The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, with the opening ceremony taking place in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. It’s a rainy day in Paris, but that doesn’t stop the flags from flying, the athletes from marching, or the fans from cheering. As the world gathers to honor its greatest athletes on the banks of the Seine River — the first time an opening ceremony has been held outside a stadium — here are the best moments from what promises to be a spectacular start to the event.
Giannis’s History
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes history as the first black man to carry the flag for Greece during the Opening Ceremony in Paris 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/l0OgbMmzvT
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 26, 2024
Snoop appears
Hoda and Snoop Dogg dancing to Lady Gaga. 🕺#Paris Olympics pic.twitter.com/8arHgqoPEs
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
Nice glasses, A’ja.
Steph supports A’ja 😂😎
(through @_ajawilson22) photo.twitter.com/rVKWYyQmLV
— ESPN (@espn) July 26, 2024
Gaga, oh la la
Surprise! Lady Gaga gave an impressive French cabaret performance along the Seine River.
Allons-y!
The fire is here! Are you ready for this 6km long sporting celebration along the iconic Seine River? 🌉
Are you ready for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? 🙌#Paris2024 #Opening ceremony pic.twitter.com/sfHRiqcwIS
— Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024
Weather warning
PARIS — Greetings from the Trocadero, the famous palace located on the Seine River, just across from the Eiffel Tower. This is where the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony is scheduled to end on Friday evening.
After a week of beautiful, mostly sunny skies over the host city, rain clouds have blanketed the city today. While there has been no major downpour so far, the on-and-off nature of the rain has made raincoats and umbrellas a must-have for those in the outdoor spaces along the river — including those of us covering the event for ESPN!
When it comes to the river that winds through Paris, you probably know that athletes from many countries participating in this Olympics will have to travel by boat for many kilometers along the river before reaching where we are sitting.
The seats to our right were filled with important people from all over the world. From presidents to prime ministers, to famous soccer players and other former athletes, those stands were packed.
While the boxes were being filled before the ceremony began, workers with ladders and tools were roaming the seating box area and the nearby walkway that athletes and performers can walk through in the evening, making final adjustments and structural repairs. Two such workers were on the walkway less than 30 minutes before the event began. — Coley Harvey
The pre-Opening Ceremony selfie consists of two parts:
Sad because it started raining and I couldn’t show off my ‘fit. Happy because we’re in front of the Eiffel Tower on this wonderful day #Olympic photo.twitter.com/W7MQuSRD1v
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) July 26, 2024
