PARIS: Celebrating its reputation as the birthplace of revolution, Paris kicked off the Summer Olympics for the first time in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony decked out in stars and fantasy on the banks of the Seine.
Intermittent rain, the first to fall at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in more than 70 years, did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the athletes, some carrying umbrellas as they cruised down the river in a show of the city's resilience as authorities investigate a suspected sabotage attack on France's high-speed train network.
Saudi athletes will compete in four Olympic sports: track and field, equestrian, swimming and taekwondo. You can read all about them, their preparation and the Olympic schedule here.
Likewise, there are dozens of Arab athletes taking part in this year’s competition. You can check out Arab News’ guide to the best male and female competitors representing the Middle East and North Africa.
Widespread disruption caused by what French officials called a coordinated fire attack on the high-speed rail line, coupled with bad weather, dampened the atmosphere ahead of the ceremony.
However, crowds continued to crowd the banks and bridges of the Seine and watched from balconies with “wows” and “ohs” as the Olympic team paraded down the waterway, where the waves became increasingly rough as the weather worsened.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators remained unmoved by the celebrations, still wearing roofs and jackets as the rain poured down, with some singing and dancing, while others ran from their seats to seek shelter.
“I invite everyone to dream with us, like the Olympians, and be inspired by the joy that only sport can bring. Let’s celebrate the Olympic spirit of living in peace,” said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee.
French President Emmanuel Macron has declared the Olympics will open with a spectacular light show on the Eiffel Tower, making up for the heavy rain that started the Games.
French football legend Zinedine Zidane has handed over the torch to another French Open record-breaking legend, Rafael Nadal, as the Spaniard sailed with Serena Williams and Americans Carl Lewis to begin the final torch relay.
French sprinter Marie-Jose Perec and French judoka Teddy Riner were honored to light the Olympic torch.
Throughout the Olympics, you can follow all the action from Paris on Arab News Sport here.
Read about the highlights below (all times BST):
22:30 – That concludes the live coverage of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, which is sure to be exciting.
Follow our full coverage of all our events here over the next two weeks.
22:30 – This stunning Olympic cauldron uses light and water to mimic fire and will remain on the Paris skyline for the next 15 days.
22:28 Canadian singer Celine Dion closed her show by singing on the Eiffel Tower.
22:24 – Marie-Jose Perec and Teddy Rainer of France light the Olympic cauldron.
22:19 – The torch bearer is carrying the flame to its destination where it should be for the duration of the game.
22:05 – Paris lights up Eiffel Tower in time for Olympics
21:55 – Zinedine Zidane has handed over the Olympic torch to French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who recently passed it to fellow tennis star Serena Williams. We are not far from the momentous moment of the torch lighting…
20:00 – We got some more photos of the Saudi delegation. It looks like it's going to rain heavily in Paris this evening, but spirits are high!
Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait also qualified for the athletes' parade.
19:15 – In case you missed the whole thing, Lady Gaga performed a short, sweet jazz piece on the banks of the Seine…
18:45 – First time seeing an Arab delegation on the Seine! Saudi Arabian and Bahraini teams sailing through…
18:30 hrs. – We are working on it!
18:15 – Saudi Arabia's national team smiles as they prepare to appear at the opening ceremony!
(Saudi Arabia Olympic and Paralympic Committee)
18:00 hrs. – There were about 30 minutes left before the ceremony started and the crowds were starting to gather along the banks of the Seine. It wasn't long before the ceremony started.
(AP)
(AP/Reuters)
17:30 hrs. – One of the highlights of the pre-Games is the Olympic torch relay, which travels from Greece around the world before ending in the host city, in this case Paris. Watch the journey below:
17:15 – Despite Friday's shaky start and the prospect of flooding in Paris, France, the organizers of the opening ceremony remained in good spirits, which should be a good thing…
16:45 – Actress Michelle Yeoh shares heartwarming message about Olympic Refugee Team that will represent more than 100 million displaced people around the world
16:35 – We keep getting teased about who will be performing at the ceremony. Any predictions? Tell us. @ArabNewsSport–
16:30 – French President Emmanuel Macron began welcoming dozens of heads of state and government at the Elysee Palace. Macron's office said the Elysee reception was “an opportunity for France to send a message of peace and tolerance, with 10,500 athletes from around the world gathering for the world's greatest event.”
Around 100 world leaders, government officials and heads of international organisations are expected to attend the ceremony later.
(AFP)
16:15 – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday he condemned the sabotage attacks on France's TGV high-speed train network in full force and hoped the perpetrators would be identified quickly. You can read about the arson incident here.
16:00 – International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach joins the Olympic torch relay as the opening ceremony nears.
15:45 – French TV personality Pharrell Williams carries the Olympic torch atop Saint-Denis Cathedral in the northern suburbs of Paris.
His appearance comes after superstar rapper Snoop Dogg was honored to carry the torch earlier Friday morning, which you can read more about below. Hopefully, he doesn’t throw the flame away as if it’s still burning…
(X/@Paris2024)
Go out and set up a tent to join the opening ceremony.
People arrived hours before the opening ceremony along the Seine River to find the best viewing spots. Some brought folding chairs, books, sandwiches and water.
Monica Merino, 57, travelled to Paris from Madrid to watch the Olympics and said it would be her first time witnessing the opening ceremony in person.
“We have been to Paris many times before and now it is very different because there are no people there, but there are soldiers and police,” she said.
Giannis's Skirt Problem
Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was chosen as one of his flag bearers, managed to avoid a train woe on Friday.
He left Lille on Thursday, travelling on a bus with players from a few other teams, with a team spokesman saying several teams had chosen to travel at the same time for security reasons.
The German men's team boarded a bus for the ceremony on Friday morning, having never planned to travel by train. The plan was to return straight to Lille for Saturday's match against Japan.
Paris Olympics sell record 9.7 million tickets, but still have more left to sell
After a shaky start to the 2024 Olympics, organizers say the Paris Games have broken the record for the most tickets sold or allocated in the history of the Games. However, tickets are still available.
Organisers said 9.7 million tickets have been sold or allocated for this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games, with 8.7 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets sold and 1 million Paralympic tickets sold.
In Paris, a total of 10 million tickets have been sold for the Olympics, meaning that despite the unprecedented popularity of the Games and the unprecedented scale of this year's Games, there are still plenty of seats available.
However, the total ticket sales figures are likely to increase as tickets for some of the 45 sports remain on sale.
Snoop Dogg makes it hot
The rapper-turned-NBC Olympic correspondent was one of the final torchbearers before the opening ceremony. He carried the flame in Saint-Denis, outside Paris.
In a pre-race interview, Snoop Dogg vowed to be “on my best behavior.”
“I will try my best to do the best I can. I will be able to breathe slowly, walk fast, and hold the torch with a smile on my face because I know how big this is,” he said.
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes stopped en route to Paris
Two trains carrying Olympic athletes on the West Atlantic route to Paris were stopped hours before the opening ceremony, rail company SNCF said.
One train was cancelled and authorities hope another will be resumed.
* With AP
