The 2024 Paris officially began on Friday, as the Opening Ceremony formally concluded and the Olympic cauldron was lit. With the entire city as the backdrop in the pouring rain, athletes traveled along the Seine River in boats waving to family, friends, and fans who lined its banks. Thousands of athletes participated in the parade of nations.
They were led by Greece and its flag-bearer, Giannis Antetokounmpo, as a tribute to the ancient Olympics that inspired the modern Games. After Greece and the Olympic Refugee Team, countries paraded in based on alphabetical order in French — except for the United States, Australia, and France, which represent the future and current summer hosts. The first big moment of the Opening Ceremony began with the clicking of high heels on stairs and dancers revealing Lady Gaga.
"Bonsoir, bienvenue en Paris!" Gaga declared enthusiastically as she kicked off her musical number. The Oscar-winning singer performed a rendition of the French song "Mon Truc En Plume," or "My Thing Made of Feathers." Lady Gaga’s full Olympics performance, y’all are so quick omg Throughout the Opening Ceremony, a masked person ran through the streets, climbed buildings, and parkoured their way across the Paris skyline while holding the torch.
The mystery torch-bearer added an element of suspense: Could that be the surprise flame lighter? Who is the Masked torch bearer ?? Take it off, take it off, take it off 🤣 Heavy metal band Gojira performed for the crowd while overlooking the Seine River. They were accompanied by a beheaded Marie Antoinette, which had to be one of the strangest moments of the night: A beheaded Marie Antoinette is one of the wildest and craziest things ever at the Olympics Opera singer Axelle Saint-Cirel gave a chilling performance of the French National Anthem. It doesn't matter if the audience can understand French or not, the performance was worthy of goosebumps.
It was simply beautiful. 🇫🇷 La Marseillaise ! Vous l’attendiez, c’est Axelle Saint-Cirel qui l’interprète depuis le toit du Grand Palais. It was a magical moment when 594 athletes representing 46 states arrived at the Eiffel Tower.
The United States of America was introduced with flag-bearers and Coco Gauff. LEBRON JAMES JUST MADE HISTORY BY LEADING USA INTO THE 2024 OLYMPICS HOLDING THE AMERICAN FLAG 🇺🇸 Earlier in the evening, women's basketball star A'ja Wilson joined Steph Curry for an interview on the broadcast sporting an awesome pair of glasses. Steph Curry gave A’ja Wilson some 👌Olympic glasses 📸 The fastest man in the world, Noah Lyles, had his nails done for the evening and showed them off for the world to see.
Each nail had a letter spelling the word "Icon." He’s an ICON. He’s a legend.
He is the moment. 📺 Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock This year's surfing competition is in Tahiti. The competitors gathered on the shore waving at the camera for their moment during the broadcast.
Bonjour from Tahiti and our Olympic surfers. 👋🇵🇫 The host nation, France, was the last to arrive. The torch bearer followed, and the Eiffel Tower was sparkling as the Parade of Nations concluded.
After France's President officially opened the Games, legendary French soccer player Zinedine Zidane entered the venue with the Olympic Torch and handed it off to Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who is ending his tennis career after this year. Rafael Nadal raises the Olympic Flame into the Parisian night sky. 🔥 The Olympic Torch Relay is almost complete.
Nadal hopped onto a boat with international Olympians and stars, handing it off to American tennis icon . She then handed it to Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who passed it on to legendary sprinter Carl Lewis. The boat docked and French tennis star Amelie Mauresmo ran to the Louvre, where retired French basketball player Tony Parker was waiting for her.
Parker and Mauresmo joined three Paralympians and all five met up with handball legend Michael Guigou. The next handoff was to another handball athlete, Allison Pineau. By the end of the walk, the group had accumulated to nearly 25 athletes.
The final two torchbearers, Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner, lit one of the most unique Olympic Cauldrons – a hot air balloon that took flight. The Paris 2024 Olympic cauldron is lit! Sorry, THE PARIS 2024 HOT-AIR BALLOON OLYMPIC CAULDRON IS LIT! 🤯 🔥 As the hot air balloon lifted off, Celine Dion took the stage that was built underneath the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower. Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground..
