News Desk

The Advocate Post: The 2024 Olympics opened in Paris with a stunning ceremony featuring thousands of athletes sailing along the River Seine. Replacing the traditional stadium setting with a waterway, the nearly four-hour event ended with French judo star Teddy Rinerand sprinter Marie-Jose Perec lighting a hot air balloon-shaped cauldron that rose into the Parisian sky.

The ceremony featured blue, white, and red fireworks that illuminated the Tricolore above Austerlitz Bridge. A total of 6,800 athletes from 205 delegations traveled on 85 boats and barges, passing some of Paris’s most iconic landmarks. The event included surprise performances, such as a cabaret act by Lady Gaga and a heartfelt appearance by Canadian singer Celine Dion.

The day began with significant disruptions due to arson attacks on the French train network, and heavy rain later in the evening, altering the original plan by artistic director Thomas Jolly to use sunlight to “make the water sparkle.” Despite the rain forcing athletes to don ponchos and use umbrellas, the event continued with a vibrant display of French history, art, and sport presented by 2,000 musicians, dancers, and other artists.

The final two boats to parade were the US, as the next hosts for Los Angeles 2028, and France, which had the largest number of athletes on board. Other barges carried multiple delegations together. Great Britain’s flagbearers were rower Helen Glover and diver Tom Daley. Paris is hosting the summer Games for the third time, marking the first return in 100 years.