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Paris: Amid thunderclouds and heavy rains, the 2024 Paris Olympics got off to a stunning start as the Organising Committee (OC) made sure that the world got to see why the French capital is called ‘la Ville Lumiere’ — the city of light.
The event started with representatives from Greece leading the athletes from nearly 200 countries in the Parade of the Nations on boats on the river.
It was the American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga who set the pulses racing with a mesmerising show, setting the stage for more scintillating performances to come in what is expected to be a nearly three-hour ceremony showcasing the French culture and heritage.
The global superstar sang the French classic ‘Mon truce en plume’ by Zizi Jeanmaire and received thunderous cheers from the fans who had lined up the riverbank since the afternoon.
Taking on a new guise, the parade of athletes was held on the Seine with boats for each national delegation. These boats were equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close.
A majority of the 10,500 athletes crossed through the centre of Paris, the overall playing field for the Games on which these competitors will display their sporting prowess over the next 16 days. The parade came to the end of its 6-km route in front of the Trocadero.
Athletes onboard the parade boats got glimpses of some of the official Games venues, including Parc Urbain La Concorde, the Esplanade des Invalides, the Grand Palais, and lastly the Iena Bridge where the parade will come to a stop before the ceremony’s finale at the Trocadero.
But the best part of the ceremony was when legendary Zinedine Zidane passed the Olympic Flame to Rafael Nadal. The crowd went berserk and shouted their lungs out, cheering for the two stars.
The torch was then taken down the Seine in a boat with Nadal, Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci.
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