Historic river cruise kicks off Paris Olympics – Sports

The Paris Olympics kicked off in glorious French style on Friday with a historic boat parade on the Seine River, as the City of Light welcomed the world’s greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.

Around 300,000 people lined the riverbank in pouring rain to cheer on the fleet carrying the competitors past the city’s iconic sights: the Eiffel Tower with its Olympic rings, the Louvre and Notre Dame.

The ambitious display marks the first time an Olympic opening ceremony has been held outside the main stadium, making it the largest-ever appearance of “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

But the gamble also left the ceremony vulnerable to the weather, with spectators, VIPs and athletes finding themselves soaked or huddled in transparent ponchos.

Some spectators refused to let the downpour dampen their mood. “I feel the adrenaline rush. It’s so exciting,” said Selene Martinez, 42, who travelled from Mexico to attend the ceremony.

But others were not so calm about the heavy rain during the parade, and some left the parade early to find shelter.

“It’s a great idea. The show was amazing. I just hope it doesn’t rain,” said Pauline Brett, 69, who travelled from Chicago with her family.

In the “City of Love”, the opening ceremony emphasized the solidarity and unity of people in a world that has endured wars, massacres and political upheavals since the Tokyo Olympics were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Four fighter jets from the French Air Force display team drew a big pink heart in the Paris sky to set the festive tone.

Over two weeks, organizers hope superhuman performances from stars like gymnast Simone Biles, tennis champion Novak Djokovic or sprinter Noah Lyles will bring much-needed entertainment to the world.

Beach volleyball on the Eiffel Tower, breakdancing on the Place de la Concorde, equestrian sports on the Palace of Versailles: 100 years since Paris last hosted the Olympic Games, the city will provide a stunning backdrop for the sport.

“I declare open the Paris Olympic Games and celebrate the 33rd modern Olympic Games,” said President Emmanuel Macron.

“break the limit”

Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet has said the opening ceremony needs to be “as far as it can go” to show France’s ambitions for the Games from the outset.

From the cancan of performers at the Moulin Rouge to videos of dancers on the scaffolding of Notre Dame devastated by fire, it was a colorful celebration of French culture, history and art.

Accompanied by accordion players, the Greek team set out first, sailing on 85 boats along a 6-kilometer (4-mile) stretch of the Seine to the Eiffel Tower.

The unprecedented ceremony sparked a massive security operation in a city where memories of the November 2015 Islamist attacks were still fresh.

Some 45,000 police and paramilitary personnel, 10,000 soldiers and 22,000 private security personnel are tasked with protecting the ceremony.

Snipers, specialist frogmen and AI-enhanced cameras were deployed, airspace was closed and the area around the Seine was effectively blocked off.

Residents and business owners have expressed dissatisfaction with the disruption and loss of revenue caused by the tournament, but organizers hope to win their support when the tournament begins.

Gender equality

Sporting royalty mingle with celebrities and world leaders on and off the Seine, which will host triathlons and swimming marathons following a historic clean-up to make it swimmable water.

Lady Gaga added to the global music star cast, with French-Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura also performing on stage, defying criticism from far-right politicians who said her presence would “humiliate” France.

The ceremony kicked off with a video of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who took a torch and made an extraordinary journey through the metro and the Paris Catacombs.

Basketball star LeBron James and tennis player Coco Gauff carried the flag for Team USA, which has topped the medal table at every Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games.

The Paris Olympics lived up to the motto of “The Games are Widely Open” and achieved gender equality for the first time in history – in 1924, the last time the Olympics were held in Paris, women accounted for only 4% of the athletes.

But the ceremony did not avoid the chaos in the world – to the melody of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, the whole city fell into darkness, prompting people to reflect.

Geopolitics became an unwelcome intruder before the Games, with Israeli athletes requiring extra security and the Palestinian delegation demanding that Israel be excluded from the Games citing the Gaza war.

Russian athletes were banned from the Paris Olympics because of its invasion of Ukraine, and potential destabilizing actions by Russia had raised concerns ahead of the Games.

“tortuous”

But as the Olympics begin, 10,500 athletes are ready to fulfill their dreams and give the best performances of their lives.

Can American legend Biles bounce back from Tokyo ‘Twisties’ loss? Can Lyles become Usain Bolt’s sprint successor?

LeBron James on the basketball court, Carlos Alcaraz on the clay of Roland Garros, French swimming hope Leon Marchand in the pool: these stars together perform the glory of the sports world.