I still remember this moment vividly. The day of the Opening Ceremony… the weather was the worst. We were supposed to leave the venue by a certain time—but of course, Yann and I didn’t. I took one final walk across the entire site, from bottom to top, every corner. One last look before the first day of competition.

As you can imagine, I couldn’t sleep that night. But deep down, I knew we were ready. The entire EIF team did an incredible job, and we—this passionate sports team—were prepared to deliver something truly iconic.

The Paris beach volleyball venue will forever be remembered as an example of greatness. And I feel both proud and humbled to have been a part of it.

Little did we know, on July 26th, what was about to unfold…

And then… the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony happened.
So unique. So FULL. So historical. So magical. So POWERFUL.
Unrepeatable.

Fact: I was supposed to meet my colleagues by the river. But I left the venue too late, rushed home to change, jumped on my bike… and then the rain started. I was already exhausted—down to the last atom of energy.
So I made a decision: I’m staying in.
Watched it on TV.
Looking back… the best decision I could’ve made under those circumstances.

And I cried. The whole ceremony.
I felt gratitude on a level I had never felt before in my life.
I felt proud when I saw my Slovenian 🏐 team gliding down the Seine on that boat…
And the only moment I wish I could’ve witnessed live was …

From the balcony of the Eiffel Tower,
Céline Dion singing “L’Hymne à l’Amour”.
Paris held its breath.
A voice, a city, a history — united in one eternal moment.
Unrepeatable. Unforgettable. Pure emotion.

Once you witness greatness — when you’re a part of it — it stays with you.
It seeps into your veins, wraps around your heart, and settles in your soul.
You never forget. You never truly move on.
Because after that, nothing ever feels quite the same.

One year later, I still hold my breath — and the tears — as I remember those moments.
Reliving the emotions of a day I will never forget.

The worst weather of the entire Paris 2024 Games hit on the Opening Ceremony day — like it was meant to be.
A storm above, and magic below.

And then, the next day, the Games the whole world is still talking about began.
Our lives were changed.
Marked forever.