Seven of Europe’s leading athletes are at the forefront of an exclusive behind-the-scenes Olympic Channel documentary following their journeys to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Entitled Athletes to Watch – Paris 2024, the seven-part series captures the background stories and preparations of these athletes across seven different sports. This comes at a crucial time as excitement builds ahead of the first Olympic Games held in Europe for 12 years.
India Sardjoe (Netherlands, breaking), Enzo Lefort (France, fencing), Kauli Vaast (France, surfing), Kieran Reilly (Great Britain, BMX), Lauriane Nolot (France, kiteboarding), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Germany, equestrian), and Carla Neisen (France, rugby sevens) are all part of the series.
Featuring testimonies from the athletes themselves and the people closest to them, Athletes to Watch – Paris 2024 tracks each of their unique stories, following their training regimes, personal development and focusing on the major milestones in their careers. These athletes are from a diverse range of backgrounds across Europe, but each share the determination and the dream to represent their respective countries and challenge for gold medals at the Olympic Games.
Several of these athletes competed at the European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023, which provided qualification opportunities for Paris 2024 in more than half of the Olympic sports on the programme.
This included India Sardjoe, known as B-Girl India, who made history when she earned the first direct qualification spot for breaking at the Olympic Games when she won gold for the Netherlands at Krakow-Malopolska 2023. Her success in Poland last year in front of a lively and packed crowd is covered in her episode.
“When they announced the winner and it was me, I was just really happy and relieved. To achieve it was a super good feeling,” India explains in the documentary about her European Games triumph.
Breaking is set for an exciting Olympic debut at the iconic La Concorde Urban Park in Paris, and India expressed her eager anticipation for the Games.
“It is really history if you are already standing there, because it is the first time breaking is in the Olympics. It is such a highlight in the breaking world,” she added.
Enzo Lefort helped France to win men’s team foil silver at the European Games in a boost to their preparations to defend their Olympic gold medal on home soil, while Kieran Reilly won men’s BMX freestyle gold at Krakow-Malopolska 2023 before going on to be crowned world champion.
Europe has consistently topped the medals table at Olympic and Olympic Winter Games, and the continent’s athletes will look to again win more than 40 per cent of the medals at Paris 2024.
Enzo Lefort’s quest for individual gold at Paris 2024 | Athletes to Watch
B-Girl India aims for historic gold at Paris 2024 | Athletes to Watch
Kauli Vaast’s Tahitian roots make him a favourite for Gold | Athletes to Watch
Kieran Reilly’s ride to the world stage | Athletes to Watch
French kiteboarding prodigee on her way to gold at Paris | Athletes to Watch
The graceful journey of Olympic champion, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl | Athletes to Watch
