In a mere 1,432 days, the grand stage of the Los Angeles Olympics will dawn with a spectacular opening ceremony on July 14, 2028, drawing to a triumphant close on July 30 of the same year, as CNN heralds. As the 2024 Paris Olympics bid adieu, the anticipation for the 2028 edition in L.A. ignites a global fervor among sports enthusiasts.
The historic L.A. Memorial Coliseum, renowned for hosting Olympic ceremonies in 1932 and 1984, will etch yet another milestone as the first stadium to welcome three Olympic openings and athletics competitions. Meanwhile, The Arena, the prestigious home of the L.A. Lakers and L.A. Sparks, will transform into the arena of Olympic gymnastics, where gymnasts will soar to new heights. The 1932 Pool in Exposition Park, steeped in nostalgia, will resound with the splashes of divers, showcasing their aquatic prowess.
Stepping into the aftermath of the Olympic fervor, the 2028 Paralympic Games will illuminate Southern California from August 15 to 27, further enhancing the region's athletic legacy.
Amidst the bustling metropolis known for its notorious traffic, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has set her sights on a visionary goal: a "car-free" Olympics. "Though we're a city deeply entrenched in automotive culture, attending Olympic venues will necessitate a shift towards public transportation," she emphasized to CNN. "We're fortifying our systems and mobilizing thousands of buses from neighboring regions to facilitate this transition, all while fostering remote work practices and bolstering public transport infrastructure."
The return of the Olympic Games to American shores heralds the introduction of novel sports and the resurgence of beloved events long absent from the competitive arena. Flag football and squash will make their Olympic debut, while baseball, softball, lacrosse, and cricket return to the fold, igniting nostalgic passions, as Yahoo! Sports reports. Conversely, breakdancing, which garnered mixed reactions at the Paris Games, will not grace the 2028 stage.
A glimpse into the Olympic future unfolded during the Paris closing ceremony, where Tom Cruise, the adrenaline-fueled icon, stole the show with a breathtaking skydiving feat. The 62-year-old action star, renowned for his daredevil stunts, soared from the heights of Stade de France, ultimately landing gracefully on the stadium's turf, officially passing the Olympic baton to L.A. Accompanied by H.E.R.'s electrifying guitar riffs and having just sung the American national anthem, Cruise greeted the athletes before embarking on a motorcycle journey, the Olympic flag flapping proudly behind him.
This pre-recorded odyssey saw Cruise navigating the streets of Paris, passing iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, before soaring into the skies once more, this time on a plane bound for Hollywood. "I'm on my way," he declared, donning his skydiving gear to the beat of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "By the Way." His leap from the aircraft led him to the iconic Hollywood sign, where he transformed the "O"s into Olympic rings, symbolically handing over the flag to Olympic cyclist Kate Courtney, setting the stage for L.A.'s Olympic extravaganza.
