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It is an extraordinary gamble in terms of logistics, artistry and security for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and France, which has waited a century to host the Summer Olympics.
Organizers had to deal with an unexpected guest: heavy rain. On board, organizers announced 6,800 athletes, who did everything they could to protect themselves. But they remained enthusiastic, greeting the crowd from the sparsely populated area on the high platform, where 220,000 guests and about 320,000 spectators were expected to be seated.
Before the delegations paraded, the show began with a short clip showing comedian Jamel Debbouze carrying a torch into an empty Stade de France before passing it to French icon Zindine Zidane.
The former Blues number 10 began a campaign in which he travelled to the metro and catacombs to pass the torch to three children, who were reborn in the flesh on a boat on the Seine.
Combining live performances and recorded images along the Seine, the show consists of twelve scenes that simultaneously follow the journey of a mysterious masked fire-bearer over the rooftops and bridges of Paris, on the zipline of Notre Dame, in the artisans’ workshops of the Louvre and in front of the most famous paintings of the world’s most visited museum…
Director Thomas Jolly, who has been working on this theme for 18 months, must have achieved a masterpiece in the exhibition directed by some 2,000 artists: including this adventure called “a ira!” All the Olympic ceremonies until the lighting of the Olympic flame, including the opening of the Games by Emmanuel Macron, expected shortly after 10:30 p.m.
– Fantastic travel footage –
The ceremony, expected to last almost four hours, is the prelude to a two-week competition that will last until August 11 and will bring together the biggest names in world sport, including Americans Sha’carri Richardson and Simone Biles, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis or French judoka Teddy Riner, who is seeking a third individual Olympic title.
“To see this kind of atmosphere we have is usually a good sign for medals,” the latter told AFP aboard the French delegation’s majestic boat at the end of the parade, which kicked off with the ancient Olympic nation of Greece.
In between, before the duel, athletes braving the rain will have the opportunity to enjoy six kilometers of trail shooting at the foot of the most emblematic monuments of the City of Light: Notre Dame and its restored spire. The Louvre, the Tuileries, the Concorde, the Grand Palais and then the Eiffel Tower after the fire in 2019. The venues will also host Saturdays, judo, beach volleyball, archery…
Lian (unnamed), a 32-year-old tourist from Beijing, shouted as the Chinese delegation passed by. She left her seat to take shelter under a pavilion but continued to enjoy the show. “It’s a pity, indeed, but the athletes looked happy and we served them especially,” she said.
Despite the rain, the play was broadcast on big screens as far away as Marseille to rave reviews.“Today, Paris is the most beautiful city in the world and we are performing an extraordinary demonstration,” said Catherine Laurent, 58, a professor of tourism.
– Lady Gaga as an American star –
American Lady Gaga arrived as scheduled and thanked the organizers for giving her the “ultimate honor.” She sang a cover of the flag of Zizi Jeanmaire, a star of the Parisian music hall in the 1950s, opening the curtain for the many stars participating in the show.
Accompanied by the Republican Guard, the world’s most popular French singer, French-Malian Aya Nakamura, sang her hits and Charles Aznavour. Later, Philippe Caitlin appeared in a brief djant performance, his skin painted blue, his beard orange, and surrounded by Christmas wreaths.
French singer Juliette Armanet then took on the difficult task of covering John Lennon’s “Imagine,” one of the world’s most famous compositions, installed on a barge on the Seine and accompanied by pianist Sofiane Pamart
Canadian Clayon Dionne could be close behind, according to projections.
There are special security measures surrounding this parade.
For several days, Paris’s supercenters have been closed, with access only available to those with a password, authentication or QR code.
In the afternoon, about a hundred dignitaries attended, including 85 heads of state and government, who were welcomed at the Lycée, some of whom had to face bad weather due to the lack of coverage of the entire official platform.
France has never mobilized so many police personnel, a total of 45,000 police officers and gendarmes and 10,000 soldiers.
As well as the weather, organisers had to deal with the pressure of a chaotic French rail network.
The network infrastructure was damaged in several areas overnight on Thursday and Friday, including arson. SNCF said it was “a large-scale attack that paralyzed the network.” Among the 800,000 passengers affected, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer changed his plans and flew to Paris, according to SNCF. It is not yet clear who was responsible for the attack and who sponsored it.
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