Shooting hoops at the Terre de Jeux 2024 global relay

To mark 500 days before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Philippines participated last March 14, 2023 at the Terre de Jeux 2024, a global relay also joined by 43 other countries with the aim of integrating sports in everyday life.

The Terre de Jeux 2024 global relay, organized by the Paris 2024 organizing committee and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, mobilizes French diplomatic missions to take part in a 24-hour virtual and symbolic passing of the baton from one country to another on the next time zone.

French Ambassador Michèle Boccoz 

French Ambassador to the Philippines, Michèle Boccoz led the symbolic passing of the baton from Japan to the Philippines, and from the Philippines to Bangkok, Thailand at the event held at the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics' new Varsity Training Center.

Ambassador Boccoz leads the ball toss

Aside from Ambassador Boccoz, UP College of Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz, Philippine Olympic Committee Deputy Secretary General and Chairperson of Gender Equity Commission Karen Tanchanco-Caballero, Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner and Chef de mission for Paris 2024 Walter Francis Torres, and Wheelchair Basketball National Team head coach Vernon Perea were also present to give their respective remarks.

Ateneo Blue Eagles vs UP Fighting Maroons

Coinciding with the International Women's Day, the Philippines' hosting of the FIBA World Cup Finals this year, and the Filipinos' general love for basketball, the global relay featured a friendly match between two women's collegiate basketball teams namely the Ateneo de Manila University's Blue Eagles and the University of the Philippines' Fighting Maroons. The match ended with the score of 72-70 in favor of UP.

Wheelchair Basketball Philippine National Team

The event also saw the participation of the Wheelchair Basketball National Team who are training hard to snatch one of the eight slots (actually seven since one is already allotted to host France) available in this edition of the Paralympics.

UP Fighting Maroons and Ateneo Blue Eagles 

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games take place on July 26, 2024-August 11, 2024 while the Paralympics will follow soon after on August 28, 2024-September 8, 2024.