FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Press visit at the Olympic and Paralympic athletes Village - Saint-Denis, France - July 16, 2024 Gaming centre is seen in the Olympic village REUTERS/Benoit Tessier FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Press visit at the Olympic and Paralympic athletes Village - Saint-Denis, France - July 16, 2024 General view of a cafeteria inside the Olympic village REUTERS/Benoit Tessier FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Press visit at the Olympic and Paralympic athletes Village - Saint-Denis, France - July 16, 2024 The Olympic village Plaza is seen during the press visit REUTERS/Benoit Tessier PARIS - With a pair of baristas churning out coffees and a rooftop terrace for social gatherings, Australia's quarters at the Olympic village embody the social spirit of a Paris Games unencumbered by COVID-19 restrictions. Strict health protocols sucked the fun out of the summer Games in Tokyo and Beijing's winter Games as masked athletes were forced to keep their distance. But on a balmy Tuesday afternoon, thousands of athletes and staff roamed the Olympic village freely, mingling at cafes and swapping souvenir pins.
Two of Australia's water polo athletes tested positive for COVID, the national Olympic committee said on Tuesday, with one not well enough to train. But it did nothing to kill the buzz around the delegation's accommodations where athletes were treated to a "Taco Tuesday" by a food sponsor. "We're comfy, got good food, good coffee, it's a good setup," Aust.