PARIS: Celebrating its reputation as the birthplace of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rule-breaking, rain-soaked, star-studded opening ceremony along the Seine.
The intermittent rains, the first rain at the Summer Olympics opening ceremony in more than 70 years, did not appear to dampen the athletes' enthusiasm. Some held umbrellas as they took boats down the river, a demonstration of the city's resilience as authorities investigate alleged acts of sabotage on France's high-speed rail network.
Saudi Arabian athletes will compete in the Games in four sports: athletics, equestrianism, swimming and taekwondo. Here you can read a guide with all the information about them, their preparation and their Olympic program.
Likewise, dozens of Arab athletes will take part in this year’s Games: check out Arab News’ guide to the best male and female athletes representing the Middle East and North Africa.
Widespread traffic disruptions, caused by what French officials said were coordinated arson attacks on high-speed rail lines, and poor weather conditions dampened spirits ahead of the ceremony.
However, crowds lined the banks and bridges of the Seine and watched from balconies, exclaiming “ooohs” and “aahs” as the Olympic teams paraded in boats along the waterway, which became increasingly choppy as the weather worsened.
Despite the celebrations, many of the hundreds of thousands of spectators took shelter under umbrellas and jackets as the rain intensified, others danced and sang, and some rushed from their seats to seek shelter.
“I invite everyone: dream with us. Like the Olympic athletes, let yourselves be inspired by the joy that only sport can give us. Let us celebrate this Olympic spirit of living in peace,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Olympic Games open, while a spectacular light show at the Eiffel Tower made up for a rainy start.
French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane passed the torch to another legend, French Open tennis champion Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard took a boat ride with Americans Serena Williams and Carl Lewis to kick off the final torch relay.
French sprinter Marie-Jose Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron.
During the Olympics, you can follow all the action from Paris in the Arab News Sport section here.
Read the highlights below (all times are in BST):
10.30pm – This concludes our live coverage of the opening ceremony of what will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting Olympics in Paris.
Follow us here for the next two weeks, with all the upcoming events.
10.30pm – A look at that magnificent Olympic brazier. It uses light and water to mimic a fire and will remain on the Paris skyline for the next fortnight.
10.28pm – Canadian singer Celine Dion ends the show by singing on the Eiffel Tower.
10.24pm – Frenchmen Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron.
10.19pm – The torchbearers are carrying the flame to its destination where it will remain for the duration of the games.
10.05pm – Paris lights up the Eiffel Tower to welcome the Olympics
9.55pm – Zinedine Zidane passes the Olympic torch to Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal, who has just passed it to fellow tennis queen Serena Williams. We are not too far from the crucial moment of its lighting…
8:00 pm – We have had more pictures of the Saudi delegation, it looks like there will be a lot of rain in Paris tonight. But spirits remain high!
Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait also passed by in the parade.
19:15 – In case you missed it amidst all the theatrics, Lady Gaga performed a catchy jazz tune on the banks of the Seine…
18:45 – Our first look at the Arab delegations on the Seine! Teams from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain pass…
6:30 PM – We're on our way!
18:15 – All smiles for the Saudi Arabia team as they prepare for the opening ceremony!
(Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee)
18:00 – We are about 30 minutes into the ceremony and the crowd is starting to gather on the banks of the Seine. Not long to go.
(AP)
(AP/Reuters)
5:30 PM – One of the highlights of the pre-Games events is the Olympic torch relay. It travels from Greece across the world before concluding its journey in the host city, in this case Paris. Watch a clip of its journey below:
17:15 – Despite Friday's rocky start and the threat of a deluge in the French capital, the opening ceremony organizers are still in a positive mood. Which is probably a good thing…
4:45 PM – Actress Michelle Yeoh has shared a touching message about the Refugee Olympic Team, which will represent more than 100 million displaced people around the world.
16:35 – We're still teasing who will be performing at the ceremony. Do you have any predictions? Let us know at @ArabNewsSport…
4:30 PM – French President Emmanuel Macron began welcoming several dozen heads of state and government to the Elysée presidential palace. Macron's office said the reception at the Elysée was “an opportunity for France to convey a message of peace and tolerance as 10,500 athletes from around the world gather to take part in the world's greatest event.”
Around 100 world leaders, government officials and heads of international organizations are expected to attend the ceremony later today.
(AFP)
16:15 – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday he strongly condemned the saboteurs who struck France's TGV high-speed rail network and called for the swift identification of those responsible. You can read about the arson attack here.
4:00 pm – International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach took part in the Olympic flame relay as the opening ceremony approaches.
3.45pm – French TV shows Pharrell Williams carrying the Olympic flame to the top of Saint-Denis Cathedral in the northern suburbs of Paris.
His appearance follows superstar rapper Snoop Dogg, who was given the honor of carrying the flame on Friday morning, which you can read more about below. Let's hope he didn't drop it like it was hot…
(X/@Paris2024)
Camp for the opening ceremony
People arrived hours before the opening ceremony began along the Seine, seeking the best spot in the viewing areas. Some brought folding chairs, books, sandwiches and water.
Monica Merino, 57, arrived in Paris from Madrid for the Olympics and said it would be the first time she had attended the opening ceremony in person.
“We have visited Paris many times, and it is very different now because it is empty of people and full of military and police,” he said.
Giannis Avoids Train Trouble
Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, chosen as one of his country's flag bearers, managed to avoid Friday's train problems entirely.
He left Lille on Thursday, traveling in a bus convoy with players from several other teams. A team spokesman said multiple teams chose to travel at the same time for security reasons.
The German men's team boarded buses to the ceremony on Friday morning, never having planned to travel by train. The plan was to return straight to Lille for Saturday's match against Japan.
The Paris Olympics have sold a record 9.7 million tickets, with more available
After a rocky start last year, organizers of the 2024 Olympics said the Paris Games have broken the record for the most tickets sold or awarded in the event's history. And yet, tickets are still available.
Organizers say 9.7 million tickets have been sold or allocated for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games, with 8.7 million for the former and 1 million for the latter.
A total of 10 million Olympic tickets have been sold for Paris, meaning that despite the historic popularity of the sporting events and the unprecedented scale of this year's competition, there will still be plenty of empty seats.
However, the total number of tickets issued is likely to increase, as tickets are still on sale for some of the 45 sports.
Snoop Dogg keeps it on
The rapper turned NBC Olympic correspondent was one of the last Olympic torchbearers before the opening ceremony, carrying the flame to Saint-Denis, just outside Paris.
In an interview ahead of his leg of the relay, Snoop Dogg vowed to be on his “best behavior.”
“I will be at my athletic best. I will be able to breathe slowly to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I realize how prestigious this event is,” he said.
Two trains loaded with Olympic athletes stopped on their way to Paris
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the Western Atlantic line were stopped a few hours before the opening ceremony, the railway company SNCF said.
One train has been cancelled and authorities are hoping the other will be back in operation.
* With AP
