The Olympics has once again made its grand entrance after 3 years of intermission since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The 2024 Olympic Games were held in the high-spirited capital city of Paris, France, for 16 days from July 26th to August 11th. The celebrations and ceremonies were unimaginably stunning for the special occasion, providing a vivid and memorable atmosphere for all of the audience members and athletes.
Prior to the beginning of the sports event, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members announced that the opening ceremony would not be held in a stadium but rather in the center of Paris, where the Eiffel Tower is located. Furthermore, instead of following the traditional athletes’ Hall of Fame march down on the race tracks, they assigned a boat for each participating country to coast along the Seine River. Nearly 100 boats carried over 10,000 athletes across the river. According to Time Magazine, it was forecasted that this event would be the largest opening ceremony in terms of both audience numbers and land coverage. To end the ceremony, French athletes Marie-Jose Perec and Judoka Teddy Riner lit up the Olympic Cauldron with the eminent Olympic flame at the Gardens of the Tuileries. Despite heavy rain during the grandiose parade, the ceremony was a success.
The ceremonial occasion included many magnificent performances, which were harbored with fireworks, music and dances. Many artistic dancers and singers including Celine Dion, Aya Nakamura, and Lady Gaga performed during the four-hour opening parade. The performance cast presented an astonishing production that will be memorialized for the rest of the decade.
This year, more than 30 traditional and non-traditional sports were featured in this monumental event, with break-dancing making its debut. Audiences, both live and at home, cheered on the athletes and proudly supported their respective countries.
At the closing ceremony, 6 athletes representing each continent, and the president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, blew the Olympic flame from a lamp held by French world champion swimmer Léon Marchand. Renowned actor Tom Cruise also leapt from the roof of the stadium and appeared on the stage with a motorcycle while receiving the Olympic flag from gymnast Simone Biles. The stadium then projected the city of Los Angeles on the big screen, officially announcing the location of the 2028 Olympics to the global audience. Performing from LA, acclaimed artists and bands such as Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Billie Eilish performed their latest hit songs.
