This month, athletes from around the world will descend on Paris in the hope of carving out their names in the annals of history at the Summer Olympics. Events will take place in and around the City of Light (the furthest away is in Teahupo’o, a village in Tahiti, French Polynesia, where surfing events will be held), transforming the city’s landmarks and surrounding areas. Temporary outdoor arenas will include the Château de Versailles to host equestrian events, a development reminiscent of King Louis XIV, who transformed the grounds between 1679 and 1682 to house his impressive team of horses. The Eiffel Tower will be the backdrop for beach volleyball; breaking will make its Olympic debut at the Place de la Concorde, the city’s largest public square; while the gardens of the Trocadéro will host men’s and women’s road cycling races.
From runner Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner breaking the 200-meter world record twice in two hours in Seoul in 1988 to the 2004 Athens Olympics, captured in black-and-white portraits that fill The Last Heroes: A Tribute to the Olympic GamesThe quadrennial trials bring legends to every participant and spectator. Here, an ode to the trials, with Parisian flare and sporting excitement in equal measure, as a new group of competitors take to the horse.
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