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Yesterday, a Mauritian delegation paraded on a small boat down the Seine dressed in their finest attire.
Paris and its iconic river were the setting for a unique 2024 Olympic opening ceremony, a giant spectacle called the Grand Seine. A simple pun, as the show actually took place on the Seine. Despite the bad weather, the show was able to go on, and these Games did go on as planned.
An event lasting 3 hours and 45 minutes, 10,500 athletes from 206 delegations, 94 boats on the Seine, a 6 km span from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Rainer Bridge, more than 300,000 spectators on the riverbank, 80 giant screens, a billion viewers… numbers that make your head spin. But it is necessary to kick off the biggest sporting event on Earth.
The Mauritian team was 119th. No one was indifferent to the monstera and anthurium leaves printed on their shirts. The entire delegation was obviously not seated on board. According to the regulations, each delegation has a limited number of places. Quotas in short. On the other hand, some athletes skipped this ceremony in favor of competing the next day. For the president of the Mauritian Olympic Committee (COM), this opening ceremony was unforgettable. “It was a very beautiful ceremony and I really enjoyed the parade. The head of the delegation and the two captains accompanied the athletes in the parade along the Seine. Today the competition begins and I really wish the athletes great courage.” Philippehao Tyn Voon confided.
The Mauritians have already settled in the Olympic Village and the athletes are motivated by the COM President (who also serves as Chef de Mission). According to him, no one feels out of place in Paris. “Mauritius is very popular in Paris. Wherever we go, people smile at us and they know Mauritius well, they think it is paradise. We feel at home” He confided.
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Swimming – Ovesh Purahoo, 100m freestyle : “There’s a lot of activity in the gaming village. It’s very busy. But now we really feel that the village is full of life.” On the Mauritian swimmers’ preparations for Paris, Crawler said each of them followed their own training plan. “Anishta Teeluck (200m backstroke) follows her Italian coach’s plan and I follow my Canadian coach’s plan,” Ovesh Purahoo.
Triathlon – Laurent L’Entêté : “It’s just a dream! For me, everything is going well at the moment. I’m managing to train in Paris. It’s a little complicated as far as cycling is concerned, but we are doing what is necessary.”
Aurélie Halbwachs – Lincoln (VTT Cross Country Skiing Women) : “Obviously, it’s a huge pride to be chosen as the flag bearer for Mauritius. The show was really beautiful. Unfortunately, the weather was not ideal. Recovery is important because tomorrow (today) awaits me a full day of training. Things are moving fast for me because my competition is on Sunday. I have to do my best to prepare myself mentally. »
Christopher Lagane (Men’s Road Cycling) : “It is truly an incredible thing to be a part of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. I am really looking forward to parading with the rest of the Mauritian delegation. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget. Plus, riding with the best cyclists in the world is already a dream come true.”
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