Olympic Games - Rain in Paris: Summer Games opening ceremony started
Under gray rain clouds, the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games began in Paris. According to plan, the show, which is scheduled to last for 3 hours and 45 minutes, is the first opening ceremony for Summer Games to take place outside a stadium. Instead, 6800 female and male athletes are rowing a six-kilometer long course on the Seine river, which ends at the Eiffel Tower.
The German team is on the third boat, accompanied by Afghanistan, South Africa, Albania, and Algeria. Judoka Anna-Maria Wagner and Basketballer Dennis Schröder carry the German flag. Traditionally, athletes from Greece present themselves first, followed by a boat with the Olympic refugee team.
Over 300,000 spectators
Approximately 320,000 spectators along the Seine are following the spectacle. Among them are Olympic icons Carl Lewis, Boris Becker, as well as pop stars Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande. 2000 artists along the route are creating an unprecedented atmosphere. According to rumors, Superstars Lady Gaga and Céline Dion are among them.
According to the German Olympic Sports Federation, around 150 German athletes and approximately 100 trainers, coaches, and officials are participating in the opening ceremony. They come from the sports of Badminton, Basketball (3x3 and Hall), Beach-Volleyball, Archery, Fencing, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Canoe Slalom, Athletics, Equestrian, Sailing, Tennis, Trampoline Gymnastics, and Diving.
Macron opens the Games
The Games are being opened in the late evening by French President Emmanuel Macron. Before him, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, gives a short speech. Finally, the Olympic Fire is being lit. Who is to receive this honor is, as usual, a well-kept secret.
- Despite the rain cloud overhead, Judoka Anna-Maria Wagner remains focused for the summer game.
- The boats carrying the Athletes from Afghanistan, South Africa, Albania, and Algeria, along with Germany, navigate steadily towards the Eiffel Tower during the Olympics.
- The summer game in Paris is a historic event, as it's the first opening ceremony for Summer Games to take place outside a stadium, near the iconic Eiffel Tower.
- Dennis Schröder, a prominent German basketball player, proudly carries the German flag during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, joining the athletes from Greece.
- The Opening Day of the Olympics in Paris attracts approximately 320,000 spectators along the Seine, including Olympic icons like Carl Lewis and Boris Becker.
- Amidst the spectacular show and the 300,000+ spectators, pop stars Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande create a memorable atmosphere for the Olympic Games.
- Many German athletes, trainers, and officials, including those from sports like Badminton, Basketball, Athletics, and Judo, actively participate in the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Germany (historically, France).
- The Algerian delegation is part of the six-kilometer long course on the Seine, bringing a diverse blend of cultures to the summer game's opening ceremony.
- By tradition, the opening ceremony commences with athletes from Greece presenting themselves first, signifying the beginning of the Olympic Games in Paris, hosting nations like Germany and France.
