The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony is underway, featuring Team USA tennis champion Coco Gauff as the youngest American flag bearer in the history of the Games.
The ceremony went on despite forecasted rain and arson attacks on key rail lines into Paris delaying thousands of visitors.
This year’s opening ceremony is the first to not happen in a stadium. Instead, athletes are arriving via boat on the Seine River, floating past iconic Parisian landmarks during the four-hour event.
Basketball champion Lebron James joins Gauff in carrying the flag for Team USA. In addition to being the youngest American flag bearer, Gauff is also the first American tennis player to hold the honor.
“I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is,” Gauff said.
Gauff and James were elected flag bearers in a vote by their fellow US athletes.
Musical icons Lady Gaga and Céline Dion are also performing at the historic ceremony. First Lady Jill Biden is leading the US delegation at the event.
Key Points
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
21:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Through the Eurodance classics we cycle like a DJ at a not particularly adventurous discotheque. The “playful but lucid” performance proves to be a scantily-clad, blue-painted Philippe Katerine, the quirky French singer-songwriter supposedly embodying the spirt of Dionysus. Not really getting that, to be completely honest – more Papa Smurf, I’d suggest.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:59 , Jamie Braidwood
Back to the performances.
“This eighth tableau concludes the parade: the last delegations are presented, followed by ‘France’ a boat whose arrival marks the start of the festivities.
“The festivities are in full swing with a banquet showcasing French fashion and young creation, as well as a variety of cultures and dances from around the world. The Games are finally here, and we’re having fun and dancing in the biggest club in France, carried away by Barbara Butch. With this evocation of French youth, as well as that of the whole of Europe, Thomas Jolly reminds us that ‘our diversity and our uniqueness are our strengths in uniting.
“But celebrating doesn’t stop us from remaining aware of the issuesfacing our planet.’ The playful but lucid final performance serves as a reminder”.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And finally, as is tradition, the hosts, France having bagged the biggest boat for themselves. Could this be a golden Games for the host nation? They’ve got stars in swimming, sevens, basketball and pretty much everywhere else. Discus thrower Mélina Robert-Michon and swimmer Florent Manaudou are their flagbearers.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Look out Paris – the United States are here. It’s a mighty schooner provided to the American team, who have piled on. LeBron James and Coco Gauff throw the Star Spangled Banner left and right.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Zambia’s contingent at this Games is relatively large compared to their international sporting reputation, though their party on the boat is rather limited by the absence of the Copper Queens, their women’s footballers otherwise engaged in pool play.
Australia are afforded the third slot from last as the hosts of the Summer Olympics after next.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tuvalu, the least populous nation at these Olympics, soak up the atmosphere (and the precipitation) as Ukraine get a great reception behind them.
Ukraine athlete wants Paris 2024 to serve as reminder of struggle
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The tautological charms of Timor-Leste, translating to “East East”, on a boat alogside Togo and Tonga. No Pita Taufatofua this time for the Pacific Island nation, though I suspect he’d have kept his shirt on had he made it with conditions in Paris properly nasty.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Not the most impressive outfits on show in the Swiss ranks. At least their flag is a big plus.
Tajikistan, Chinese Taipei, Tanzania and Chad are all packed together on the same boat, the two African nations with limited representation at these Games.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
As we hastily progress towards the end of the alphabet, an array of catwalk models have been putting on a brave face as they try and go about vogue-ing in what can only be described as biblical rain on the Debilly Footbridge. It is, officially, not nice in Paris.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Romania have a husband and wife pair as their flagbearers, Marius and Ionela Cozmiuc both world champions but seeking a first Olympic gold in rowing. Marius won coxless pair silver in Tokyo.
Now, we would normally expect to find Russia at this point. Here’s why they, and Belarus, aren’t part of the opening ceremony:
Why are Russia and Belarus banned from the Paris Olympics?
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The Netherlands are out of place in the Ps, Pays-Bas in French leaving them parting Paraguay and Peru. King Willem-Alexander has a little jig up in the posh seats to the delight of his compatriots on the boat below.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:28 , Jamie Braidwood
Meanwhile, in Tahiti… the Olympics opening ceremony is underway in rather different weather!
We all want to be in Tahiti don’t we. You can find out why part of the Olympics is taking place 10,000 miles from the host city, here.
Lady Gaga: Performance at Olympics opening ceremony was ‘supreme honour’
20:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
American singer Lady Gaga has said it was her “supreme honour” to perform at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
The 38-year-old surprised viewers by singing in French during her performance on Friday evening, which saw her deliver a burlesque take on the French classic Mon Truc En Plume.
On X, formerly Twitter, she said: “I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year.
“I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organising committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honour the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
Lady Gaga: Performance at Olympics opening ceremony was ‘supreme honour’
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Nigeria, New Zealand and Norway complete the N nations. Speaking of Norway, have you listened to the Ingebrigtsen brothers’ pre-Olympics hype song? The first family of Norwegian athletics have talent away from the track, too…
Ingebrigtsen brothers release song on eve of Olympic Games – and it’s catchy
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Mongolia’s representatives are clad in traditional dress – 20 hours it took to embroider their frocks. An impressive effort for what ultimately amounts to about ten seconds of screen time.
Mozambique also have fresh threads, jackets forged from the colours of their flags.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony – What is happening?
20:16 , Jamie Braidwood
Sisterhood
“This sequence features the flag and National Anthem of France. Original staging gives this ceremonial moment added drama. Performed by Axelle Saint-Cirel, the Choeur and the Maîtrise de Radio France The Marseillaise is re-orchestrated for the occasion by Victor le Masne, composer and Music Director of the Ceremonies.
“It resounds with power and emotion in the skies over Paris. ‘The French National Anthem becomes a symbol of unification and a call to pay tribute to the women of France’s history, represented by 10 golden statues emerging from the Seine’ says Thomas Jolly.”
Sportsmanship
“The journey through France’s history continues in this next sequence, showcasing its relationship with modern sports. The delegations pass between floating platforms resembling French formal gardens, where a live show celebrates urban sports, some of which are a special feature of the programme of the Paris 2024 Games.
“Thomas Jolly offers us an experience designed to enrich our imaginations and help us reappropriate immutable figures of France through disciplines that are rooted in their times. In his desire to share the splendour of Versailles with everyone and to combine historical classicism with urban modernity, Thomas Jolly decided to invite Jakub Józef Orliński, who is both a breaker and an opera singer.”
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Malawi and the Maldives have eight athletes between them, but get a plum place behind the Malaysian contingent on one of the mid-sized watercrafts.
Morocco are on the next vessel, their men’s football team having upset Argentina after that extraordinary finish on Wednesday.
Who is the masked torchbearer causing chaos at the Olympics opening ceremony?
20:08 , Jamie Braidwood
A masked torchbearer repeatedly popped up during the Olympics opening ceremony, running across rooftops in Paris as heavy rain fell on the boat parade on the River Seine.
The mysterious figure, wearing a black cloak, white hood, and with their face covered by a dark fencing mask, was heavily featured in the three-hour ceremony produced by director Thomas Jolly, and which included appearances from Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane and, for some reason, The Minions.
The spectacle saw 85 boats carry almost 7,000 athletes from 205 countries down the River Seine, which came just hours after a sabotage attack on the high-speed rail networks caused travel chaos across France.
Who is the masked torchbearer causing chaos at the Olympics opening ceremony?
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
We are properly rattling through now: Laos, Lesotho, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya. Liechtenstein’s Romano Puentener waves the flag enthusiastically – he’ll go in the men’s mountain bike cross country against Tom Pidcock and co. next week.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
20:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
There is unsurprisingly an athlete carrying Kenya’s flag, though Ferdinand Omanyala excels over 100 metres rather than the longer distances in which the east African nation normally dominates. Volleyball player Trizah Atuka is his company grasping the flagpole.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel provides an enchanting rendition of La Marseillaise, celebrating the contribution of women in the tableau entitled: Sisterhood.
Famous French female figures are cast in gold, riding up out of their podiums as a rather more haunting version of the national anthem plays.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A dive into the Musée d’Orsay is an excuse to look at some of France’s best cultural contributions, and Despicable Me‘s minions. It is, inexplicably, the little yellow cartoons that get an extended look.
Out of the minions video we transition into the Mona Lisa. Two remarkable bits of art presented together – It’s what Da Vinci would have wanted.
Team GB arrive in rain-soaked Paris for 2024 Olympic Games
19:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Ireland have their biggest contingent ever at an Olympics, 100 years on from their first – golfer Shane Lowry and hurdler Sarah Lavin carry their flag.
Italy and Jamaica are side by side, each enjoying the Paris party in their own way.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Out come India, the second largest country in the world but not one with a noted Olympic record. Could that be about to change, though?
Who is Neeraj Chopra? India’s javelin champion defends Olympics title
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Through the Guineas we go, -Bissau and Equatorial following the Naby Keita and Fatoumata Sylla-led crew.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Here come Team GB, the 327 athletes fielded by Great Britain in Paris represented by a good group. Tom Daley and Helen Glover, both Olympic veterans inspired back for one more ride by their children, carry their flag.
Paris Olympics 2024: Team GB announce flagbearers for opening ceremony
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Biniam Girmay, fresh from his Tour de France heroics, is one of the Eritrean flagbearers. It’s also been an excellent summer of sport for Spain with a Euro 2024 triumph and Carlos Alcaraz’s exploits on the court – can a few of their Olympians continue the winning run?
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Djibouti deserve some kudos for having prepped a routine of sorts, lifting their flags above their heads in unison before dropping them down again. The synchronicity soon goes, but a lovely thought.
It’s properly miserable – Jack Rathborn, our man in Paris, has abandoned the open area and is heading for the safe embrace of the media room. “It’s as heavy as it has been,” he bravely reports as he goes in search of a towel and a hairdryer.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That shouldn’t overly concern the two coasts: Costa Rica and Cote d’Ivoire both get strong receptions, the latter nation particularly so.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Right, onwards we go with the parade of nations, Cyprus and Comoros providing island bookends to the Colombian squad in the middle of their barge.
The Republic of Congo have only four athletes at the Games, and all seem to have made it to the opening ceremony, crowding on to a small boat as the two-stroke motor churns behind them. It is absolutely thumping it down now, drenching the Cook Islands’ two athletes (athlete Alex Beddoes; swimmer Lanihei Connolly).
Headless Marie Antoinettes line banks of Seine during Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And here is the modern day master of chanson francaise, Aya Nakamura the most listened to French-language artist in the world. Born in Mali, raised in the Paris suburbs, there has been a bit of noise around Nakamura’s participation in this opening ceremony among the French far right, but she really puts on a show, re-interpreting Aznavour’s music beautifully.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A spot of Charles Aznavour, now, as the organisers work through their French musical icons. Formidable!
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle
On to liberte, the third tableau, with a rocking rendition of revolutionary song Ah, ça ira delivered by Gojira before Marina Viotti delightfully delivers L’amour est un oiseau rebelle from Bizet’s Carmen. It all does look rather damp.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony: Liberty
19:18 , Jamie Braidwood
“The people remain at the heart of this sequence, which highlights their thirst for liberty. We first plunge into the rebellious Paris of Les Misérables and the French Revolution. The liberation of the people is followed by the liberation of the body and of love, with a choreography by Rachid Ouramdane and Compagny XY on the mythical Pont-Neuf Bridge, redrawing the contours of a city imbued with romance, mystery and desire, enhanced by the costumes of Charles de Vilmorin.
“For this tableau, Thomas Jolly has chosen Marina Viotti, an exceptional singer who, with her ability to switch from heavy metal to opera, acts as a bridge between two revolutions. Political and personal emancipation intersect and respond to each other in this daring sequence,which reminds us that ‘the freedom to love is no less sacred than the freedom to think’ (Victor Hugo).”
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The brollies are up on the banks as the famous Notre Dame bells sound, thankfull having survived that ghastly fire in 2019. When I was in Paris last year, they were hard at work trying to get the old cathedral restored to something resembling former glories, and they really have done a great job
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
On to the second of the night’s tableaux, entitled synchronicite. 500 dancers are on hand around the Pont Neuf for what the organisers hope will put French craftspeople in the limelight: sculptors, carpenters, joiners, etc.
“The whole of Paris is synchronising to welcome the Games,” they say. “In this tableau, Thomas Jolly highlights the know-how of French craftsmanship in a choregraphy by Maud Le Pladec and an original score by Victor le Masne composed using the sounds of the workers. This golden interlude pays tribute to the prestige of the host city and to the people of Paris, who are in sync.”
Heat, rats and sewage in Seine: Paris battles a host of problems before 2024 Olympics
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The can-can gets a techno remix as some dancers from the Moulin Rouge make the best of the conditions. There have been 200 rehearsal days for the opening ceremony, though not an official run-through en masse, with a few clunks apparent so far, as might be expected with such a large-scale event.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A loud cry of “Cambodia” as the Asian nation make their way along the River Seine. There are plenty of Cambodians still in Paris after fleeing the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.
Canada provide the biggest contingent at the front of the next boat, another country with real links to France, of course.
China’s athletes cloak the stern in red. Will they overhaul the United States at the top of the medal table?
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
19:00 , Jamie Braidwood
The hoods and umbrellas are back up at the Place de Trocadero. You can prepare the most elaborate ceremony in the world, but you can’t control the weather can you.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Brazil look to be sporting jean jackets and Breton stripes, having done their homework on the fashion du jour. Rugby player Raquel Kochhann is their female flag bearer, who has made this Olympics despite undergoing treatment for breast cancer earlier this year. One of the many remarkable stories on show across this Games.
Olympics 2024: Lady Gaga kicks off performances with nod to French culture
18:57 , Jamie Braidwood in Paris
Lady Gaga appeared in the Place Barye to launch the artistic part of the Opening Ceremony with a nod to the tradition of French music hall. From a majestic staircase resembling that of the nave of the Grand Palais, Lady Gaga reinterpreted the classic “Mon truc en plume” by Zizi Jeanmaire, an icon of French revue.
Chosen for her unique talent, multifaceted performances and love of Parisian culture, Lady Gaga’s performance highlighted the ongoing influence of French culture on the world, and the bond between two icons of two different eras. With her personal touch, Lady Gaga showed how the world has drawn on French culture to reinvent and augment it.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Bhutan’s dragon waves, a favourite flag blowing proudly in the breeze. I’m not sure that the Himalayan nation merited a boat of their own, but they do at least have some shelter to huddle under with the rain just beginning to fall again. They’ll be up late watching in the Thimphu monasteries I’m sure.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Warm applause as Gaga go-gos after a lively extended number. Back to the athletes, and Bangladesh have lucked out with what looks like a lovely boat.
Through the Bs we canter, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin and Bermuda providing a fun line-up on the boat behind.
Paris opening ceremony
18:52 , Sonia Twigg
The teams have started arriving on their boats in an opening ceremony unlike any other:
Paris Olympics opening ceremony: Lady Gaga performs
18:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Our first musical interlude. Who is that hidden behind the fluffy pink umbrellas? Why, it’s Lady Gaga, cavorting down the steps and launching into an impressive French ditty. There’s a grand piano waiting for a tinkle, too, and Gaga soon obliges.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina manage to sneak through without any appreciable boos, unlike at the Stade de France last night. Aruba are the early winners of the opening ceremony, clad quite wonderfully in sunset-themed jackets that match the colours of their flag. Rather fetching from the Dutch island nation.
“A warm welcome for Argentina here too, which is perhaps a little surprising?” our man Jack Rathborn says. “The tension between Argentina and the hosts since that inflammatory song following the Copa America, posted by Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, spilled over to the rugby sevens this week. But there’s no sign of any lingering animosity away from the sporting field. There’s even a a shift in tempo as the Argentine contingent enthusiastically embrace the crowds.”
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle
In this economy, of course, a boat per team was a bit optimistic, so a band of ‘A’ nations are sharing a vessel with the sizeable South Africa and German contingents (the two countries beginning with A in French, of course).
Andorra’s two representatives have made it, and as have Angola.
“There’s a loud applause in Trocadero as the Refugee Olympic Team emerges on the Seine,” reports a drying Jack Rathborn from Paris. “It brings Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, to his feet. The countries are coming out thick and fast now and with the rain subsiding, moods are warming up, including a warm welcome for Algeria. Zinedine Zidane, the star of that initial film to kick things off, is of Algerian descent.”
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A burst of tricolor smoke and then our first strains of Edith Piaf – it was never likely to be long. “La Foule” is the introductory music for the parade of athletes, led, as ever, by Greece. Giannis Antetokounmpo (basketball) and Antigoni Drisbioti (athletics) carry the blue and white flag.
Next out are the Refugee Olympic Team, who you can read a little bit more about here:
EOR Olympic team: What does it stand for and how is it formed?
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Thomas Bach and Emmanuel Macron, president of the IOC and France respectively, wave from the balcony. Nice for both men to get a universally positive reception for once, each ranking roughly comparably in the opinion polls.
The kids have made it on to the Seine, to much excitement from those clad in red white and blue.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Down on to the Metro Zinedine ventures, jamming the paper ticket into the barriers and climbing aboard. Top tip for anyone eyeing a Paris trip – they are very, very easy to lose, so stow them safely.
Anyway, the public transport is malfunctioning, requiring a band of kids to continue the torch’s journey via a mystrious cloaked figure in the sewers. All rather fun/freaky – delete as appropriate.
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The Paris skyline is really something, the Eiffel Tower standing proud and alone with the city’s skyscrapers cast some way away from the centre. The opening vignette takes us to an empty Stade de France after an apparent miscommunication, but Zinedine Zidane (clad immaculately in a dark suit) is on hand to get things back on track.
Paris Olympics: Opening ceremony
18:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Right, we’re just about to get going in Paris. 85 boats, 205 delegations and one freshly scrubbed River Seine – this should be spectacular. The celebrities and dignitaries are taking their place in the posh seats while Parisians line the banks, ready to watch the flotilla along. On to the barges the Olympic representatives clamber, showing the grace you’d expect of elite athletes.
Paris 2024: How to train like an Olympian:
18:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
In the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, The Independent’s Kate Gill looked into what it takes to train like a Team GB athlete ahead of competing on the world stage.
IndependentTV’s How To Train Like A Olympian is a series focused on the individual fundamentals Olympians have to focus on within their training.
While navigating tight gates down tumultuous white water rapids, two-time Olympic canoe slalomist Adam Burgess, 32, makes split-second decisions that determine the outcome of his race.
Watch more How To Train Like An Olympian episodes here on The Independent’s YouTube.
Paris 2024 opening ceremony
18:20 , Alex Ross
The opening ceremony follows a day of chaos in France after saboteurs carrying out arson attacks on three of the country’s four high-speed lines.
Although high speed services slowly resumed into the evening, thousands of passengers were impacted due to service cancellations and divertions.
The disruption will continue into the weekend, with an estimated 800,000 passengers to be affected, and one in four Eurostar services cancelled until Monday.
French authorities are investigating the arson attacks with Gérald Darmanin, French interior minister, hoping for quick arrests.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.
Saboteurs launch ‘malicious’ arson attack on France’s rail networks before Olympics
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Paris Olympics: Weather warning issued ahead of opening ceremony
18:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s been a properly miserable day in Paris, with an unencouraging forecast prompting Meteo France to issue a weather warning from 8pm (7pm BST) tonight. And Jack Rathborn has bad news from the Trocadero: “I’m currently huddling under a plastic cover. It’s raining again.”
Eek. Protective ponchos on…
Paris Olympics opening ceremony
18:04 , Sonia Twigg
Here are some photos as Paris prepares for the show to start:
Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 opening ceremony as Tom Daley and LeBron James take stage
18:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Taking place as it does on the surface of the Seine rather than inside a stadium, tonight’s opening ceremony will function slightly differently, with 85 boats instead used to ferry the athletes along the waterway. But we will, pleasingly, have flagbearers in action, with each nation selecting their best and brightest to tote the national colours. Here are the names to know:
Every country’s flagbearer for Paris Olympics including USA and Team GB
Coach fares soar as desperate travellers try to reach Paris
17:50 , Jane Dalton
A combination of the Eurostar cancellations and the Friday evening no-fly zone in Paris has sent coach fares between the UK and the French capital soaring.
On FlixBus, the few remaining seats from London on Friday and Tuesday are selling for over £100, with some reaching well over £200.
The fastest journey time is around 10 hours, four times longer than Eurostar on a normal day – though some rail journeys are taking twice as long as scheduled.
The 12.31pm from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord was due in at 3.48pm local time, but in fact arrived at 6pm.
Passengers are entitled to 60 per cent of their ticket price back.
Three Eurostar trains from London to Paris, representing around 2,500 passengers, were cancelled on Friday.
Paris 2024 opening ceremony
17:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Our intrepid reporters Jack Rathborn and Jamie Braidwood have survived the chaos on the trains, shoddy Eurostar WiFi and a sticker snafu at the accreditation desk (don’t ask…) to make it just about intact to the Trocadero, where tonight’s opening ceremony will conclude. “Very wet,” is Jack’s rather pessimistic first impression, though he soon wipes away the liquid off his keyboard to provide a slightly more detailed update:
“It’s a damp evening in Paris and the city is eerily quiet throughout. An overwhelming police presence and long queues to cross roads has rather dampened the appetite for the Paris Games ahead of the grand opening.
“But it’s stopped raining for the time being and the Trocadero area boasts a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic rings dangling above the balcony. Gradually the mood is becoming brighter.”
Paris 2024 set to officially open
17:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The clock has ticked past an hour to go until it all gets underway, organisers making their final checks to the flotilla before sending it down the Seine. Yes, if we forget the fact that we’ve already had two days of captivating competition, the Olympics are officially here, with a glitzy, glamorous and aquatic adventure past the Paris landmarks sure to kick things off in style.
Why the Paris 2024 opening ceremony will be like nothing the Olympics has seen before
Tens of thousands of officers, agents and soldiers in security operation
17:25 , Jane Dalton
Some 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 private security agents have been deployed to secure the games’ opening ceremony, one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies ever.
Snipers will be on rooftops, and drones in the air.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said an investigation into the arson attacks would be overseen by its organised crime office, with the anti-terrorist sub-directorate (SDAT), a branch of the judicial police that typically monitors far-left, far-right and radical environmental groups, coordinating investigations.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in June that the alliance had seen several examples of “sabotage, of arson attempts” by Russia, but there is no indication that Moscow might have been behind Friday’s attacks in France.
Air France stragglers allowed to land in Paris after curfew
17:15 , Jane Dalton
Two planeloads of passengers on Air France flights to Paris Charles De Gaulle airport are about to discover the eerie feeling of landing at a deserted airport, writes Simon Calder.
Paris Charles de Gaulle, the busiest airport in Continental Europe, is in the vast no-fly zone imposed from 6pm French time to after midnight to protect the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights, and built in a “buffer” with the last scheduled arrivals at 5.10pm. The final touchdown was expected to be the Air France flight from Edinburgh, which landed at 5.16pm.
But Flightradar24 reports that two late-running Air France jets were given special permission to land at around the time the curfew begins.
One is an Airbus A320 flight from the Greek island of Mykonos; the other, a long-haul Boeing 777 from Seoul.
Team GB athletes among St Pancras travellers as Eurostar trains cancelled
17:05 , Jane Dalton
Team GB athletes among St Pancras travellers as Eurostar trains cancelled
French spy services to hunt ‘saboteurs’
16:50 , Jane Dalton
The French prime minister Gabriel Attal said the country’s intelligence services had been mobilised to find the perpetrators of “acts of sabotage” which he described as “prepared and co-ordinated”.
He said the sabotage and arson had “a clear objective: blocking the high-speed train network”.
He added that the vandals strategically targeted routes from the north, east and west towards Paris.
It was “a premeditated, calculated, co-ordinated attack” that indicates “a desire to seriously harm” the French people, the SNCF rail company’s chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said.
Police hope to make arrests soon, says minister
16:48 , Jane Dalton
The French interior minister Gérald Darmanin says detectives are hoping to quickly make arrests over the sabotage of the SNCF rail network.
Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 opening ceremony as Tom Daley and LeBron James take stage
16:42 , Sonia Twigg
LeBron James and Coco Gauff are Team USA’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics, with over 400 athletes joining them including diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover, two of Britain’s most decorated Olympians.
The prestigious event will begin tonight, as each team selects two athletes to represent them at the Parade of Nations, taking place along the River Seine.
Basketball legend James, who won gold at the London Olympics in 2012, will be accompanied by tennis star Gauff, who makes her Olympic debut in Paris. Both of America’s brightest athletes will be the penultimate pair to carry their country’s flag at the parade, behind host nation France’s Florent Manaudou and Melina Robert-Michon.
Every country’s flagbearer for Paris Olympics including USA and Team GB
Watch: President Macron meets leaders in Paris before opening ceremony
16:40 , Jane Dalton
Russian arrested on suspiction of planning sabotage – and everything known about attack
16:30 , Jane Dalton
Everything we know about France’s Olympic rail chaos as Kremlin responds to arrest
Watch: Police inspect scene of sabotage attack
16:22 , Jane Dalton
David Ames believes GB Hockey men are capable of emulating Seoul 1988 gold
16:13 , PA
The ghosts of 1988 have swirled around Great Britain’s men’s hockey squad in the eight subsequent Olympics to their unforgettable golden moment in Seoul.
Millions of early-morning television viewers watched behind bowls of cornflakes as the likes of Sean Kerly and Imran Sherwani fashioned a 3-1 win over West Germany, made all the more memorable for commentator Barry Davies’ exultant cry of “Where were the Germans? Quite frankly, who cares” when the third goal rubber-stamped a first win since 1920.
In contrast to the GB women, who have won medals at the last three Games, including gold in Rio, the men’s side have struggled to escape the shadows of their famous triumph, their best effort a heartbreaking fourth place finish on home soil at London 2012.
David Ames believes GB Hockey men are capable of emulating Seoul 1988 gold
Australian hockey player amputates finger to save Olympic dream
15:51 , Chris Wilson
An Australian hockey player has chosen to have part of his finger amputated in order to allow him to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Matt Dawson, a two-time Olympian who plays in defence for Australia, was forced into the decision after being struck by a hockey stick on the ring finger of his right hand.
The incident, where the top of his finger was almost entirely severed, happened just two weeks before he was supposed to represent his national team in their opening match.
Dawson, who had originally thought his dream of a third Olympics was over after seeing the extent of the injury, urgently consulted a plastic surgeon, who told him that it could be repaired with a wire, but the recovery process could take up to six months.
Australian hockey player amputates finger to save Olympic dream
Team GB’s big fixtures, first medal events and Saturday’s full schedule
15:42 , Karl Matchett
Saturday brings the first full day of Olympics competition, with a huge programme of events set to take place across Paris.
The first gold medals of the summer will be handed out before lunch, with the mixed 10m air rifle finals taking place at 09:30 BST. The reigning Olympic champions, Chinese duo Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, are not competing, leaving the door wide open for Team GB pair Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh to bring home the first medals of the summer.
The shooting finals will be closely followed by the Women’s 3m Synchronised Diving final, where the British duo of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, who have competed together since 2023, will both look to bring home their first medals.
Several Team GB hopefuls will compete in each discipline, with seven-time Olympic Gold medalist Katie Ledecky set to compete in the women’s 400m freestyle.
Here’s a full run-down of Saturday’s planned events:
Olympics Day 1: Team GB schedule and first medal events at Paris 2024
British athletes get to Paris
15:32 , Jane Dalton
The British Olympic Association said only two athletes were scheduled to arrive in Paris on Friday and had been subject to only minor delays.
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera condemned whoever carried out the attacks on the rail network. “It’s just unacceptable.
“It’s probably a large-scale sabotage with some malicious acts, probably co-ordinating,” she told Sky News.
Snoop Dogg adds sizzle to Paris drizzle by carrying Olympic torch ahead of opening ceremony
15:27 , Luke Baker
Hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg sprinkled some celebrity magic on the Olympics torch relay in Paris as he carried the flame around the streets of Saint-Denis ahead of the opening ceremony later this evening.
Sporting a pair of suitably golden trainers, the rapper and actor carried the Olympic flame on a short leg around the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb on a damp Friday morning.
Snoop Dogg adds sizzle to Paris drizzle by carrying Olympic torch
Team GB athletes among St Pancras travellers as Eurostar trains cancelled
15:24 , Sonia Twigg
Team GB athletes travelling to the Paris Olympics were among those waiting at St Pancras on Friday, 26 July, as Eurostar services were hit by cancellations as a result of a “malicious attack” on the service in France.
The rail operator confirmed a quarter of its trains would no longer run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday following “co-ordinated” vandalism.
Organisers of the Olympics Games are pushing ahead with the opening ceremony later, despite thousands of visitors being delayed by arson attacks on the key rail lines into Paris.
Last flight of day to Paris takes off – from Edinburgh
15:16 , Jane Dalton
What is believed to be the final flight to touch down at a Paris airport today has taken off from Edinburgh.
Air France flight AF1387 left the stand at the Scottish capital’s airport 17 minutes late for the 541-mile flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).
All three Paris airports – CDG, Orly and Beauvais – are to close during the opening ceremony of the Olympics, as France imposes a vast no-fly zone over the north of the country.
The Zone d’Interdiction Temporaire (ZIT) has been imposed due to fears of a terrorist attack. Normally the final Friday of July would be one of the busiest days of the year for aviation, and normally the three would handle more than 350,000 passengers between them on a peak summer Friday.
Flights by military, customs, police, gendarmerie, civil security or emergency aircraft will be allowed in the area, along with aircraft in charge of filming and flights carrying dignitaries.
EasyJet alone has cancelled almost 100 flights to and from the key airports in the French capital.
Train arrivals in Paris four hours late
15:15 , Jane Dalton
Delays are building up at London St Pancras International, as late-arriving trains from Paris play havoc with scheduling.
David and Tina Mackie from Suffolk are among 900 passengers booked on the 1.31pm from London to Paris Gare du Nord. It was showing as leaving two hours late.
With the extra delay on the route from Lille to Paris via a slow line, they are likely to arrive in the French capital up to four hours late.
The couple are celebrating Mr Mackie’s retirement on Thursday – and attended a Bruce Springsteen concert last night, before staying overnight at St Pancras.
They have Olympic tickets for hockey, seven-a-side rugby and rowing events, and are understandably keen to reach Paris.
“It’s been a hell of a 24 hours, and it was a bit of a shock waking up to see about the trains,” Mr Mackie said.
Trains from Paris are now arriving around two hours late into London.
Starmer changes Paris travel plan
15:05 , Jane Dalton
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer changed his travel plans after French rail networks were hit by what the French premier has said were co-ordinated acts of sabotage.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said Sir Keir was meant to be travelling on the Eurostar to Paris ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony, but flew to France instead.
Surfing can steal Olympic limelight from Paris in Tahiti’s spectacular ‘place of skulls’
14:50 , James Toney
The World’s Top 10 Most Lethal Waves sounds like one of those TV shows you’d find on the listings between Deadliest Catch and Aircrash Confidential.
But half a world from Paris 2024, the Olympics is about to get very wet and even more wild.
The iconic Tahitian reef Teahupo’o is a Mecca for surfers who dream of riding its fabled 10ft barrels like golfers teeing up at St Andrews or cyclists hauling themselves up Alpe d’Huez.
But it is no place for an amateur; danger lurks with every swell and break, which is perhaps why Teahupo’o translates as a ‘place of skulls’.
Nicknamed “Chopes”, when this stunning reef roars to life – fuelled from low pressures that spin off Antarctica – you can hear it from miles away. It rises and drops so fast your heart will plummet from your mouth to pit of your stomach in fractions.
It’s 9,900 miles between Paris and Tahiti, which makes this the biggest distance between a host city and an Olympic venue, beating Stockholm – which staged equestrian in 1958 when Melbourne hosted everything else – by 100 miles.
Surfing can steal Olympic limelight in Tahiti’s spectacular ‘place of skulls’
Watch live as Macron meets world leaders in Paris
14:44 , Jane Dalton
Live: Macron meets leaders after arson attacks on day of Olympics opening ceremony
Rain forecast to turn opening ceremony to ‘disaster’
14:40 , Jane Dalton
A weather forecaster has predicted disastrous rain for the games’ unprecedented open-air ceremony in the heart of Paris later.
More than 300,000 spectators are expected to line the banks of the River Seine when the athletes parade through the heart of Paris on a flotilla of barges and riverboats, part of an extravagant opening ceremony that will be watched by a global audience of billions.
About 25mm (0.98 inch) to 30mm (1.18 inches) of rain is expected between 6pm and midnight on Friday during the three-hour ceremony attended by world leaders and global celebrities, the equivalent of 15 days of rainfall, weather forecaster Patrick Marliere said.
“It’s going to be a disaster for these few hours,” Mr Marliere, the head of independent weather forecaster Agate Meteo, said on RMC radio.
State weather forecaster Meteo France also expects rain on Friday evening, with cloudy skies.
“The scenarios of the last few days that had mentioned risks of rainfalls are being confirmed for the end of the day,” it says.
The lines to Paris where services disrupted
14:20 , Jane Dalton
Paris Olympics latest news and updates
14:06 , Lincoln Feast, Reuters
Olympic surfers based in Tahiti will miss out on the spectacle of the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday, but might have trumped their Paris-based peers with their accommodation in a freighter-cum-cruise ship serving as a floating athletes’ village. With limited accommodation options in the small villages dotted around Tahiti’s southern coast, Paris 2024 decided to house most surfers in the unique-looking 126-metre (413-foot) Aranui 5, which is anchored in the lagoon about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the venue of Teahupo’o.
“It’s my first time on a cruise ship, so yeah, it’s fun,” said New Zealand surfer Billy Stairmand.
“It’s awesome. We got nice rooms and it’s very comfortable. Got our own little space, we’ve got a gym, got everything you need so yeah, it’s a good vibe on the boat for sure,” Stairmand told Reuters.
On Thursday, Stairmand was bantering with South African surfers Jordy Smith and Matt McGillivray onboard as they watched their Olympic rugby sevens teams on do battle in Paris.
The ship usually accommodates 230 passengers and charges around $5,700 per person for a 12-day, 11-night cruise in a standard cabin to the Marquesas Islands, taking cargo along with paying passengers. If you want the presidential suite, that will set you back about $10,000 per person.
On board are 28 athletes from 19 delegations, each in a single room with a double bed – no one got the presidential suite. In a post on Instagram, Peru’s Sol Aguirre showcased her room complete with flat screen TV, flower garlands and a view to the jungle-clad mountains over the lagoon from her balcony.
Tenders take the surfers between the contest site and the Aranui, which means the great path, and bring in fresh food and other supplies from a nearby village.
“It’s a half an hour drive every morning but I guess that’s just what comes with the whole process of it all,” said Stairmand. “It’s cool. I love Tahiti, it’s very powerful place so it’s awesome to wake up here and kind of check the coastline every morning and feel refreshed and energised.” Surfers said that while missing the buzz of the Paris village and the opening ceremony and the lack of spectators was a shame, the unique location, perfect waves and chilled local vibes made up for it.
“Obviously it would have been cool to get some spectators. But at the same time we’re here for a job you know, we’re here to get medals and at times it probably could be distracting,” said Stairmand.
“We’re in our little bubble and we’re doing everything we can to get those medals.”
Nicola Adams: I still have a dream to make more boxing history
13:39 , Sonia Twigg
Nicola Adams says it is a “dream come true” to have inspired the next generation of female boxers as they prepare to showcase their talent at the Paris Olympics.
Adams has always been a trendsetter. From being the only girl in her boxing gym when she first put on the gloves, to becoming the first female boxer to represent England, and then capitalising when boxing first became an Olympic sport.
Women’s boxing made its debut at London 2012 and she sealed her place in history by becoming the first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal, changing not only her life but the entire profile of the sport in the United Kingdom.
Nicola Adams: I still have a dream to make more boxing history
Eurostar reveals first cancellations
13:35 , Jane Dalton
Eurostar has announced the first trains to be axed following the attack on the high-speed line from Lille to Paris, writes Simon Calder.
The passenger train operator between London and Paris has cancelled the 3.31pm and 7.01pm departures to the French capital on Friday.
Both trains had been heavily booked with close to 900 travellers on each.
Eurostar told passengers: “We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.”
Passengers were told to “exchange your booking for free to travel in the same travel class at a different time or date” or “cancel your booking and get a refund”.
Very few seats are available on alternative services in the next few days.
Eurostar says it will cancel 25 per cent of trains on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
This would mean four or five trains axed on Friday and four on each weekend day.
Crowds of delayed passengers at Paris station
13:28 , Jane Dalton
Crowds of passengers built up at Montparnasse station in the south of Paris amid the delays. Some have been waiting since 6.40 this morning for a train, according to French daily paper Le Monde.
Who is Leon Marchand? Meet the French swimmer aiming to become the face of the Olympics
13:26 , Karl Matchett
Leon Marchand arrives at Paris 2024 with the most pressure of any swimmer, as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Michael Phelps to become the face of his home Olympics.
Coached by Phelps’s former mentor Bob Bowman, Marchand broke the final world record of the most successful Olympian ever last summer and will now look to claim a first Olympic title at the age of 22.
In all, Marchand is competing in four individual events, looking to join Phelps, Mark Spitz, and Kristin Otto as the only swimmers to claim four individual golds at the same Games.
And for Alain Bernard, France’s most successful Olympic swimmer and a double gold medallist, the pressure facing Marchand is like nothing he has ever seen.
Why a French swimmer could become the face of Paris 2024
Basel airport closure causes cancellations and long delays
13:18 , Jane Dalton
Thousands of passengers at Basel airport face long delays or cancellations after a false bomb threat led to the evacuation of the airport.
The hub, which calls itself EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, is in French territory but has a corridor road connection from Basel, Switzerland.
EasyJet grounded its flight to and from Nice, while Lufthansa cancelled a link between Basel and Munich. Lufthansa’s budget offshoot, Eurowings, axed a round-trip to Palma.
EasyJet told passengers: “The disruption to your flight is outside of our control and is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance.”
Many flights are heavily delayed, with British Airways passengers departing for London two hours behind schedule. The easyJet flight to Edinburgh is also expected to be two hours late.
Canada head coach Bev Priestman suspended for Olympics over spy drone incident
13:08 , Oscar Pick
Canada head coach Bev Priestman has now been suspended for the rest of the Olympics as the drone spying saga that has engulfed the women’s football competition rumbles on.
Claims emerged earlier this week that a drone was used to spy on the training sessions of New Zealand – Canada’s opening opponent in Group A of the women’s football tournament – and assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi were subsequently sent home by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).
Now the COC have issued a statement saying that Priestman had been removed from her role after “additional information” came to their attention regarding previous drone use that took place prior to Paris 2024.
Canada head coach Bev Priestman suspended from Olympics amid spying saga
Traffic resuming, transport minister says
12:47 , Sonia Twigg
“Traffic is starting to resume, we should see one train in three this afternoon,” said Patrice Vergriete, the resigning minister for transport, reported by Le Monde.
He added: “We can imagine that it’s a criminal act, there is a concomitance of facts. We didn’t have a specific alert before these acts of malice.”
Compensation for delayed Eurostar passengers: typically £25
12:37 , Simon Calder
Trains from Paris now arriving here at London St Pancras International between 75 and 80 minutes late, increasing journey times by more than half.
Delayed Eurostar passengers will be due compensation for arriving over an hour late. A delay of between one and hours qualifies for compensation of 25 per cent as cash – or as a 30 per cent voucher for future travel.
One-way fares on so busy a day are likely to be about £100, indicating a refund of £25 in cash or a £30 voucher. Eurostar says: “Please wait at least 24 hours before making a claim – this will give our systems time to process details of your delay.”
France disruption concerning, UK prime minister says
12:23 , Alexander Butler
Sir Keir Starmer has said disruption across France is “concerning” and urged people to follow travel advice if going to the games.
“The situation is concerning and like the statements you’ve seen from the French it is incredibly frustrating for people travelling to attend the games and Olympic Ceremony,” a spokesperson for the prime minister said.
“The PM would urge people to continue to follow travel advice and statements from travel operators. The latest statement from the Eurostar is that the lines are running but there are delays and disruption so everyone should follow the advice.
“Irrespective of this disruption, it is very clear that both in France, here and around the world everyone is hugely excited and looking forward to what will be an incredibly successful Olympic games and we won’t let disruption overshadow that.”
Simone Biles, Noah Lyles and the many faces of the Paris Olympic Games
12:20 , Karl Matchett
The Paris Olympics is poised to deliver sporting excellence in abundance; blink and you will miss something extraordinary on the biggest stage in sport.
While records will tumble and pages in sport’s history books will be frantically rewritten across two action-packed weeks, those individuals who rise to seize the spotlight, forging memories for generations, will mostly do so by pairing their athletic prowess with a human story. This is why there is such a feverish anticipation for Simone Biles and her Olympic return.
Widely recognised as the greatest gymnast of all time, having amassed 37 medals across Olympic Games and world championships, Biles is ready to dominate again.
Yet this journey to Paris, including a 732-day layoff, has made the 27-year-old an inspiration beyond the arena.
Sport Editor Jack Rathborn’s 2024 Olympics preview:
Simone Biles, Noah Lyles and the many faces of the Paris Olympic Games
One in four Eurostar trains cancelled
12:12 , Simon Calder
One in four Eurostar trains will be cancelled on Friday and over the weekend following arson attacks on the French railway network, the company said.
A Eurostar spokesperson told The Independent: “Due to coordinated malicious acts in France, affecting the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains going to and coming from Paris are being diverted via the classic line today Friday 26 July. This extends the journey time up to an hour and a half.
“Eurostar expects this situation will last until Monday morning.Today, Eurostar will cancel 25 per cent of its trains. It will also be the case on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28.
“Eurostar’s teams are fully mobilised in stations, in the call centres, and onboard to ensure that all passengers are informed and can reach their destination.”
Pictured: Snoop Dogg carries Olympic torch
12:02 , Alexander Butler
Snoop Dogg has been pictured carrying the Olympic torch in the last part of the relay before opening ceremony begins at 7.30pm Paris time.
His gold shoes have also attracted attention. “I had them custom made for the Olympics, they’re Snoop’s shoes,” he told France TV.
Paris Olympics latest news and updates
11:58 , PA Sports Staff
Three-time Olympic medallist Jack Laugher is posting photographs of himself on the adult content site OnlyFans “for some more money”.
While Laugher, who became Britain’s first Olympic diving champion at Rio 2016, receives funding largely from the profits of the National Lottery, he is topping up his earnings on OnlyFans – although his personal page stresses there will be no full-frontal nudity images of him.
“Just like most Olympic sports, there isn’t a lot of money in diving,” Laugher told several national newspapers.
“I’ll do anything to hustle for some more money. It’s a really, really good way for me to make some extra cash and just try and set myself up for the future a little bit.
“I understand the way it’s perceived. I get it. But I know what I’m doing. I’m comfortable with what I’m doing. It clearly states on my profile there is no nudity.”
The British Olympic Association declined to comment when contacted by the PA news agency.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website
