As the torch was carried the last meters, footballer Zinedine Zidane took over and handed over to tennis player Rafael Nadal who carried it on in a boat with Carl Lewis, Nadia Comaneci and Serena Williams. On land, Amelie Mauresmo took over the torch and jogged with it for a longer distance, handing it over to Tony Parker. A couple of para athletes took over and about 20 French profiles, including the pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, were seen handing over the fire to Riner and Pérec, who lit the fire in the form of a hot air balloon that sailed away at 11:22 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the one to declare the Games open.
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The 39-year-old NBA pro, who holds the record for most points in the American League, held the banner with tennis star Coco Gauff at the front of the huge American boat with hundreds of participants. They were fitted with transparent ponchos to withstand the weather as darkness fell.
Sweden shared a boat with Sri Lanka and South Sudan where rider Peder Fredricson and sailor Josefin Olsson held the flag, about 20 people were in the Swedish delegation where the six kilometer long river journey passed famous buildings such as Notre-Dame and the Louvre, and went in finish in a cracking final at Trocadero Square, right in front of the Eiffel Tower. According to the French media, the opening cost SEK 1.4 billion – to be compared with the total budget of ten billion.
Over SEK 30,000 for a ticket
After France, as the last team, sailed past in their big boat, a couple of stanzas from Europe’s big 1980s hit “The Final Countdown” were played. The Upplands Väsby band is on tour and was not there.
“Paris has been great, everything to do with the Olympics but the lack of information has been terrible,” said Tony Gawne, a 54-year-old Texas resident who showed up six hours early with his wife.
– When you spend SEK 65,000 on two tickets, it’s a bit frustrating, he says to AP. 300,000 are said to have followed the inauguration.
The last time it rained at an Olympic opening ceremony was in Helsinki in 1952.