A line of 85 boats ferrying athletes across the River Seine signified the illustrious commencement of the 33rd Olympiad Games. On Friday, the French head of state, Emmanuel Macron, proudly inaugurated the Paris 2024 Olympic Games amidst a drenched yet vibrant ceremony. The audience along the Seine jubilantly applauded the athletes, while dancers graced the rooftops of Paris, and Lady Gaga serenaded the crowd with a French cabaret piece.
The event location set within the city’s heart stirred the largest peace-time security operation ever implemented in France, encompassing 45,000 officers and multiple military units. The games kicked off against a backdrop of fiery assaults on France’s rail network earlier in the day, with nearby streets barricaded by mid-morning. However, by day’s end, the mood had shifted entirely to a lively celebration in the summer rainfall.
Following half a decade of extensive preparations and covert rehearsals spanning two years, the inaugural Olympic ceremony occurring outside a traditional stadium venue showcased distinctively French flair. Subsequently, Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Riner, France’s triple Olympic gold champions, ignited the Olympic cauldron, hoisted upon a hot-air balloon. The crowd erupted when Canada’s Celine Dion delivered her first public rendition in several years – a stirring performance of Edith Piaf’s ‘Hymn to Love’.