The countdown to the Paris Olympic games is on! Because they’re not happening in Paris, Texas, most people here who watch will see the games on TV but a Dallas woman will be courtside and poolside cheering on Team USA. Noelle Walker has her story.
Kristin Kelley is getting ready to go to Paris for the Olympic games, not as an athlete, but to cheer on the athletes.
"I am headed to Paris for the 2024 Olympics," Kelley said. "I am so excited! This is a 'bucket list' trip for me."
Kelley bought a plane ticket to travel solo to Paris. She also bought tickets to several Olympic events.
"So I've got beach volleyball tickets," Kelley said, pointing out that the court is at the foot of the iconic Eiffel Tower. "I also get to ... probably most excited about I get to watch Katie Ledecky swim. I have tickets for that, and then I have tennis tickets."
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One of the swimming events Kelley bought tickets for got her in a lottery for a fan zone seat, where she'll stand poolside to cheer the athletes.
"I'm so excited to cheer on Team DFW and Team USA," Kelley said.
For Kelley, the Olympics is more than just a sporting event, it's a cultural exchange.
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock
"Sports, to me, is the great equalizer because you can, of course, find common ground," Kelley said. "Just having the opportunity to stand in a different place and feel a little uncomfortable, I think, is a good thing because it gives us a chance to expand what we know, what we believe, what we see to be true."
Kelley also has tickets to the Olympics Opening Ceremony along the River Seine and a tour of the Olympic Village.
