Rare and famous poster of the Paris Olympics.

The 1924 Summer Olympic Games, the Games of the VIII Olympiad of the modern era, were celebrated in Paris, France, from May 4 to July 27, 1924. For his farewell to the Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin campaigned on behalf of the French capital, which thus organized its second Games after those of 1900. The Games began with the Rugby XV tournament won by the United States on May 18, but most of the events took place in July after the Opening Ceremony held on July 5 at the Olympic Stadium in Colombes.

Coubertin's Olympic motto borrowed from Abbot Henri Didon: Citius, Altius, Fortius-faster, higher, stronger is introduced at these Games, as well as the ritual of raising the three flags at the Closing Ceremony.

In 1924, 44 nations and 3,089 athletes (including 135 women) took part in 126 events in 17 sports. The most prominent athletes at the Games were Finnish long-distance runners such as Paavo Nurmi, as well as swimmer Johnny Weissmuller and fencer Roger Ducret.

Swimming star Johnny Weissmuller will lend his features (and muscles) to Tarzan.

Although selected for the 1924 Paris Olympics, Johnny Weissmuller could not compete because he was not an American citizen. The stateless person will then falsify his identity papers by pretending to be his brother. A small breach of the law that will allow him to reveal himself at the Paris Olympics where his sporting exploits will erect him as a swimming superstar (passing under a minute in the 100 m freestyle, the first man to achieve this feat). In 1932, he was chosen to play Tarzan in the production of Rice Burroughs, a character who, despite the years, is still associated with him.

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