In a dazzling display of creativity and grandeur, the 2024 Olympics opened in Paris with a unique and spectacular ceremony that saw thousands of athletes sailing along the River Seine. The event featured vibrant performers on bridges, banks, and rooftops, marking a historic departure from the traditional stadium-based opening.
For the first time, the “greatest show on Earth” commenced on a waterway, with a nearly four-hour spectacle culminating in French judo legend Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec lighting a cauldron shaped like a hot air balloon. The cauldron ascended high into the Parisian sky, symbolizing the Olympic flame.
The 2004 Summer Olympics opening ceremonypic.twitter.com/FInRrFBw72
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 26, 2024
Fireworks in blue, white, and red raised the Tricolore above Austerlitz Bridge as 6,800 athletes from 205 delegations journeyed on 85 boats and barges past iconic Paris landmarks. The ceremony featured surprise performances, including a cabaret number by US singer-songwriter Lady Gaga and a heartfelt return of Canadian icon Celine Dion.
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However, the day began with significant disruptions due to arson attacks on the French train network. Evening rains altered the original plan by artistic director Thomas Jolly, who intended to use the Parisian sun to “make the water sparkle.” Despite the weather, the athletes, donning rain ponchos and umbrellas, embarked on a lively journey through French history, art, and sport, brought to life by 2,000 musicians, dancers, and other artists.
The final two boats to parade—first the US as the next hosts for Los Angeles 2028 and then France—carried the largest contingents of athletes. Rower Helen Glover and diver Tom Daley were Great Britain’s flagbearers in Paris, hosting the summer Games for the third time and the first in 100 years.
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International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach declared the opening of the 33rd summer Olympics amidst a challenging international and domestic political backdrop, telling athletes they were now “part of an event that unites the world in peace.”
More than 10,500 athletes will compete across 32 sports, with the Games concluding on August 11.
A Dazzling Display Along the Seine
When organizers first announced the plan to hold the opening ceremony along the river in the heart of the city, rather than in a stadium, there were concerns about managing such a massive security operation. The Seine’s water cleanliness and the logistics of transporting thousands of athletes along a six-kilometer stretch without a dress rehearsal added to the skepticism.
However, Friday evening saw Paris execute its plan flawlessly, supported by a security operation involving tens of thousands of police. The ceremony blended moments of surrealism and brilliance, with Lady Gaga singing in French surrounded by pink and black feathers, followed by the introduction of Bangladesh’s athletes.
The event featured 12 artistic segments as boats carrying flag-waving athletes passed landmarks like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, and Arc de Triomphe. One segment focused on rebuilding Notre Dame, with dancers accompanied by music composed using sounds from the cathedral’s reconstruction. Another explored French history with performances from “Les Miserables” and a choir of headless Marie Antoinettes accompanying French heavy metal band Gojira.
French-Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura, the world’s most-streamed French-language artist, also performed.
The ceremony concluded at the Trocadero, near the illuminated Eiffel Tower. The flame, carried on a boat towards the Louvre, was passed to French athletes and para-athletes, including 100-year-old gold-medal cyclist Charles Coste. Eventually, Riner and Perec lit the 30-meter high hot air balloon cauldron, creating the illusion of it floating above the city.
Celine Dion provided a final magical moment, thrilling the crowd with a powerful rendition of Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour,” marking her first performance since revealing a serious neurological condition in December 2022.
Call for Peace in a World Torn Apart by Wars
IOC President Bach addressed the athletes, emphasizing the Olympic message of unity and tolerance, especially poignant given the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He noted, “In a world torn apart by wars and conflicts, it is thanks to this solidarity that we can all come together tonight, uniting the athletes from the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team.”
The ceremony featured the peace anthem “Imagine,” sung by Juliette Armanet on a drifting raft, aligning with the Olympic spirit of unity.
Russian and Belarusian athletes are notably absent from the parade due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Only 15 Russian and 17 Belarusian athletes are competing as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) in Paris.
The Refugee Olympic Team and the Palestine Olympic Committee received some of the loudest cheers of the evening. Over 100 heads of state and government attended, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
What’s Next?
Saturday promises 14 gold medals, with the first likely in shooting’s mixed team air rifle. Great Britain’s Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen are strong contenders in the women’s 3m synchro diving. The day also features cycling time trials, gymnastics, rugby sevens, swimming, and more.
Great Britain is defending their equestrian team crown at Versailles, with the eventing starting at 08:30 BST. In tennis, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Rafael Nadal will be in action at Roland Garros.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates and coverage from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
