Touching Moments at Paris 2024: Olympics is not only about competition

The 2024 Paris Olympics is over, but the best moments stay. The Olympics is not only about competition or gold medals - it's also about friendship, teamwork, love and peace. Here are some of the best moments that have been shared and discussed most by the Chinese people.

It is also about peace: Chinese, South Korean and DPRK table tennis players pose for a selfie on podium.

At the awards ceremony of table tennis mixed doubles, Chinese table tennis player Sun Yingsha instructed the players from South Korea and DPRK for a selfie. The young players smiling at the phone on the podium brings a heartwarming moment for all. The moment was captured in photos and won applause from around the world, with many hailing it was not only a moment of cross-border harmony for South Korea and DPRK, but also a visualization of "Olympics bring peace."

China's Sun yingsha and Wang Chuqin won gold for Team China in the event, the first one in the country's history since mixed doubles entered Olympics at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong from the DPRK won silver while Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin from South Korea won bronze.

It is about the spirit of sports: He Bingjiao took a Team Spain pin to the podium as her opponent was forced to quit for injury at semi-finals.

Chinese badminton player He Bingjiao brought a Team Spain pin to the podium while collecting her silver medal after her opponent Carolina Marin quit the semi-final with injury. The Olympic Committee said she turned "one of the most devastating moments" into "one of the most beautiful ones."

He won applause from the Spanish fans and media, and many say it is "the Olympic spirit at its finest." Marin also expressed thanks to He in a statement.

"I wished He Bingjiao all the best in the final, because sportsmanship was above all else. But the moment on the podium is one of the loveliest gestures anyone has ever made to me and I will always be incredibly grateful to her," she said.

It is about friendship: Chinese, Australian divers pose together at the podium.

China's Chen Yiwen, Chang Yani and Australia's Maddison Keeney have clearly discussed the gestures they celebrate while standing on the podium. Friendship between the girls have brought a heartwarming moment before the Olympics close.

It is about respect: Chinese athlete gives a big hug to Belarus' neutral athlete after the game.

Belarus' Ivan Litvinovich won gold in the Trampoline Gymnastics Men's Final as an individual neutral athlete, while he hesitated to seek joint celebration, China's Wang Zisai came to offer a big hug.

As an individual neutral athlete, Litvinovich competed without a national title, flag or anthem. But at the moment of winning, he still celebrated with friendship. 

It is about love, honor and moments between coach and player, couples, friends, and the team.

Olympics is not only about gold medals, it's also about love. Coach Wang Hao lifted Fan Zhendong after the latter won the table tennis men's singles. It was Fan's first Men's Singles gold at the Olympics, which also marked Fan's completion of a career Grand slam. He has now won at the World Championships, World Cup, and Olympics - he's only the sixth man to do this.

Huang Yaqiong got a proposal from her boyfriend Liu Yuchen after winning the badminton mixed doubles title with partner Zheng Siwei. Many of the medal rankings add a diamond ring to Team China overnight, for the romantic moment in Paris. Liu Yuchen is also the men's singles player who won silver in the men's doubles in Tokyo.

Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani's celebration pose went viral after winning gold in women's synchronized 3m springboard diving, after the U.S. athletes' hilarious reaction went viral on the internet. But later they joined Chen and Chang in posing for celebration as well.

Before the last day of the Olympics, Chinese table tennis players went onto the podium together after securing their women's team event. It's the fifth Olympic gold in the team event in a row for the Chinese table tennis team and the final of all the five golds for Team China in all table tennis events at Paris 2024. 

It was later confirmed as the 300th gold medal for Team China in all the summer Olympics.