PARIS (AP) — The details are everything for Paris' Olympians. The same is true for Associated Press' photographers.
The intricate tape work on British gymnast Georgia-Mae Fenton's ankles and feet that keep her stable on the balance beam. The wax on Australian skateboarder Haylie Powell's board that keeps her gliding when she grinds. The bun holding Miyu Yamashita's hair that doubles as a tee storage for the Japanese golfer.
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PARIS (AP) — The details are everything for Paris' Olympians. The same is true for Associated Press' photographers.
Serbia's Nikola Jaksic and Japan's Taiyo Watanabe battle for the ball during the men's Water Polo Group B preliminary match between Serbia and Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Italy's Sara Curtis competes splashes before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Taliyah Brooks, of the United States, competes during the women's heptathlon shot put at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Ivan Petkov Dimov of Bulgaria competes during the men's 61kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Sha'carri Richardson of the United States, wins a heat in the women's 100-meter run at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Italy's Alberta Santuccio prepares for the women's individual Epee round of 32 competition against Singapore's Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Silja Kosonen, of Finland, competes in the women's hammer throw qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Johanna Estime watches the women's Group A field hockey match between France and China at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Paraguay's Giuliana Poletti reaches the ball during the women's pool D beach volleyball match between Canada and Paraguay at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Lilia Vu, of the United States, places her ball on the tee on the 12th hole during the first round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tarsis Gracious Orogot, of Uganda, competes during the men's 200-meter semifinal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Spain's Carolina Marin serves a ball to Switzerland's Jenjira Stadelman during their women's singles badminton group stage match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Simone Biles of the United States chalks up during a gymnastics training session at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Turkey's Mete Gazoz shows an olympics tattoo on his arm during the Archery team elimination round against Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Sondre Guttormsen, of Norway, prepares to compete in the men's pole vault qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Nicholas Paul of Trinidad And Tobago competes during the men's sprint event, at the Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain competes in the men's boulder and lead, semi-final lead during the sport climbing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Le Bourget, France. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
Taiwan's Kao Cheng-Jui takes his racket ahead of a table tennis match against Sweden's Truls Moregard for a men's singles round of 16 at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, has tees in her hair as she walks along the 13th hole during the third round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Robeilys Peinado, of Venezuela, chalks her hands as she bcompetes during the women's pole vault final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Poland's Piotr Kuczera and Chile's Thomas Briceno compete during their men's -100 kg elimination round match in the team judo competition, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Brazil's Carlos Parros and his horse Safira during the Equestrian Eventing Dressage competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Versailles, France. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Greece's Emmanouela Katzouraki competes in the skeet women's final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Australia's Harriet Hudson competes in the women's double sculls rowing semifinal with teammate Amanda Bateman (not pictured) at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Grand Palais roof is reflected in a Bulgaria's Yoana Ilieva's sabre as she competes with Japan's Risa Takashima in the women's individual Sabre round of 32 competition during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Haylie Powell, of Australia, wearing the Olympic rings on her thumbnail, waxes her board during the women's skateboard street preliminaries at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Georgia-Mae Fenton, of Great Britain, competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Some tools are critical for performance, like the chalk on Venezuelan pole vaulter Robeilys Peinado's hands.
And some items are just decorative, like American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's famous long nails.
The details differ, but the goal is the same — an Olympic medal. Or four, if you're American gymnast Simone Biles.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Athletes from Trinidad and Tabago exchange a baton during the men's 4x400-meter relay heat at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Serbia's Nikola Jaksic and Japan's Taiyo Watanabe battle for the ball during the men's Water Polo Group B preliminary match between Serbia and Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Italy's Sara Curtis competes splashes before a women's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Taliyah Brooks, of the United States, competes during the women's heptathlon shot put at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Ivan Petkov Dimov of Bulgaria competes during the men's 61kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Sha'carri Richardson of the United States, wins a heat in the women's 100-meter run at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Italy's Alberta Santuccio prepares for the women's individual Epee round of 32 competition against Singapore's Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Silja Kosonen, of Finland, competes in the women's hammer throw qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Johanna Estime watches the women's Group A field hockey match between France and China at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Paraguay's Giuliana Poletti reaches the ball during the women's pool D beach volleyball match between Canada and Paraguay at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Lilia Vu, of the United States, places her ball on the tee on the 12th hole during the first round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tarsis Gracious Orogot, of Uganda, competes during the men's 200-meter semifinal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Spain's Carolina Marin serves a ball to Switzerland's Jenjira Stadelman during their women's singles badminton group stage match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Simone Biles of the United States chalks up during a gymnastics training session at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Turkey's Mete Gazoz shows an olympics tattoo on his arm during the Archery team elimination round against Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Simone Biles, of the United States, holds up her medals after the women's artistic gymnastics individual apparatus finals Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Sondre Guttormsen, of Norway, prepares to compete in the men's pole vault qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Nicholas Paul of Trinidad And Tobago competes during the men's sprint event, at the Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain competes in the men's boulder and lead, semi-final lead during the sport climbing competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Le Bourget, France. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
Taiwan's Kao Cheng-Jui takes his racket ahead of a table tennis match against Sweden's Truls Moregard for a men's singles round of 16 at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Miyu Yamashita, of Japan, has tees in her hair as she walks along the 13th hole during the third round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Robeilys Peinado, of Venezuela, chalks her hands as she bcompetes during the women's pole vault final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Poland's Piotr Kuczera and Chile's Thomas Briceno compete during their men's -100 kg elimination round match in the team judo competition, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Brazil's Carlos Parros and his horse Safira during the Equestrian Eventing Dressage competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Versailles, France. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Greece's Emmanouela Katzouraki competes in the skeet women's final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Australia's Harriet Hudson competes in the women's double sculls rowing semifinal with teammate Amanda Bateman (not pictured) at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Grand Palais roof is reflected in a Bulgaria's Yoana Ilieva's sabre as she competes with Japan's Risa Takashima in the women's individual Sabre round of 32 competition during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Haylie Powell, of Australia, wearing the Olympic rings on her thumbnail, waxes her board during the women's skateboard street preliminaries at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Georgia-Mae Fenton, of Great Britain, competes on the balance beam during a women's artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
BERLIN (AP) — Germany's opposition center-right Christian Democratic Union announced Tuesday that it has chosen its leader, Friedrich Merz, to be its candidate for chancellor in next year's national election.
The decision sets the stage for a possible challenge of left-wing Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the federal election scheduled for September 2025.
Germans are looking ahead to next year's vote at a critical time, as the country's struggles to integrate large numbers of refugees and migrants and as the major European economy weakens. Recent extremist attacks have fueled a backlash against migration that is leading to a surge in support for the far right.
The choice was announced at a news conference in Berlin with Merz and Markus Soeder, the leader of the CDU's smaller Bavarian counterpart, the Christian Social Union, who had also been a contender for the role.
Soeder, who is the governor of Bavaria, announced the decision, saying that the chancellor question “is decided. Friedrich Merz is doing it.” He stressed that he fully supported Merz, and that they were united by a common goal to unseat the current government “and get Germany back on track.”
Merz thanked Soeder for his support and said his party, led for many years by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, has the “firm intention of taking over leadership responsibility in this country again.”
An unpopular three-party coalition led by Scholz has governed since 2021.
The coalition, which is made up of Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats, suffered losses in elections to the European Parliament earlier this year and in recent German state elections in Thuringia and Saxony.
The 68-year-old Merz was considered the favorite after Soeder failed to get the backing for his candidacy, according to German media reports, and after another contender, North Rhine Westphalia’s state Premier Hendrik Wuest, announced he wouldn’t run.
Currently polls show the Christian Democrats as the strongest party in the country. But Merz himself is not personally very popular. Scholz said during a visit to Kazakhstan that he would welcome a Merz candidacy, the German news agency dpa reported.
Scholz has said he would like to run for chancellor again but his candidacy hasn’t been confirmed by his party.
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz, left, and Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, shake hands at a joint news conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz talks to the media at a joint news conference with Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz, left, talks to the media beside Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, right, at a joint news conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria is pictured at a joint news conference with German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz talks to the media at a joint news conference with Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz, left, and Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, leave a joint news conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz talks to the media at a joint news conference with Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
German opposition leader and Christian Democratic Union party chairman Friedrich Merz watches the media at a joint news conference with Markus Soeder, Christian Social Union party leader and state governor of Bavaria, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)