered into the player's box to embrace his wife Jelena and two children.

Biles bows to 'queen' Andrade

Simone Biles may have been the star of the show but she was widely praised for bowing to her arch-rival Rebeca Andrade on the podium. Biles said it was "just the right thing to do" after she and team-mate Jordan Chiles finished in silver and bronze medal position respectively behind the Brazilian in the floor final.

Lyles just in time

World champion Noah Lyles roared to victory in 9.79sec to claim gold in a dramatic men's Olympic 100m final in the closest finish in modern history -- just five thousandths of a second separated him from Jamaica's Kishane Thompson.

Not cricket as Pakistan top India at javelin

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem won the men's javelin title, his country's first individual gold at an Olympics, with a Games record of 92.97m. In second place was India's defending champion Neeraj Chopra.

North-South Korea podium selfie goes viral

Images of Olympic table tennis players from North Korea and South Korea taking a selfie together on the medal podium went viral in South Korea, hailed as a rare show of cross-border unity.

After South Korea won bronze and North Korea silver in the mixed doubles behind China, South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon took a group photo after the medal ceremony.

Dreams come true

Australian skateboarding sensation Arisa Trew, just 14, won the women's park event to become her country's youngest ever gold medallist. Trew nailed a high-risk and high-speed final round in her trademark pink helmet, bringing the crowd to their feet at a sun-drenched Place de la Concorde.

Gender-row boxer beats 'bullying'

On a raucous night at Roland Garros, the storied home of the French Open, Algerian gender-row boxer Imane Khelif claimed gold and used her platform to hit back at "attacks" and "bullying" before defiantly declaring "I am a woman like any other."

High five for Cuban wrestler

Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez made Olympic history when he became the first athlete to win five consecutive individual golds in the same event, bettering the records of Games icons such as Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps.

Cool hand Yusuf

Turkish Olympic shooting silver medallist Yusuf Dikec became an overnight sensation for his casual style during competition.