Paris Olympics forced to postpone event on first day as weather causes chaos

The men's skateboarding on the opening day of the Paris Olympics has been postponed due to wet weather.

The event has been rescheduled until Monday as the poor weather, which was on show during Friday's opening ceremony, continues to wreak havoc. The timings on Monday will be the same as they were scheduled for day one.

A statement World Skate read: "Due to adverse overnight weather conditions and following a meeting this morning with all relevant organisers, the decision has been taken to postpone Men's Street Skateboarding at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games until Monday 29th of July."

Lucy Adams, who is progression project lead at Skateboard GB, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Street is what you would typically see in a city centre so featuring banks, hand rails. Park is seen in a bowl so you'd get those big transitions where they'd get big air off.

"Andy McDonald in the men's park, he turns 51 out in Paris. An absolute veteran of the sport. We've got Lola Tambling, 16 from Cornwall. Rose really quickly.

"Sky Brown, 16 as well. She got the bronze in Tokyo. She was tiny back then and has done some growing. She's in really good form but off the back of some injuries. She came second in Budapest the other week even though she wasn't 100%."

On Friday night the games were official opened as the ceremony took place through the River Seine, rather than at a stadium, as had been the tradition. The likes of Lady GaGa and Celine Dion performed amid huge rainfall. Nevertheless an incredible 300,000 people attended the ceremony in the French capital.

Despite the grim weather to begin the games Meteo France – the national weather service – has claimed that summer is likely to be warmer than average. In the past France has experienced deadly summer heatwaves with the highest recorded temperature in Paris coming in at 42.6 degrees - which was set at the end of July 2019.

At the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, extreme heat made it "torturous" for athletes and volunteers, according to local meteorologists. It was the hottest Olympic Games on record with temperatures reaching 34 degrees and humidity of 70% - which would've made it feel hotter than 34.

Tennis player Daniel Medvedev spoke of “dying on court” during the heat of a match whilst athletes vomited and fainted on the finish line because of the high temperatures.