Six celebrity Olympic fans eyeing Paris 2024 with six months to go

Lady Gaga’s emotions overflow on history-making Olympic day

“The olympics is the best ever,” [sic] posted Lady Gaga of the London 2012 Olympic Games, “but i went through a whole pack of tissues last night. watching hard working athletes achieve their dreams.”

The date that Gaga posted? Only one of the most auspicious days in Olympic history – 31 July 2012.

It was on this day that her compatriot, Michael Phelps, became the most decorated athlete in Games history, winning an astonishing 19th Olympic medal. As ever, though, with elite sport, the emotion intertwined with the achievement came with a twist.

Phelps’ record-breaking medal came with gold in the 4x200m relay but it was the race an hour earlier in the 200m butterfly that contained all the drama.

Previously thought indestructible in the discipline, unbeaten over a decade at that point, Phelps was pipped to the wall by South African usurper, Chad Le Clos, in an astonishing finish that wowed the competitors, the crowds, and clearly, one supersonic pop star watching at home.

That same day, the US women’s gymnasts claimed gold, claiming their first Olympic team title since 1996.

One member of the Fierce Five, Gabby Douglas, also went on to win the all-around title at London 2012 before retiring after the team defended their title Rio 2016.

Plot twist.

Douglas announced a comeback in July 2023, with the aim of competing at Paris 2024.

Should that happen, the applause from Gaga will be fierce.