Paris Olympics kicks off with boat parade, razzle-dazzle show
Sports
French soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane was shown running across Paris to bring the flame
(Reuters) – The Olympics opening ceremony started in Paris on Friday with an extravagant show on the River Seine that will kick off the summer Games.
French soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane was shown running across Paris to bring the flame, in a pre-recorded video that included him taking it onto the metro.
A huge police force was on display in Paris, just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed TGV rail network caused travel chaos across France and put the spotlight on the security risks at a time when all eyes are on the country.
Each country's delegation floated past on a variety of boats, depending on team size, from large barges to modest speedboats.
The ceremony features a fleet of barges taking nearly 7,000 athletes on the river, by some of Paris' most famous landmarks.
A giant plume of blue, white and red smoke was sent high above a bridge over the river as the ceremony started.
"We are super excited, it happens once in a lifetime," 17-year-old Elise Boukorrass said.
It had been raining on and off earlier in the evening in Paris and weather forecasters have predicted heavy showers, with one meteorologist even calling it a "disaster" for the open-air ceremony.
"The rain won't stop me from cheering on the Olympics - sport is everything to me and I'd do whatever it takes to watch this," said Flavia Merluzzi, 20, an architecture student.
Lady Gaga sang a French cabaret song near Notre-Dame cathedral and a winged man played accordion as the Olympics' opening ceremony got under way in Paris on Friday.
Amid rumours that Canadian singer Celine Dion could also be part of the show, spectator Chantal Beauvais said it would be "magical" to watch her.
It will be the first time that an opening ceremony has taken place outside a stadium.
