Here are some of the most significant international competitions of 2024:
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics (July 26 – August 11)
The world’s greatest sporting spectacle, the Summer Olympics, returns to Paris for the first time since 1924. Over 11,000 athletes from more than 200 nations will compete in 32 sports, including four new additions: surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and breaking (breakdancing). The opening ceremony promises to be an extraordinary and spectacle along the River Seine.
World Baseball Classic (March 8 – March 21)
The fifth instalment of the World Baseball Classic, featuring the world’s best baseball players representing their home countries and territories, will be held across multiple venues in the United States and Japan. This premier international baseball tournament promises intense competition and national pride.
The Booker Prize (October)
One of the most prestigious literary awards, the Booker Prize, recognises the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. Authors from around the world compete for this coveted honour, which has launched many careers and introduced readers to remarkable works of fiction.
PEN/Nabokov Award
Presented by the PEN America literary organisation, the PEN/Nabokov Award honours an outstanding work of literary fiction or literary nonfiction published in 2024. This international award celebrates the art of storytelling and the power of literature to transcend borders.
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
This annual prize, administered by the Commonwealth Foundation, recognizes the best piece of unpublished short fiction from writers across the Commonwealth’s 54 member nations. It provides a platform for diverse voices and promotes the development of new literary talents worldwide.
These are just a few examples of the many prestigious international competitions taking place in 2024. Whether in sports, literature or other fields, these events celebrate human achievement, foster cultural exchange and inspire people around the globe.
