2024-07-27 04:35:20
Facts about the Opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (X Account @Olympics)
The Olympic Games in Paris 2024 have officially opened with a unique spectacle by the river. A fleet of boats transports athletes along the River Seine. However, heavy and incessant rain disrupted the opening parade.
France promised that the opening ceremony would be the biggest outdoor show ever. A rain-soaked river party in Paris was the first time the opening ceremony of the world’s biggest sporting event was held outside a stadium.
The show was opened by US singer Lady Gaga. Then, the French singer Aya Nakamura stood on the Pont des Arts in a musical medley. The performance continued with some dances and music.
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At the end, France’s oldest living Olympic champion, 100-year-old Charles Coste, carried the flaming torch and handed it to French Judo player Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec. They light fires in stones attached to giant balloons.
Singer Celine Dion sang “Hymn to Love” by Edith Piaf in her first public performance in recent years, drawing huge cheers from the audience.
However, the outdoor ceremony faced several obstacles. First, a series of sabotage attacks on the rail network caused travel chaos across France hours before the ceremony began.
Also read: Paris Olympic Athletes’ Parade Flooded by Heavy Rain
Second, the weather factor. Instead of the soft light of a summer evening that the organizers had hoped for, there was heavy rain.
The rain took its toll on the athletes and spectators, many of whom were without cover during the nearly four-hour show.
Even celebrities temporarily left their seats in the stands at the Trocadero after being soaked. During the march, many athletes had to wear raincoats.
In terms of security, France carried out a large-scale operation to ensure the security of the Olympic Games. More than 30,000 police, 20,000 security guards and 10,000 military personnel have been deployed.
It is expected that more than 15 million tourists will be in the French capital during the event. (P-5)
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