The French capital transformed into a stadium and an outdoor theater this Friday to kick off the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The opening ceremony, described as ambitious, historic, and spectacular, will be a landmark event as it takes place for the first time outside of a stadium.
The opening ceremony began with the presentation of Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, and Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This was followed by fireworks and smoke in the colors of the French flag.
Instead of the traditional parade in a sports venue, athletes will be on 85 boats along the Seine River, passing by the most iconic landmarks of Paris, the event's website specified. This innovative approach is not only an impressive visual spectacle but also a reflection of the city's rich history and culture.
On one of the boats, the Cuban canoeist Fernando Dayán Jorge was seen, who will compete as part of the refugee team at the Paris Olympic Games, despite the Cuban regime's demands for his immediate expulsion.
A total of 21 Cuban athletes will represent other delegations at the sporting event, a figure that reflects the relentless exodus of athletes in recent years.
The boxer Julio César La Cruz was chosen to carry the national flag of Cuba during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
La Cruz took the place of the fighter Mijaín López, who has been the flag bearer on previous occasions, the official newspaper Adelante specified.
It is expected that more than 10,500 athletes from 206 countries will participate in the sporting event, which will feature over 300 events across 32 sports, according to Infobae.
Among the main innovations introduced by the IOC for this event, the inclusion of a new sport and the removal of two disciplines stand out.
The new addition is breaking, commonly known as breakdance. This style of urban dance, associated with hip-hop culture, will make its debut at the Olympic Games, aiming to capture the attention of a new generation of viewers and participants.
The events that will be absent in this edition are karate, which made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as baseball and softball, which also returned in Tokyo 2020 after their last appearance in Beijing 2008.
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