AMY HUBERMAN came up with a pun-derful summation of the Paris Olympics' Opening Ceremony which has divided opinion. The three-hour spectacle took place on the river Seine - a complete departure from every other predecessor which has been confined to a stadium. On the plus side this meant viewers were treated to the historic beauty of the French capital as several gorgeous buildings were used as settings from which artists performed.
However, a common gripe among viewers was that there was less of an atmosphere with it being out in the open rather than the usual cauldron of a traditional sports venue. And even those who were enthusiastic about the bulk of the showcase likely found themselves checking their phone towards the end as two officials took turns to read out quite long speeches. On that point, the pun-loving actress quipped: "Just me or was that inseinely long?" The mystery around who would receive the honour of lighting the Olympic Torch was eventually revealed.
After cameos from global superstars such as Zidane , Rafael Nadal , Serena Williams and Carl Lewis, the figures of Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec were less heralded individuals to close out the show. But when you learn that both are French Olympic legends it makes more sense as to why they were handed the ultimate honour. He is a three-time Olympic champion in judo whilst she won a comparable haul across the 200m and 400m sprints.
RTE commentator and athletics expert Greg Allen deserves a hat tip here as ea.