PARIS: Celebrating its reputation as the cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony filled with stars and fantasy on the banks of the Seine River.
On-off rain – the first at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in more than 70 years – did not seem to dampen the spirits of the athletes. Some held umbrellas as they rowed down the river in a show of the city's resilience as authorities investigate suspected acts of sabotage targeting France's high-speed rail network.
French authorities coordinated arson attacks on high-speed rail lines as well as widespread travel disruptions as the weather dampened the mood ahead of the ceremony.
Still, crowds crowded the banks and bridges of the Seine and watched “oohing” and “ahing” from balconies as the Olympic teams paraded on boats down the waterway as the weather worsened. Undeterred by the festivities, many of the millions of spectators huddled under umbrellas and jackets as the rain intensified, others danced and sang, and some ran from their seats for shelter.
Saudi Arabian athletes will compete in four sports at the Games — athletics, equestrian, swimming and taekwondo — and you can read a guide to all about them, their preparations and their Olympic schedule here.
As well as dozens of Arab athletes participating in this year's games, you can check out Arab News' guide to the best male competitors and female athletes representing the Middle East and North Africa.
Throughout the Olympics, you can follow all the action from Paris in the designated Arab News sports section here.
Read about the highlights below (all times BST):
20:00 – We have more photos of the Saudi delegation, it looks very wet in Paris this evening. But the spirit remains high!
Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait have also passed in the parade of athletes.
19:15 – In case you missed it in all the drama, Lady Gaga performed a catchy little jazz ditty on the edge of the scene…
18:45 – Our first glimpse of Arab delegations on the Seine! The teams of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain last…
18:30 – We're on the move!
18:15 – All smiles on the Saudi Arabian team as they prepare for their appearance at the opening ceremony!
(Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee)
18:00 – We're about 30 minutes into the ceremony, and crowds are starting to build along the banks of the Seine. There is not much time to go now.
(AP)
(AP/Reuters)
17:30 – One of the highlights of the pre-Games events is the Olympic Torch Relay. It travels around the world from Greece before ending its journey in the host city, in this case Paris. Watch a clip of his journey below:
17:15 – Despite Friday's rocky start and the threat of flooding in the French capital, opening ceremony organizers are still in a positive mood. Which is probably the case…
16:45 – Actress Michelle Yeoh has shared a heartwarming message about the Olympic Refugee Team, which will represent more than 100 million displaced people worldwide.
16:35 – We are still being teased as to who will be performing at the ceremony. Any predictions? Let us know @ArabNewsSport…
16:30 – French President Emmanuel Macron has begun welcoming dozens of heads of state and government to the Elysee Palace. Macron's office said the Elysee reception was “an opportunity for France to send a message of peace and tolerance as 10,500 athletes from around the world gather to take part in the world's biggest tournament.”
Around 100 world leaders, government officials and heads of international organizations are expected to attend the ceremony.
(AFP)
16:15 – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday that he fully condemned the vandals who attacked France's TGV high-speed train network and hoped the perpetrators would be identified soon. You can read about arson attacks here.
16:00 – As the opening ceremony is approaching, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has participated in the Olympic flame relay.
15:45 – French TV shows Pharrell Williams carrying the Olympic flame at the cathedral of Saint-Denis on the northern outskirts of Paris.
In his presence superstar rapper Snoop Dogg was given the honor of carrying the flame earlier Friday, which you can read more about below. Hopefully, he didn't leave it as hot…
(X/@Paris2024)
Outside the camp for the opening ceremony
People arrived hours before the start of the opening ceremony along the Seine river, looking for the best spots in the viewing areas. Someone brought folding chairs, books, sandwiches and water.
Monica Merino, 57, came to Paris from Madrid for the Olympics and said it was her first time watching the opening ceremony in person.
“We've visited Paris many times, and it's very different now because it's empty of people and full of soldiers and police,” she said.
Giannis skirt train problems
Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, selected as one of his country's flag bearers, completely ignored the train problems on Friday.
He left Lille on Thursday, traveling in a convoy of buses with some other team players. A team spokesperson said several teams chose to travel at the same time for safety purposes.
Germany's men's team boarded buses to the ceremony on Friday morning, never planning to travel by train. The plan was then to return to Lille immediately for Saturday's game against Japan.
The Paris Olympics have sold a record 9.7 million tickets – but more are still available
After a rocky start last year, Olympic 2024 organizers said the Paris Games had broken the record for the most tickets sold or allocated in the event's history. And yet, tickets are still available.
Organizers say 9.7 million tickets have been sold or allocated for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games, with 8.7 million for the former and 1 million for the latter.
As for Paris, a total of 10 million tickets were put on sale for the Olympics – meaning that despite the historic popularity of sporting events and the unprecedented scale of this year's competitions, there are still plenty of empty seats left.
The total ticket number, however, will likely increase as tickets are still on sale for 45 games.
Snoop Dogg keeps it light
The rapper-turned-NBC Olympic correspondent was one of the last Olympic torch bearers before the opening ceremony. He carried the flame to Saint-Denis outside Paris.
In an interview before Riley's leg, Snoop Dogg promised to be on his “best behavior.”
“I'm going to be at my best athletics. I'm going to be able to take slow breaths to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I know how prestigious this event is,” he said.
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes stopped on their way to Paris
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris were halted on the Western Atlantic line hours before the opening ceremony, rail company SNCF said.
One train was cancelled, and officials hope the other will operate.
* With AP
