The 2024 Olympics served up a plethora of memorable moments, from a colorful opening ceremony to emotional podium moments. Here are Diaspora Watch’s 10 of the most unforgettable:

1. Rain on Opening Ceremony Parade

The rain-soaked boat parade on the River Seine made global headlines, but not for the expected reasons. Church leaders, conservatives, and even US presidential candidate Donald Trump were outraged by a scene involving drag queens and lesbian DJ Barbara Butch that appeared to parody Jesus’s Last Supper. Artistic director Thomas Jolly denied any such intention, and he and others involved faced vicious online harassment.

2. 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. The 37-year-old celebrated with a roar that echoed around Roland Garros before tearfully embracing his wife and two children.

3. Biles Bows to ‘Queen’ Andrade

Simone Biles bowed to her arch-rival Rebeca Andrade on the podium, saying it was “just the right thing to do” after Andrade won gold in the floor final. Biles praised Andrade, saying, “Rebeca’s so amazing, she’s queen.”

4. 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, with only five thousandths of a second separating him from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson.

5. Not Cricket as Pakistan Tops India at Javelin

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the men’s javelin title with a Games record of 92.97m, beating India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra. Nadeem hailed the rivalry between the two countries, saying it was a “good thing” for young people.

6. 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, hailed as a rare show of cross-border unity.

7. Dreams Come True for Trew

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 final round, bringing the crowd to their feet.

8. Gender-Row Boxer Beats ‘Bullying’

Algerian gender-row boxer Imane Khelif claimed gold and used her platform to hit back at “attacks” and “bullying,” defiantly declaring, “I am a woman like any other.”

9. High Five for Cuban Wrestler

Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez made Olympic history by becoming the first athlete to win five consecutive individual golds in the same event, bettering the records of Games icons like Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps.

10. Cool Hand Yusuf

Turkish Olympic shooting silver medallist Yusuf Dikec became an overnight sensation for his casual style during competition, wearing standard glasses and a team T-shirt with his left hand tucked in his pocket