- Prince Haakon enthusiastically supports Norwegian sportspeople
Last week, Prince Haakon was at his sister's wedding in Geiranger, Norway, but a week later, he's in Paris, rooting for Norway's Paralympic team. On September 3rd, the 51-year-old Norwegian heir cheered on his countrymen at the Paris Games, witnessing them bag two bronze medals. The Norwegian royal family's official Instagram account shared snaps of the royal's visit and the medal-winning moments.
Prince Haakon's Visit to the Athletes' Quarters
The day started with Prince Haakon's visit to the Norwegian team's athletes' quarters, as per the palace's Instagram announcement. The prince interacted not only with potential medalists from his homeland but also with the winners of the bronze medals. The palace-released photos portrayed the prince having a chat with Norwegian athletes.
Images published by the palace unveiled 26-year-old Helle Sofie Sagoey, who clinched the third position in the women's singles Para-Badminton final against her Indonesian opponent Sadiyah Khalimatus (24). The 22-year-old Fredrik Solberg took home the bronze in the men's 50m freestyle.
2024 Paralympics: The Royal Touch
Prince Haakon isn't the only European royal lending support to the Paralympics. The 18-year-old Crown Prince Christian of Denmark also ventured to Paris to rally behind the Danish team. Instagram posts from the Danish royal family revealed that the Danish crown prince attended wheelchair rugby and table tennis matches.
Words of encouragement for the Paralympic competitors also came from Spain's Queen Letizia (51). Instagram snaps show her cheering on Spanish athlete Iñigo Llopis (25), who ultimately secured the gold in the men's 100m backstroke swimming competition.
Crown Prince Haakon's Encouragement to Norwegian Athletes
After his interaction with the athletes, Crown Prince Haakon addressed the team, expressing his pride and support. He reminded them of their strength and resilience, which had led them to the Paris Games.
Under the caption "Crown Prince Haakon Cheers on Norway's Paralympians," the official Instagram account shared a photo of the prince delivering his inspiring speech.
