The 2024 Summer Olympics commenced under rainy skies in Paris on Friday evening. French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane inaugurated the opening ceremony, holding the Olympic flame.
In a prerecorded video, Zidane was seen running and weaving through Parisian traffic before delivering the flame to a group of children on the metro. They then traversed the Catacombs and boarded a boat, transitioning the broadcast to a live view of the Seine River.
A fleet of barges paraded down a six-kilometer stretch of the river, carrying over 10,500 athletes from 206 nations and territories past some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks. As per Olympic tradition, Greece led the procession, receiving huge applause, while the Refugee Team, on the second barge, garnered an even bigger cheer.
Fountains in the middle of the river created impressive jets of water as the boats passed, with athletes waving to the crowd amid a significant police presence.
US singer and actor Lady Gaga was the first musical act, performing near Notre Dame Cathedral and singing a famous French cabaret song. Although there were rumors of her participation, her appearance was a surprise since she was not listed on the advance program provided to the media.
More than 300,000 people lined the banks of the Seine, many under umbrellas, as the ceremony highlighted the best of French culture, from music to fashion and art. The event began just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed TGV rail network caused travel chaos nationwide, underscoring security concerns as the world focused on France.
The ceremony, the first in Olympic history not held in a stadium, kept many details secret, including the identity of the final torchbearer. Viewers watched the mysterious torchbearer, their face hidden, as they crisscrossed the city, ran along rooftops, and zip-lined across the Seine.
Despite the intensifying rain, a festive atmosphere prevailed among athletes on the 90 boats during the four-hour ceremony. While some spectators left as the rain worsened, most braved the weather, dancing to the music echoing across the city.
Approximately 45,000 police officers and thousands of soldiers were deployed for the opening ceremony, with armed police patrolling the river. An estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide watched the ceremony, with 326,000 tickets available in Paris, 222,000 of which were free. Eighty giant screens were set up around the city for those without front-row spots along the Seine.
The show featured 3,000 artists, including at least 400 dancers. About 100 world leaders, government officials, and heads of international organizations attended the ceremony.
As night fell, French singer Juliette Armanet delivered a poignant performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” playing a piano lit by flames on a vessel. The parade concluded at the Iena Bridge, linking the Eiffel Tower to the Trocadéro district, where French President Emmanuel Macron delivered the opening remarks.
