The rainy, dramatic 2024 wrapped on Friday evening. The four-hour ceremony went on into Paris delaying thousands of visitors. The ceremony featured a parade of boats down the Seine River, a faceless torch-bearer doing parkour on Parisian rooftops and headless Marie Antoinette figurines, receiving mixed reactions from viewers.
“This opening ceremony isn’t getting any better,” one user wrote on X. “An Canadian closing An Paris Olympics #OpeningCeremony too long, too weird, too much river.” “This is the most WTF opening ceremony I have ever seen,” another viewer wrote on X.
This year’s unique opening ceremony was the first to not happen in a stadium. The athletes arrived on boats that floated down the River Seine instead, with each delegation waving flags and cheering. As for Team USA,tennis champion officially became the in the history of the Games.
Basketball champion joins Gauff in carrying the . In addition to being the youngest American flag bearer, Gauff was also the first American tennis player to hold the honor. , , The flag appeared to have been raised upside down in an embarrassing moment at the very start of at the end of a spectacular rain-soaked opening ceremony on the River Seine.
, The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have officially commenced, and they’ve kicked off with what many are calling the most unique - and bizarre - opening ceremony. , always knew its idea for the opening ceremony was “crazy” but a relentless downpour on Friday evening ensured a damp start to the with many bewildered by its format. Spectators scattered along the Seine, rather than packed into the Stade de France, meant a frustrating viewing experience too.
And as Paris 2024 meandered through 12 tableaux of this floating parade, President ’s words proved rather prescient. Clearly craving an idyllic sunset and starlit sky in the City of Light alongside its River Seine backdrop, Paris left many wondering why it swerved from the conventional format. “It seemed to be a crazy and not very serious idea,” Macron remarked on Monday.
“But we decided it was the right moment to deliver this crazy idea and make it real.” , , And it gets better - standing on the middle tier of the Eiffel Tower is after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome. , A first look at the Olympic cauldron, and it’s a beaut - a ring of flames seven metres in diameter, topped by a 30 metre high and 22 metre in diameter hot-air balloon.
Three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec, winner of three golds on the track at Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, will light the cauldron. They provide the flame and it takes off, rising in to the Parisian night to the sound of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour”. Not everything has hit the mark tonight, but that’s a beautiful ending.
, Out of the Louvre and down towards the lovely Tuileries Gardens, which separate the museum and the Place de la Concorde. They are a lovely place on a sunny afternoon; rather less so on a damp, dreary, deserted night. Still, the array of torchbearers light it up as they carry the flame along.
, NBA great takes the torch from Amelie Mauresmo, the San Antonio Spurs legend having inspired so many of the French basketballers hoping to upset the United States for gold in the men’s competition at these Olympics. There’s the glass pyramid - we are on the grounds of the Louvre. , Waiting on the bank.
.. Tennis is doing rather well out of this opening ceremony.
The two-time grand slam champion carries it past the waving hordes. , Cerrone’s is the soundtrack to the boat’s journey along the Seine, the quartet seemingly bound for the Louvre. , Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, 48 years on from recording a perfect 10, is next to pick up the baton, with great American athlete Carl Lewis on the anchor leg as Paris 2024 showcases some global sporting stars.
, Nadal is whisked on to a boat, safety first as he dons a life jacket. It’s travelling at some speed, enough to get Nadal fretting that the flame might go out. Luckily, Serena Williams is on hand to help him out, one great tennis player passing the torch to another.
, Zinedine Zidane re-takes the Olympic torch from the masked torchbearer, handing it over to Rafael Nadal, his place as the undisputed king of the Paris clay at Roland Garros earning the Spaniard involvement. , , Thomas Bach: “In a world torn apart by wars and conflict, it is thanks to solidarity that we can all come together tonight. We unite the athletes from all 206 national Olympic committees and the Refugee Olympic Team.
Welcome the best athletes in the world, welcome Olympians. Long live the Olympic Games, and long live France.” , Saturday brings the first full day of competition, with .
Here’s a look at the full schedule tomorrow: , “Welcome to Paris, welcome to your moment in history,” Tony Estanguet continues. “Live it, love it and carry it with you. The world is on your side.
A special word for the Tricolor, the French team. 68 million French people will get behind you. A whole country will hold its breath when you take your place on the start line.
If you cry with joy, the whole of France will cry with you.” , Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organising committee, and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, have a couple of volunteers on hand with umbrellas as they play the hits with the traditional platitudes and pleas of the opening ceremony speeches. “Welcome to Paris,” Estanguet says.
“It is a huge honour to welcome you here, 100 years after we last hosted the Summer Games. There is a big love story between France and the Olympics. To love the Games is to court the Games for 100 years for the chance to bring them back to Paris.
“Thank you for giving France this unique opportunity and always being on our side. This evening, we can all be proud of what we have already achieved together. I’d like to thank the athletes.
Even if the Games cannot solve every problem, and conflicts are not just going to disappear, tonight you have reminded us how beautiful humanity is when we come together.” , , The Radio France Choir deliver the Olympic anthem as the flag is raised, the ceremony finally having settled in the Trocadero. , , The rain has, thankfully, relented, making a potentially precarious prance up some steps rather more straightforward for the rider, climbing off the horse to take the stairs.
The woman clad in armour is Floriane Issert, a Gendarmerie non- commissioned officer, I am reliably informed. , Magic! The horse and rider have come to life thanks to a totally seamless smash cut! Faultless. Anyway, a beautifuly white horse trots down the Trocadero, the world flags massing around the Olympic flag as it leads the way.
, The Eiffel Tower does look magnificent, lit up in the Paris night with the Olympic rings in its midriff. Still the horsewoman gallops, though at a pace to surely leave her out of the medal running. , The animatronic equine makes graceful progress along the water, the Olympic rings draped on the rider’s back.
Aha - we’ve finally made it to the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadero. This looks a bit more traditional, the flags of the competing nations being brought out as clips from past Games play. A needed dose of normality, quite frankly.
, That singing of is followed by a call for peace and solidarity, represented by a horsewoman galloping along the surface of the Seine. It’s avant garde, I’ll give them that. From the official pamplet on this tableau: “The representation of the Olympic spirit and of Sequana, goddess of the river and symbol of resistance, she draws us into her wake and invites the whole world to unite around the values of Olympism.
” , Good news folks we still have more than an hour to go, and up next in the performance of the opening ceremony is “Night has fallen over Paris. Caught up in the turmoil of the evils afflicting the world, these young people ‘dance on a volcano’ at the opening of a sequence that sounds like a metaphorical parenthesis. The peace anthem, by John Lennon and Yoko Ono resounds through the Parisian night, like a call for reconciliation and harmony sent out to the world around the values of unity and tolerance conveyed by the Olympic Games and sport.
“To give life to this anthem which is part of the protocol, Thomas Jolly has chosen to work with two French artists, Sofiane Pamart and Juliette Armanet. The set design, which depicts a raft adrift, and the costumes by Clara Daguin invite us to reflect on a world between darkness and light.” , Through the Eurodance classics we cycle like a DJ at a not particularly adventurous discotheque.
The “playful but lucid” performance proves to be a scantily-clad, blue-painted Philippe Katerine, the quirky French singer-songwriter supposedly embodying the spirt of Dionysus. Not really getting that, to be completely honest - more Papa Smurf, I’d suggest. , Back to the performances.
“This eighth tableau concludes the parade: the last delegations are presented, followed by ‘France’ a boat whose arrival marks the start of the festivities. “The festivities are in full swing with a banquet showcasing French fashion and young creation, as well as a variety of cultures and dances from around the world. The Games are finally here, and we're having fun and dancing in the biggest club in France, carried away by .
With this evocation of French youth, as well as that of the whole of Europe, Thomas Jolly reminds us that ‘our diversity and our uniqueness are our strengths in uniting. “But celebrating doesn't stop us from remaining aware of the issuesfacing our planet.’ The playful but lucid final performance serves as a reminder”.
, And finally, as is tradition, the hosts, France having bagged the biggest boat for themselves. Could this be a golden Games for the host nation? They’ve got stars in and pretty much everywhere else. Discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon and are their flagbearers.
, Look out Paris - the United States are here. It’s a mighty schooner provided to the American team, who have piled on. LeBron James and Coco Gauff throw the Star Spangled Banner left and right.
, Zambia’s contingent at this Games is relatively large compared to their international sporting reputation, though their party on the boat is rather limited by the absence of the Copper Queens, their women’s footballers otherwise engaged in pool play. Australia are afforded the third slot from last as the hosts of the Summer Olympics after next. , Tuvalu, the least populous nation at these Olympics, soak up the atmosphere (and the precipitation) as Ukraine get a great reception behind them.
, The tautological charms of Timor-Leste, translating to “East East”, on a boat alogside Togo and Tonga. No Pita Taufatofua this time for the Pacific Island nation, though I suspect had he made it with conditions in Paris properly nasty. , Not the most impressive outfits on show in the Swiss ranks.
At least their flag is a big plus. Tajikistan, Chinese Taipei, Tanzania and Chad are all packed together on the same boat, the two African nations with limited representation at these Games. , As we hastily progress towards the end of the alphabet, an array of catwalk models have been putting on a brave face as they try and go about vogue-ing in what can only be described as biblical rain on the Debilly Footbridge.
It is, officially, not nice in Paris. , Romania have a husband and wife pair as their flagbearers, Marius and Ionela Cozmiuc both world champions but seeking a first Olympic gold in rowing. Marius won coxless pair silver in Tokyo.
Now, we would normally expect to find Russia at this point. Here’s why they, and Belarus, aren’t part of the opening ceremony: , The Netherlands are out of place in the Ps, Pays-Bas in French leaving them parting Paraguay and Peru. King Willem-Alexander has a little jig up in the posh seats to the delight of his compatriots on the boat below.
, Meanwhile, in Tahiti...
the Olympics opening ceremony is underway in rather different weather! We all want to be in Tahiti don’t we. You can find out why part of the Olympics is taking place 10,000 miles from the host city, . , singer has said it was her “supreme honour” to perform at the Olympics opening ceremony.
The 38-year-old surprised viewers by singing in during her performance on Friday evening, which saw her deliver a burlesque take on the French classic Mon Truc En Plume. On X, formerly Twitter, she said: “I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year. “I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organising committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honour the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
, Nigeria, New Zealand and Norway complete the N nations. Speaking of Norway, have you listened to the Ingebrigtsen brothers’ pre-Olympics hype song? The first family of Norwegian athletics have talent away from the track, too..
. , Mongolia’s representatives are clad in traditional dress - 20 hours it took to embroider their frocks. An impressive effort for what ultimately amounts to about ten seconds of screen time.
Mozambique also have fresh threads, jackets forged from the colours of their flags. , “This sequence features the flag and National Anthem of France. Original staging gives this ceremonial moment added drama.
Performed by Axelle Saint-Cirel, the Choeur and the Maîtrise de Radio France The Marseillaise is re-orchestrated for the occasion by Victor le Masne, composer and Music Director of the Ceremonies. “It resounds with power and emotion in the skies over Paris. ‘The French National Anthem becomes a symbol of unification and a call to pay tribute to the women of France's history, represented by 10 golden statues emerging from the Seine’ says Thomas Jolly.
” “The journey through France's history continues in this next sequence, showcasing its relationship with modern sports. The delegations pass between floating platforms resembling French formal gardens, where a live show celebrates urban sports, some of which are a special feature of the programme of the Paris 2024 Games. “Thomas Jolly offers us an experience designed to enrich our imaginations and help us reappropriate immutable figures of France through disciplines that are rooted in their times.
In his desire to share the splendour of Versailles with everyone and to combine historical classicism with urban modernity, Thomas Jolly decided to invite Jakub Józef Orliński, who is both a breaker and an opera singer.” , Malawi and the Maldives have eight athletes between them, but get a plum place behind the Malaysian contingent on one of the mid-sized watercrafts. Morocco are on the next vessel, their men’s football team having upset Argentina after , A masked torchbearer repeatedly popped up during the Olympics opening ceremony, running across rooftops in Paris as heavy rain fell on the boat parade on the River Seine.
The mysterious figure, wearing a black cloak, white hood, and with their face covered by a dark fencing mask, was heavily featured in the three-hour ceremony produced by director Thomas Jolly, and which included appearances from Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane and, for some reason, The Minions. The spectacle saw 85 boats carry almost 7,000 athletes from 205 countries down the River Seine, which came just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed rail networks caused travel chaos across France. , We are properly rattling through now: Laos, Lesotho, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya.
Liechtenstein’s Romano Puentener waves the flag enthusiastically - he’ll go in the men’s mountain bike cross country , There is unsurprisingly an athlete carrying Kenya’s flag, though Ferdinand Omanyala excels over 100 metres rather than the longer distances in which the east African nation normally dominates. Volleyball player Trizah Atuka is his company grasping the flagpole. , Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel provides an enchanting rendition of , celebrating the contribution of women in the tableau entitled .
Famous French female figures are cast in gold, riding up out of their podiums as a rather more haunting version of the national anthem plays. , A dive into the Musée d’Orsay is an excuse to look at some of France’s best cultural contributions, and ‘s minions. It is, inexplicably, the little yellow cartoons that get an extended look.
Out of the minions video we transition into the Mona Lisa. Two remarkable bits of art presented together - It’s what Da Vinci would have wanted. , , Ireland have their biggest contingent ever at an Olympics, 100 years on from their first - golfer Shane Lowry and hurdler Sarah Lavin carry their flag.
Italy and Jamaica are side by side, each enjoying the Paris party in their own way. , Out come India, the second largest country in the world but not one with a noted Olympic record. Could that be about to change, though? , Through the Guineas we go, -Bissau and Equatorial following the Naby Keita and Fatoumata Sylla-led crew.
, Here come Team GB, the 327 athletes fielded by Great Britain in Paris represented by a good group. Tom Daley and Helen Glover, both Olympic veterans inspired back for one more ride by their children, carry their flag. , Biniam Girmay, fresh from , is one of the Eritrean flagbearers.
It’s also been an excellent summer of sport for Spain with a Euro 2024 triumph and Carlos Alcaraz’s exploits on the court - can a few of their Olympians continue the winning run? , Djibouti deserve some kudos for having prepped a routine of sorts, lifting their flags above their heads in unison before dropping them down again. The synchronicity soon goes, but a lovely thought. It’s properly miserable - , our man in Paris, has abandoned the open area and is heading for the safe embrace of the media room.
“It’s as heavy as it has been,” he bravely reports as he goes in search of a towel and a hairdryer. , That shouldn’t overly concern the two coasts: Costa Rica and Cote d’Ivoire both get strong receptions, the latter nation particularly so. , Right, onwards we go with the parade of nations, Cyprus and Comoros providing island bookends to the Colombian squad in the middle of their barge.
The Republic of Congo have only four athletes at the Games, and all seem to have made it to the opening ceremony, crowding on to a small boat as the two-stroke motor churns behind them. It is absolutely thumping it down now, drenching the Cook Islands’ two athletes (athlete Alex Beddoes; swimmer Lanihei Connolly). , , And here is the modern day master of Aya Nakamura the most listened to French-language artist in the world.
Born in Mali, raised in the Paris suburbs, there has been a bit of noise around Nakamura’s participation in this opening ceremony , but she really puts on a show, re-interpreting Aznavour’s music beautifully. , A spot of Charles Aznavour, now, as the organisers work through their French musical icons. Formidable! , On to , the third tableau, with a rocking rendition of revolutionary song delivered by Gojira before Marina Viotti delightfully delivers from Bizet’s Carmen.
It all does look rather damp. , “The people remain at the heart of this sequence, which highlights their thirst for liberty. We first plunge into the rebellious Paris of Les Misérables and the French Revolution.
The liberation of the people is followed by the liberation of the body and of love, with a choreography by Rachid Ouramdane and Compagny XY on the mythical Pont-Neuf Bridge, redrawing the contours of a city imbued with romance, mystery and desire, enhanced by the costumes of Charles de Vilmorin. “For this tableau, Thomas Jolly has chosen Marina Viotti, an exceptional singer who, with her ability to switch from heavy metal to opera, acts as a bridge between two revolutions. Political and personal emancipation intersect and respond to each other in this daring sequence,which reminds us that ‘the freedom to love is no less sacred than the freedom to think’ (Victor Hugo).
” , , The brollies are up on the banks as the famous Notre Dame bells sound, thankfull having survived that ghastly fire in 2019. When I was in Paris last year, they were hard at work trying to get the old cathedral restored to something resembling former glories, and they really have done a great job , On to the second of the night’s , entitled 500 dancers are on hand around the Pont Neuf for what the organisers hope will put French craftspeople in the limelight: sculptors, carpenters, joiners, etc. “The whole of Paris is synchronising to welcome the Games,” they say.
“In this tableau, Thomas Jolly highlights the know-how of French craftsmanship in a choregraphy by Maud Le Pladec and an original score by Victor le Masne composed using the sounds of the workers. This golden interlude pays tribute to the prestige of the host city and to the people of Paris, who are in sync.” , The can-can gets a techno remix as some dancers from the make the best of the conditions.
There have been 200 rehearsal days for the opening ceremony, though not an official run-through en masse, with a few clunks apparent so far, as might be expected with such a large-scale event. , A loud cry of “Cambodia” as the Asian nation make their way along the River Seine. There are plenty of Cambodians still in Paris after fleeing the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.
Canada provide the biggest contingent at the front of the next boat, another country with real links to France, of course. China’s athletes cloak the stern in red. Will they overhaul , The hoods and umbrellas are back up at the You can prepare the most elaborate ceremony in the world, but you can’t control the weather can you.
, Brazil look to be sporting jean jackets and Breton stripes, having done their homework on the fashion du jour. Rugby player Raquel Kochhann is their female flag bearer, who has made this Olympics despite undergoing treatment for breast cancer earlier this year. One of the many remarkable stories on show across this Games.
, Lady Gaga appeared in the to launch the artistic part of the Opening Ceremony with a nod to the tradition of French music hall. From a majestic staircase resembling that of the nave of the Grand Palais, Lady Gaga reinterpreted the classic “Mon truc en plume” by Zizi Jeanmaire, an icon of French revue. Chosen for her unique talent, multifaceted performances and love of Parisian culture, Lady Gaga’s performance highlighted the ongoing influence of French culture on the world, and the bond between two icons of two different eras.
With her personal touch, Lady Gaga showed how the world has drawn on French culture to reinvent and augment it. , Bhutan’s dragon waves, a favourite flag blowing proudly in the breeze. I’m not sure that the Himalayan nation merited a boat of their own, but they do at least have some shelter to huddle under with the rain just beginning to fall again.
They’ll be up late watching in the Thimphu monasteries I’m sure. , Warm applause as Gaga go-gos after a lively extended number. Back to the athletes, and Bangladesh have lucked out with what looks like a lovely boat.
Through the Bs we canter, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin and Bermuda providing a fun line-up on the boat behind. , The teams have started arriving on their boats in an opening ceremony unlike any other: , Our first musical interlude. Who is that hidden behind the fluffy pink umbrellas? Why, it’s , cavorting down the steps and launching into an impressive French ditty.
There’s a grand piano waiting for a tinkle, too, and Gaga soon obliges. , Argentina manage to sneak through without any appreciable boos, . Aruba are the early winners of the opening ceremony, clad quite wonderfully in sunset-themed jackets that match the colours of their flag.
Rather fetching from the Dutch island nation. “A warm welcome for Argentina here too, which is perhaps a little surprising?” our man says. “The tension between Argentina and the hosts since that inflammatory song following the Copa America, posted by Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, spilled over to the rugby sevens this week.
But there's no sign of any lingering animosity away from the sporting field. There's even a a shift in tempo as the Argentine contingent enthusiastically embrace the crowds.” , In this economy, of course, a boat per team was a bit optimistic, so a band of ‘A’ nations are sharing a vessel with the sizeable South Africa and German contingents (the two countries beginning with A in French, of course).
Andorra’s two representatives have made it, and as have Angola. “There’s a loud applause in Trocadero as the Refugee Olympic Team emerges on the Seine,” reports a drying from Paris. “It brings Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, to his feet.
The countries are coming out thick and fast now and with the rain subsiding, moods are warming up, including a warm welcome for Algeria. Zinedine Zidane, the star of that initial film to kick things off, is of Algerian descent.” , A burst of tricolor smoke and then our first strains of Edith Piaf - it was never likely to be long.
“La Foule” is the introductory music for the parade of athletes, led, as ever, by Greece. Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball) and Antigoni Drisbioti (athletics) carry the blue and white flag. Next out are the Refugee Olympic Team, who you can read a little bit more about here: , Thomas Bach and Emmanuel Macron, president of the IOC and France respectively, wave from the balcony.
Nice for both men to get a universally positive reception for once, each ranking roughly comparably in the opinion polls. The kids have made it on to the Seine, to much excitement from those clad in red white and blue. , Down on to the Metro Zinedine ventures, jamming the paper ticket into the barriers and climbing aboard.
Top tip for anyone eyeing a Paris trip - they are very, very easy to lose, so stow them safely. Anyway, the public transport is malfunctioning, requiring a band of kids to continue the torch’s journey via a mystrious cloaked figure in the sewers. All rather fun/freaky - delete as appropriate.
, The Paris skyline is really something, the Eiffel Tower standing proud and alone with the city’s skyscrapers cast some way away from the centre. The opening vignette takes us to an empty Stade de France after an apparent miscommunication, but Zinedine Zidane (clad immaculately in a dark suit) is on hand to get things back on track. , Right, we’re just about to get going in Paris.
85 boats, 205 delegations and - this should be spectacular. The celebrities and dignitaries are taking their place in the posh seats while Parisians line the banks, ready to watch the flotilla along. On to the barges the Olympic representatives clamber, showing the grace you’d expect of elite athletes.
, In the lead-up to the Olympic Games, Kate Gill looked into what it takes to train like a athlete ahead of competing on the world stage. ’s How To Train Like A Olympian is a series focused on the individual fundamentals Olympians have to focus on within their training. While navigating tight gates down tumultuous white water rapids, two-time Olympic canoe slalomist Adam Burgess, 32, makes split-second decisions that determine the outcome of his race.
Watch more How To Train Like An Olympian episodes on The Independent’s YouTube. , The opening ceremony follows a day of chaos in France after saboteurs carrying out arson attacks on three of the country's four high-speed lines. Although high speed services slowly resumed into the evening, thousands of passengers were impacted due to service cancellations and divertions.
The disruption will continue into the weekend, with an estimated 800,000 passengers to be affected, and one in four Eurostar services cancelled until Monday. French authorities are investigating the arson attacks with Gérald Darmanin, French interior minister, hoping for quick arrests. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.
, , It’s been a properly miserable day in Paris, with an unencouraging forecast prompting Meteo France to issue a weather warning from 8pm (7pm BST) tonight. And has bad news from the Trocadero: “I’m currently huddling under a plastic cover. It’s raining again.
” Eek. Protective ponchos on..
. , Here are some photos as Paris prepares for the show to start: , Taking place as it does on the surface of the Seine rather than inside a stadium, tonight’s opening ceremony will function slightly differently, with 85 boats instead used to ferry the athletes along the waterway. But we will, pleasingly, have flagbearers in action, with each nation selecting their best and brightest to tote the national colours.
Here are the names to know: , A combination of the Eurostar cancellations and the Friday evening no-fly zone in Paris has sent coach fares between the UK and the French capital soaring. On FlixBus, the few remaining seats from London on Friday and Tuesday are selling for over £100, with some reaching well over £200. The fastest journey time is around 10 hours, four times longer than Eurostar on a normal day – though some rail journeys are taking twice as long as scheduled.
The 12.31pm from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord was due in at 3.48pm local time, but in fact arrived at 6pm.
Passengers are entitled to 60 per cent of their ticket price back. Three Eurostar trains from London to Paris, representing around 2,500 passengers, were cancelled on Friday. , Our intrepid reporters and have survived the chaos on the trains, shoddy Eurostar WiFi and a sticker snafu at the accreditation desk (don’t ask.
..) to make it just about intact to the Trocadero, where tonight’s opening ceremony will conclude.
“Very wet,” is Jack’s rather pessimistic first impression, though he soon wipes away the liquid off his keyboard to provide a slightly more detailed update: , The clock has ticked past an hour to go until it all gets underway, organisers making their final checks to the flotilla before sending it down the Seine. Yes, if we forget the fact that we’ve already had two days of captivating competition, the Olympics are officially here, with a glitzy, glamorous and aquatic adventure past the Paris landmarks sure to kick things off in style. , Some 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 private security agents have been deployed to secure the games’ opening ceremony, one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies ever.
Snipers will be on rooftops, and drones in the air. The Paris prosecutor’s office said an investigation into the arson attacks would be overseen by its organised crime office, with the anti-terrorist sub-directorate (SDAT), a branch of the judicial police that typically monitors far-left, far-right and radical environmental groups, coordinating investigations. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in June that the alliance had seen several examples of “sabotage, of arson attempts” by Russia, but there is no indication that Moscow might have been behind Friday’s attacks in France.
, Two planeloads of passengers on Air France flights to Paris Charles De Gaulle airport are about to discover the eerie feeling of landing at a deserted airport, . Paris Charles de Gaulle, the busiest airport in Continental Europe, is in the vast no-fly zone imposed from 6pm French time to after midnight to protect the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights, and built in a “buffer” with the last scheduled arrivals at 5.
10pm. The final touchdown was expected to be the Air France flight from Edinburgh, which landed at 5.16pm.
But Flightradar24 reports that two late-running Air France jets were given special permission to land at around the time the curfew begins. One is an Airbus A320 flight from the Greek island of Mykonos; the other, a long-haul Boeing 777 from Seoul. , , The French prime minister Gabriel Attal said the country’s intelligence services had been mobilised to find the perpetrators of “acts of sabotage” which he described as “prepared and co-ordinated”.
He said the sabotage and arson had “a clear objective: blocking the high-speed train network”. He added that the vandals strategically targeted routes from the north, east and west towards Paris. It was “a premeditated, calculated, co-ordinated attack” that indicates “a desire to seriously harm” the French people, the SNCF rail company’s chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said.
, The French interior minister Gérald Darmanin says detectives are hoping to quickly make arrests over the sabotage of the SNCF rail network. , and are Team USA’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony for the , with over 400 athletes joining them including diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover, two of Britain’s most decorated Olympians. , as each team selects two athletes to represent them at the Parade of Nations, taking place along the River Seine.
Basketball legend James, who won gold at the London Olympics in 2012, will be accompanied by tennis star Gauff, who makes her Olympic debut in Paris. Both of America’s brightest athletes will be the penultimate pair to carry their country’s flag at the parade, behind host nation France’s Florent Manaudou and Melina Robert-Michon. , , Click to read the full blog on The Independent's website.
