Olympics | Feature: Mutual respect shines bright at Paris Olympics

The Eiffel Tower is illuminated during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris, France, 26 July 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

In the heart of Olympic competition lies the spirit of friendship that shines bright, even in the face of rivalry.

by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Huang Yao

PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- In a world sometimes divided by boundaries and differences, sports have a unique power to bring people together. This phenomenon is vividly displayed at the ongoing Paris Olympics, where athletes not only compete fiercely but also showcase deep mutual respect.

The table tennis mixed doubles competition concluded on Tuesday, with China's Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha taking gold over Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong of DPR Korea, while the bronze went to Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin of South Korea.

After the award ceremony, the Chinese duo suggested a group selfie. Lim held up his phone to capture the moment that transcended the competition. It was a perfect portrayal of sports' capacity to unite, as the athletes' smiles illuminated the sentiment that triumphs and titles, though important, are not the only takeaways.

South Korea's bronze medalist Lim Jong-hoon takes a selfie with DPR Korea's silver medalists and China's gold medalists on the mixed table tennis doubles podium at Paris 2024 on July 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

"I congratulated them when they were introduced as silver medalists," Lim told Korean media. The selfie has been repeatedly aired by South Korean broadcasters, with many commentators reflecting on the significance of this unusual moment of harmony.

In another inspiring moment, Azerbaijan's judo world champion Hidayet Heydarov showed profound respect after winning a grueling final against the host nation's Joan-Benjamin Gaba.

Despite the exhausting 9:24 bout, Heydarov, in a touching gesture, kissed Gaba's forehead in tribute. "I was very happy when I won the gold medal. When you kiss the forehead of somebody, it shows respect to them," said Heydarov. "He did a very great contest with me. He did everything to win the gold medal, and I wanted to show my respect to him."

23-year-old Gaba echoed this admiration, stating, "I believed in myself. I have huge respect for my adversary in the final. He is excellent, and I'm going to get back to work so at the next Olympics, I can get the gold medal."

Hidayat Heydarov (L) of Azerbaijan kisses the forehead of Joan-Benjamin Gaba of France after the judo men's 73kg final at Paris 2024, on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Li An)

In the pool, a heartfelt moment was shared by Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei and Rikako Ikee of Japan at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Ikee, who made a monumental comeback after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2019, achieved a bronze in the women's 50m butterfly at Hangzhou Asiad.

The two swimmers shared a hug that spoke about resilience and the human spirit. Zhang recalled, "I told Rikako, 'don't cry, don't cry.' When they announced her name on the podium, I already felt like crying. But I told myself, this is a live telecast, I cannot cry. Then I saw her hugging her coach in tears. I could not hold back my tears anymore."

Meeting each other again in Paris, Zhang and Ikee exchanged pin badges, further cementing their camaraderie.

The tennis court also reflected this ethos of respect, especially in the storied rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Their 60th encounter, a highly anticipated clash at Roland Garros, saw Djokovic defeat Nadal in straight sets on Monday.

Rafael Nadal (L) shakes hands with Novak Djokovic after their men's singles second round match at Paris 2024, on July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

"There's no other rivalry in the history of tennis that's had 60 matches between the two players. I think that itself makes it very, very unique and very special," Djokovic remarked.

He spoke of their epic battles and the mutual respect, even if he wouldn't call it brotherhood. "I wish him the best. I think he's obviously one of the most important figures in our sport and sport in general. The more he plays, I think the more tennis wins."

As the Paris Olympics unfold, more inspiring stories like these are sure to emerge, showcasing how sports cultivate mutual respect and unite us all.