The Paris 2024 Olympic Games relied heavily on a network of 45,000 volunteers, each performing key roles to ensure the event’s success. Kim Min Soo from Korea and Mihaela Petrova from Bulgaria were among the lucky applicants from over 300,000 who applied to work at the Games; they were assigned to work in media areas at the Porte de la Chapelle, where badminton took place at the Games.

Kim’s New Appreciation for Badminton

Kim, a Dermatology Brand Leader at Sanofi (an Olympic Premium Partner), was selected as part of the company’s global volunteering initiative. The programme invited 1,000 employees to apply for the chance to represent their organisation at the Games, with applications opening over a year in advance from 110,000 employees worldwide. Kim was chosen based on his enthusiasm, professional background, dual-language ability (Korean and English), and people skills, marking the start of a unique journey into Olympic media operations.

Kim worked closely with journalists and athletes. “My main tasks included helping journalists navigate the press centre and managing practical issues, such as using lockers or connecting with photo managers,” Kim said. “In the mixed zone, I translated interviews for Korean athletes, ensuring their thoughts could be accurately conveyed to an international audience.”

Kim’s assignment brought him closer to badminton, a sport he had previously viewed as casual activity. “I had requested football initially,” he jested. “Although badminton is popular in Korea, I had never paid much attention to it before. Watching the matches up close, I gained a new respect for the sport and its technical demands. It was eye-opening,” he reflected.

A highlight of his experience was translating for eventual Olympic champion An Se Young, following her semifinal win. “Helping An to share her insights with the world was a privilege,” Kim noted, acknowledging her popularity back home. He also described interviewing Korean men’s doubles pair (Seo Seung Jae/Kang Min Hyuk) after a closely contested match as particularly moving.

For Kim, the experience was both professionally and personally enriching. “Meeting volunteers from different countries and seeing the level of coordination required to run an event like this gave me a deeper appreciation of how much effort goes into the Games,” he said.

Petrova: Leadership in the Mixed Zone

Mihaela Petrova, based in Madrid and working as an IT Marketing Technologist for Procter & Gamble, also applied for her role more than a year in advance. As an employee of one of the Olympic TOP sponsors (P&G), she was encouraged to bring her skills to the volunteer programme. Her experience as a former volleyball player played a key role in her selection as a team leader.

“The mixed zone is an intense environment, where athletes are often coming straight from competition and the media are focused on capturing the story,” Petrova explained. “My job was to manage these interactions and ensure everything ran smoothly.”

Her responsibilities included setting boundaries when necessary, such as preventing unauthorised filming and ensuring fairness in how interviews were conducted. “Athletes and journalists often operate under pressure and part of my role was to create a balanced and respectful space for both,” she said.

The Bulgarian admitted she had limited exposure to badminton before the Games. However, seeing the sport up close changed her perspective. “The precision and teamwork in doubles matches, in particular, stood out to me. I now have a much greater appreciation for the skill involved and I have closely watched the Stoeva sisters and the Popov brothers as they are from my home country,” she said.

She also noted the importance of understanding athletes’ experiences. “As a former player, I can empathise with the emotional highs and lows they go through. That insight helped me manage interactions in a way that was respectful to their state of mind.”

For both Kim and Petrova, volunteering at Paris 2024 was a unique opportunity to contribute to a global event while gaining new insights into the world of sport. Their journeys began long before the Games, with a rigorous application process and training before the Games began.