The Paris Olympics kick off on Friday with a unique opening ceremony on the River Seine, marking the city’s first time hosting the Summer Games in 100 years.
The event will feature boats carrying athletes and dignitaries along a six-kilometer stretch, with room for 300,000 spectators.
Speculation about performances by Celine Dion and Lady Gaga adds to the excitement, though details remain sparse. Artistic director Thomas Jolly aims to highlight France’s diversity.
This Olympics achieves gender parity with 5,250 male and 5,250 female athletes. Despite some Parisians’ concerns about overcrowding and transportation, President Macron assures the nation is ready.
Security is tight, with 5,000 police, soldiers, and guards patrolling the city. Fires earlier on Friday affected the rail network, including the Eurostar.
The Games, costing around 9 billion euros (£7.6 billion), aim to be the greenest in history, utilizing iconic venues like the Stade de France and Roland Garros. Only two new arenas have been built. The Seine’s water quality, a concern for swimming events, has improved, with regular testing scheduled.
New to the Games is the sport of breaking, while men can now compete in artistic synchronized swimming. This Olympics will see final appearances from British athletes Andy Murray and Max Whitlock, as well as the return of swimmer Adam Peaty.
Absent will be dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin after controversy over horse treatment. American stars Simone Biles and Stephen Curry, sprinters Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are also set to compete.
Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. IOC president Thomas Bach praised the athletes as peace ambassadors. The opening ceremony, beginning at 19:30 CET (18:30 BST) on July 26.
Flagbearers include rower Helen Glover and diver Tom Daley for Team GB, with other notable flagbearers for the U.S. and the refugee team.
Some events, like men’s rugby sevens and football, have already begun, with the men’s football match between Morocco and Argentina facing delays due to crowd trouble.
