COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — NBC4 anchor Matt Barnes caught up with the anchors and some of the hosts of NBC’s “Today” show in Paris.

In a sit-down conversation on NBC’s Olympics set with the Eiffel Tower in the background, Barnes was surrounded by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and Al Roker. The group shared about the return of the Olympics’ excitement, the importance of Olympians’ families being in Paris and the incredible athletes competing in the games.

MATT BARNES: Here with the “Today” show crew. Savannah, Hoda. Craig. Al, good to have you all here, have you all with us. This Olympics has been amazing so far, hasn’t it? A breath of fresh air after maybe the last two, which have had that COVID cloud over top of them.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Oh yes. I feel like the Olympics are back in such a huge way. People were so ready to have fun, so ready to meet the world, to get together. It’s so awesome to be able to root for Team USA. It doesn’t hurt that we’re getting all those gold medals. So yeah, it’s just been beautiful.

MATT BARNES: Hoda, you have been, at almost every event, I think. Every event I’ve gone to, there’s Hoda out there cheering! The importance of having the families here, you sat with some of them. After what happened in Tokyo and you know, Suni Lee, especially, she wins that beautiful gold medal, her family’s not there. Now they’re here for her.

HODA KOTB: I mean, we’re cruising into week two and watching how the momentum of the families, the excitement, the roars seem to be building. Usually, you like, you hit this high. I feel like it keeps on climbing. And I got to tell you, there’s no place better than being in the audience, watching these kids become gold medal winners, or silver medal, or bronze medal winners or just, just even being there. But by far, of all the Olympic games we’ve ever been to, this one reigns, reigns supreme. And I think part of it is just what you’re saying. The families are there, everyone’s pumped. And by the way, this wave is not over. Like we’re still riding it.

MATT BARNES: That’s a bold statement. I mean, the city, the backdrop. Wow, this is fantastic.

AL ROKER: Oh, it’s it’s it’s unbelievable. First of all, you can’t get a bad meal. I mean, you stop, you stop at a neighborhood … you stop at any brasserie and, and it’s, and everybody’s lovely. The food is terrific. It’s people watching, it is, this just this, the j’nai sais quoi, which is, which is, which is, which is Paris! I mean, it really is. It’s fantastic. And I’m working with le grand fromages!

MATT BARNES: Craig, you’re working nonstop during these games, good for you! But Team USA, their stars are shining, too. I mean, Simone and Noah, it goes on and on.

CRAIG MELVIN: Now, here’s the thing. We were talking about this a few days ago. Like, we knew, we thought Simone would do well, we thought Katie would do well. They haven’t disappointed. But it’s some of these other athletes, that just came out of nowhere. I found myself yesterday for about 30 minutes watching women’s cycling and the, the woman who won from Team USA, she just picked it up after she left Harvard. Quits her job, devotes her life to cycling, I mean, these are these remarkable stories! We spent some time with Ryan Crouser yesterday.

AL ROKER: Only Olympian to win three gold medals.

CRAIG MELVIN: Shot put. He’s been shot-putting for like 20 years.

AL ROKER: He’s got a custom shot put that it’s, it’s $400. It’s a Japanese shot put. OK, think about a bowling ball. OK, a 16-pound bowling ball that has now been compressed to, like, the size of a grapefruit. And now you, you have that on your shoulder, you’re spinning around like the Tasmanian devil and then throwing this thing 70 feet.

MATT BARNES: Well, thank you all so much. I hope you’re having a good time. And we’ve been better than Beijing.

AL ROKER: O-H!

MATT BARNES: I-O!