I was hobbling, had cramp and felt sick. But to be part of The Beautiful Games was a joy beyond compare: Mail Sport's OLIVER HOLT takes on Paris' brutal marathon course and, inspired by Keely and Co, has the time of his life (sort of)

I was hobbling, had cramp and felt sick. But to be part of The Beautiful Games was a joy beyond compare: Mail Sport's OLIVER HOLT takes on Paris' brutal marathon course and, inspired by Keely and Co, has the time of his life (sort of) The marathon was designed to let ordinary people be a part of the Games Oliver started the Marathon outside Hotel de Ville just before 10pm on Saturday He was inspired by the athletes who refused to give up during the Olympics By Oliver Holt Published: 02:00, 12 August 2024 | Updated: 02:00, 12 August 2024 e-mail View comments I have seen many things that have filled me with wonder and joy during the seven summer Olympic Games that I have covered. I have seen the white sails of the Mistrals and the 470s and the Lasers skimming and whipping and dashing across the waters of Sydney Harbour under an azure sky in 2000.

I have seen the Water Cube lit up at night, spellbound by its mesmerising design that made it look as if it were covered with brilliant blue bubbles, in Beijing in 2008 and Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals inside it. I have seen Bradley Wiggins sitting on a golden throne outside Hampton Court Palace after he won the men's cycling time trial gold medal at London 2012. And I have seen Britain's coxless four winning gold on the waters of Lagoa beneath the gaze of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, high up on Corcovado, at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

But I have never seen anything as breathtakingly beautiful at an Olympics as the sight.