PARIS: Celebrating its reputation as the cradle of the revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in 100 years on Friday, with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony along the Seine River, decorated with stars and fantasy.
Intermittent showers, the first rain at a Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 70 years, did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the athletes, who took to boats down the river with umbrellas in hand, showing the city’s resilience as authorities investigated suspected sabotage targeting France’s high-speed rail network.
Saudi Arabian athletes will compete in four sports at the Games: Athletics, Equestrianism, Swimming and Taekwondo. Here you can read all about the athletes, their preparations and our guide to the Olympic schedule.
Likewise, dozens of Arab athletes are taking part in this year’s competition. Check out Arab News’ guide to the top male and female competitors representing the Middle East and North Africa.
Attacks that French officials called coordinated arson on high-speed rail lines caused widespread travel disruption and bad weather dampened sentiment ahead of the event.
Nonetheless, crowds gathered on the banks of the Seine and on bridges, watching from balconies as the Olympians paraded in boats along the waterway, which became increasingly rough as the weather worsened, shouting “oohs” and “ahhs.”
Undaunted by the festive mood, many of the hundreds of thousands of spectators huddled under umbrellas and jackets as the rain grew heavier, some danced and sang, and others ran from their seats to seek shelter.
“I invite everyone to dream with us. Be inspired, like the Olympians, by the joy that only sport can give. Let us celebrate the Olympic spirit of living in peace,” said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Olympics open with a stunning light show from the Eiffel Tower, compensating for the rain-soaked start.
French football legend Zinedine Zidane passed the torch to another legend, French Open tennis record holder Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard began the final torch relay by taking a boat trip with Americans Serena Williams and Carl Lewis.
French sprinter Marie-José Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron.
During the Olympics, all matches taking place in Paris will be available to watch in the Arab News Sports section.
Read the highlights below (all times are BST):
22:30 – This concludes our live coverage of the exciting Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris.
Find out everything that's happening over the next two weeks here.
22:30 – Check out the magnificent Olympic cauldron. It uses light and water to simulate fire and will remain on the Paris skyline for the next 15 days.
22:28 – Canadian singer Celine Dion closes the show by singing a song about the Eiffel Tower.
22:24 – France's Marie-José Perec and Teddy Riner light the Olympic cauldron.
22:19 – Torchbearers carry the flame to its destination during the race.
22:05 – Paris lights up Eiffel Tower for Olympics opening
21:55 – Zinedine Zidane passed the Olympic torch to French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who just passed the torch to tennis queen Serena Williams. We are not far from the most important moment of the torch relay…
20:00 – More images of the Saudi delegation have emerged, and Paris looks very humid this evening. But the mood is still good!
Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait also took part in the athletes' parade.
19:15 – For those of you who missed it because you were so caught up in the drama, Lady Gaga sang a catchy jazz song on the banks of the Seine…
18:45 – First look at the Arab delegation on the Seine! Saudi Arabian and Bahraini teams floating…
18:30 – Now let's go!
18:15 – Smiles are on the faces of all Saudi Arabian team members preparing for their opening ceremony appearance!
(Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee)
18:00 – With about 30 minutes left until the event starts, crowds are starting to gather on the banks of the Seine. There isn't much time left.
(AP)
(AP/Reuters)
17:30 – One of the highlights of the pre-game festivities is the Olympic Torch Relay, which begins in Greece and travels around the world, ending in the host city, in this case Paris. Watch a clip of the journey below.
17:15 – Despite a rough start to Friday and the threat of flooding in the French capital, the opening ceremony organisers are still in a positive mood. Maybe that's for the better…
16:45 – Actress Michelle Yeoh shared a heartwarming message for the Refugee Olympic Team, which will represent more than 100 million migrants worldwide.
16:35 – We're still being teased about who will perform at the awards show. Any predictions? Let me know. @arabnewssports…
16:30 – French President Emmanuel Macron began welcoming dozens of heads of state and government at the Elysee presidential palace. Macron’s office said the Elysee reception was “an opportunity for France to deliver a message of peace and tolerance as 10,500 athletes from around the world gather to take part in the world’s largest event.”
The later event is expected to be attended by about 100 world leaders, government officials and heads of international organizations.
(AFP)
16:15 – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz strongly condemned the saboteurs who destroyed France's TGV high-speed train network on Friday and said he hoped the perpetrators would be found quickly. You can read about the arson attack here.
16:00 – International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach took part in the Olympic torch relay as the opening ceremony approached.
15:45 – French TV shows Pharrell Williams carrying the Olympic flame atop the Basilica of Saint-Denis on the northern outskirts of Paris.
His appearance comes after superstar rapper Snoop Dogg was honored with the honor of carrying the flame earlier Friday. You can read more about it below. Hopefully he doesn't drop it while it's hot…
(X/@Paris2024)
Camping for the opening ceremony
People arrived along the Seine River hours before the opening ceremony began, seeking the best seats in the viewing area. Some brought folding chairs, books, sandwiches and water.
Monica Merino, 57, came from Madrid to Paris for the Olympics and said it was her first time seeing the opening ceremony in person.
“We have been to Paris many times, but it is very different now, with no people and full of soldiers and police,” she said.
Gianni skirt train problem
Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo was selected to represent his country and avoided any train troubles on Friday.
He left Lille on Thursday and travelled by bus with players from several other teams. A team spokesman said several teams had decided to travel simultaneously for security reasons.
The German men's team took a bus to the awards ceremony on Friday morning, with no plans to travel by train, before heading straight back to Lille for the match against Japan on Saturday.
Paris Olympics Ticket Sales Hit 9.7 Million – More Tickets Still Available
After a rocky start last year, Olympic 2024 organizers say the Paris Games have broken the record for the most tickets sold or allocated in the event’s history. And yet tickets are still on sale.
Organisers said 9.7 million tickets were sold or allocated for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games, of which 8.7 million were for the former and 1 million for the latter.
In Paris, a total of 10 million Olympic tickets were sold, meaning that despite the historical popularity of this year's sporting event and its unprecedented scale, there will still be plenty of empty seats.
However, overall ticket sales are likely to increase, as tickets for some of the 45 sports are still on sale.
Snoop Dogg keeps the fire burning
The rapper-turned-NBC Olympics correspondent was one of the last Olympic torch bearers before the opening ceremony, carrying the flame from Saint-Denis, just outside Paris.
In an interview before the relay race, Snoop Dogg pledged to “give it his all.”
“I will be at my best, breathing slowly, walking briskly and holding the torch with a smile on my face because I know how prestigious this event is,” he said.
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes were stopped en route to Paris.
Rail company SNCF said two Paris-bound trains carrying Olympic athletes on the west Atlantic line were stopped hours before the opening ceremony.
One train has been cancelled and authorities are hoping another one will run.
* Including AP
