Paris Olympics open with cruise on Seine, Celine Dion

PARIS – Like the iconic Eiffel Tower built over a century ago, Paris 2024 pulled off yet another incredible feat on July 26, first with an opening ceremony cruise on the Seine that will rank among the Olympics’ iconic moments in history.

And it was Celine Dion’s finale, Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne A L’Amour, that sealed the show for the hosts, who delivered another coup as the Canadian crooner performed for the first time in four years after she was

diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.

With the city of light and shadows the stage for the ceremony by director Thomas Jolly,

Paris welcomed the world

with an opening night of art, culture, history, fashion and French whimsy.

The party began with delegates from 205 nations and territories cruising past French monuments such as the Austerlitz bridge, Notre-Dame cathedral and Eiffel Tower along the Seine River on over 100 boats – the first time a Summer Games kicked off outside a stadium.

Global sports and entertainment icons – football legend Zinedine Zidane, singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, the world’s most-streamed French-language artiste Aya Nakamura, actress Michelle Yeoh, and even the Minions – added stardust to the opening ceremony, but it was the evening downpour that whipped everyone into a frenzy.

There were 320,000 spectators in the 124 grandstands, while thousands more lined the streets and many others peered out of the windows of the Haussmannian buildings for a glimpse of the action.

It was a stark contrast to Tokyo 2020, which

opened in an empty stadium

after a year-long delay under the spectre of the Covid-19 pandemic, though uncertainty and chaos continue to loom domestically and globally.

A “coordinated sabotage” including “malicious”

arson attacks on the French rail network

left passengers stranded from the morning of July 26, and 800,000 travellers are expected to face disruptions through the weekend.

In June, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a surprise snap election that

left the National Assembly with no dominant political bloc in power

for the first time in its modern history.

On the international front, wars continue between Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israel and Hamas, amid other conflicts.

Controversy also dogged the Games even before they began, with

a pitch invasion in Morocco’s 2-1 win over Argentina

in a men’s football group game, while Canada women’s coach Beverly Priestman and two staff members were removed after allegedly using drones to spy on New Zealand’s training.

No Games are ever incident-free, but over the next 16 days, it is hoped that the sporting world will unite in solidarity as the 10,500 athletes commence their campaigns in the first Olympics to achieve gender-parity.

At the opening ceremony at least, they came together as one.

Watched on by VVIPs that included Mr Macron, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his spouse, Ms Jane Ittogi, the athletes were not about to let the downpour rain on their parade.

The Singapore contingent of 29 athletes and officials were led by Asian Games champions Shanti Pereira (athletics) and Ryan Lo (sailing).

Decked in their red blazers and beige trousers, the team soaked in the atmosphere, waving their flags and jumping enthusiastically on board.

Pereira said: “Feels like a dream! A huge honour being able to do this with Ryan – what a great way to commence my and Team Singapore’s Olympic campaign. An amazing moment I will definitely remember for a lifetime!”

Lo added: “I feel very privileged and proud to be waving the Singapore flag alongside Shanti. It is a tremendous honour to be given this opportunity at such a prestigious event, and I am looking forward with excitement to be competing at my second Olympic Games.”

Sprinter Marc Louis said: “This was really a one-of-a-kind opening ceremony where we got to see the Paris landmarks while on a boat. It’s amazing how the crowd braved the rain to come out and welcome us. I can’t wait for the competition to begin!”

After returning home empty-handed from Tokyo 2020, the Republic –

represented by 23 athletes

across 11 sports in Paris – will hope to be back among the medals, with world champion kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder tipped to challenge for gold, and others hoping to make a breakthrough at the highest level.

On a night where the entertainment ran the gamut from Lady Gaga in pink pompoms, ballet and can-can, to opera, rock music and breakers, it was an evening of everything, everywhere, all at once.

It was madcap, mayhem, and magical.

The ceremony ended in the Trocadero, after the flame was passed through the hands of sporting greats Zidane, Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, Nadia Comaneci, Serena Williams and a host of French former and current athletes – before 100-year-old Olympic gold-medal cyclist Charles Coste handed it to French judo great Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec.

In another spectacular surprise, the duo lit a 30m-tall Olympic cauldron that rose to the night sky, aptly in the city where the first hot-air balloon made by the Montgolfier brothers took flight in 1783.

After an opening show to remember for a long time, sports will now take centre stage in Paris as fans look to witness more great feats.

As they say in France, allez and let the Games begin!