The most noteworthy moments from the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony
Bienvenue à Paris!

The Paris 2024 Olympics have officially begun with the opening ceremony taking place yesterday evening (1.30am MYT). For the first time ever, the festivities were held outside of a stadium, which goes against Olympic tradition. Despite the downpour, over 300,000 spectators descended on the banks of the Seine, cheering on the 6,800 athletes as they made their way down the six-kilometre stretch on 85 boats.
This opening ceremony marks the first time in modern Olympic history that the festivities were hosted outside stadium grounds. It is also the third time the French capital is hosting the Games, with the last occurrence being exactly a century ago in 1924. The ceremony also saw a string of lively performances that pay homage to France’s arts, culture, and sporting scenes. Over 10,500 athletes are expected to compete over the course of the next two weeks, before the Olympics comes to a close on 11 August 2024. If you didn’t catch the four-hour spectacle, here is our rundown of the six most memorable moments and scenes from the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.
MALAYSIAN CONTINGENT MAKES NATION PROUD

Donned in custom Rizman Ruzaini garments, the Malaysian contingent sailed down the Seine with flags in their hands, proudly waving to the sea of cameras around them. Leading the contingent during the Parade of Nations were national diver Bertrand Rhodict—who makes his Olympics debut this year—and three-time Olympian, sailor Nur Shazrin Latif. Other members of #TeamMAS on the boat were diver Dhabitah Sabri, golfer Ashley Lau, sailor Khairulnizam Mohd Afendy, and swimmer Tan Rouxin.

Chef de Mission Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin and Deputy Chef de Mission Datuk Nicol David were also present at the opening ceremony. Chief Medical Officer Dr Jasmiza Khuzairi Jasme and safeguarding officer Ang Li Peng also joined the contingent. The athletes who missed out on the opening ceremony were resting for their Day One events or yet to land in Paris for the Games.
A HISTORICAL PARADE OF NATIONS

You’ve probably seen countless photos of athletes waving their flags and sporting stylish team outfits on your social media feeds by now. The climax of every Olympic Games’ opening ceremony, the Parade of Nations saw about 6,800 athletes across 205 National Olympic Committees sail down the Seine on 85 boats and barges. They made their way past a few of Paris’ most recognisable landmarks, including the Place de la Concorde, the Notre-Dame and the Grand Palais.

Applause roared across the city throughout the ceremony, but got particularly lively for the Refugee Olympic Team. The opening ceremony was a show of unity amongst athletes, with many teams sharing boats and barges with others. Olympic surfers—who are competing on the waves in Tahiti—also joined in on the ceremony with their own celebrations that we saw via a video call. The conclusion of the parade started with Team USA on the second to last boat as part of the customary practice that sees the next hosts as the penultimate entrance into the ceremony. Finally, the French delegation made their way out last as the closing boat of the procession.
UNFORGETTABLE PERFORMANCES

The Olympics opening ceremonies have been known to pull out all the stops when it comes to performances from musical artists and other icons of the host nation’s entertainment industry. For example, the London 2012 Olympics saw a theatrical show comprising Queen Elizabeth II, Rowan Atkinson—better known as Mr. Bean—and James Bond, played by Daniel Craig. This time, spectators and viewers from around the world were treated to performances by global super stars. The lineup included Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Aya Nakamura, and French heavy metal band Gojira.

Also on the performance schedule were renditions of Les Miserables, dances in honour of the Notre Dame’s reconstruction, Axelle Saint-Cirel singing the French national nathem La Marseillaise on the Seine, cancan shows, and more. Athletes were also greeted by artworks from The Louvre rising above the Seine’s waters. It took about 2,000 performers and artists to pull off the grand spectacle that was the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.
A CALL FOR PEACE

Above being the world’s biggest sporting stage, the Olympics is also seen as a symbol of unity. Though this year’s Games aren’t void of criticism, occurring at a particularly violent time for the world, the vehement support for the Refugee Olympic Team and the Palestine Olympic Committee during the ceremony was palpable.

As it does at every other opening ceremony, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Imagine played during the festivities as a peace anthem. This time round, Juliette Armanet had the honour of singing it atop a raft on the Seine. Later on in the festivities, we also saw a horsewomen in a silver suit with the Olympic flag on her back atop a metal horse galloping across the Seine. Meant to symbolise the Olympic spirit and call for unity, the horsewoman ended her ride on a live horse at the Trocadero, leading the flag bearers out.
THE END OF THE OLYMPIC TORCH’S JOURNEY

After being lit on 16 April in Greece, the Olympic torch concluded its journey around France at the opening ceremony. Around 10,000 torchbearers had the honour of relaying the flame before it headed for its final destination Jardin des Tuileries.

Its time at the opening ceremony started in the hands of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, who passed it to a masked torchbearer. The figure brought it across Parisian rooftops and the Louvre’s hallways. Next, the torch was returned to Zidane, who handed it off to tennis legend, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard boarded a boat with Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci. The quintet then set sail with the flame, headed to The Louvre.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CAULDRON

The journey of the flame ended with the spectacular lighting of the cauldron at the Jardin des Tuileries. To get to its final destination, the flame was carried by 18 other Olympians and Paralympians—including former gold-medal cyclist and centenarian Charles Coste—from the Louvre. It was then passed off to French judo legend Teddy Riner and athletics superstar Marie-José Pérec.

The duo then walked up to the cauldron to officially kick off the Games. This year’s cauldron comprises a ring of flames attached to a helium sphere resembling a hot air balloon. The cauldron and balloon is a nod to the first hydrogen-powered balloon flight that took off from the same location in 1783. It now floats 30 metres in the air above the Jardin des Tuileries.
Stay tuned for more Paris 2024 Olympics coverage here.
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