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| Ceremonial smoke in the colors of the French flag appeared over the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics. |
PARIS: Celebrating its legacy as a cradle of revolution, Paris launched its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a groundbreaking opening ceremony filled with stars and fantasy, highlighting the city's resilience as authorities managed suspected sabotage targeting France's high-speed rail network.
The ceremony started with the 'Parade of the Nations,' where athletes from 205 countries sailed down the iconic Seine River on boats, creating a dreamy departure from tradition despite the threat of rain attempting to dampen the event.
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| (L-R) Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet, French President Emmanuel Macron, and IOC President Thomas Bach attended the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. |
French President Emmanuel Macron and International Olympic Committee head Thomas Bach attended the ceremony, while French football legend Zinedine Zidane was featured in a pre-recorded video, sprinting down the streets of Paris with the Olympic flame.
The six-kilometer parade commenced from the Austerlitz Bridge, with 85 boats carrying over 6,800 athletes from 205 nations and one Refugee Olympic team. However, many athletes missed the incredible show due to their competitions on Saturday.
The Indian contingent was led by two flag-bearers: two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and table tennis legend A Sharath Kamal.
French organizers promised an unforgettable spectacle, overcoming unprecedented logistical and security challenges to make the entire city the venue for the ceremony.
India is represented by 117 athletes, including 47 women, in this grand sporting event.
Organizers claimed the ceremony would be the largest in Games history, with over 300,000 people watching from the banks of the Seine and billions tuning in on television.
This marks the third time Paris is hosting the Olympics, following the 1900 and 1924 Games.
Dozens of heads of state and government were present, and the world watched as Paris transformed into a giant open-air theater.
Rain soaked spectators and athletes, and travel chaos in Paris train stations highlighted the risks of Paris' bold choices.
The sprawling ceremony meant organizers had larger crowds to transport, organize, and safeguard compared to previous Olympic host cities that opted for stadium shows.
Despite these challenges, as the show began, optimism soared that Paris—true to its motto of being unsinkable—might just succeed in its bold endeavors.