New Delhi:
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics was a spectacular event that took place on Friday, July 26, on the banks of the River Seine. For the first time in Olympic history, the ceremony was held outside a stadium, with 85 boats carrying around 7,000 athletes from 205 countries along a 6km stretch of the Seine. The ceremony also featured two unique figures: a masked torchbearer running across rooftops and a caped rider who rode down the Seine on a metal horse, handing over the Olympic flag.
Who were the two masked figures?
A masked horsewoman on a motorized horse took part in the ceremony, galloping down the Seine wearing a cape with the Olympic rings. She carried the Olympic flag from the Pont d’Iena to the Place du Trocadero on the metal horse. As she passed under the bridges, she spread dove wings. The knight was Floriane Isert, a non-commissioned officer in the Gendarmerie Nationale. Following her, a group of Games volunteers carried national flags.
Ms. Issert wasn’t the only one to make an impact. A mysterious torchbearer also made an impact by leaping over buildings and monuments with ease. Dressed in a black cape and mask, their identity remained secret throughout the ceremony. They met Zinedine Zidane at the end of the procession, returning the torch to the French football legend before disappearing into the night.
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics began with a performance by Lady Gaga and included a tribute to French culture, history and sport. Athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) took part in the parade, which ran along the Seine and past iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Grand Palais.
In addition to Zidane, the Olympic torch has also been carried by French sporting heroes Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec, as well as Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. The cauldron, attached to a hot air balloon, rose into the sky while Celine Dion performed The hymn to love from the balcony of the Eiffel Tower.
The ceremony was attended by 320,000 spectators along the Seine and was watched by millions of people around the world.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
