Paris, Games underway: athletes on parade on the Seine. Festa Italia in front of Mattarella (in the rain)

The most awaited day has arrived, the one for which the French have been working for years: the 2024 Olympics begin with an opening ceremony never seen before, with athletes and delegations who paraded on boats for 6 kilometers crossing Paris on the Seine.

The event began under heavy rain which, however, did not dispel the thousands of people crowded on the banks of the river.

In the first “scene”, a torchbearer enters the empty stadium, is surprised, wonders where the Games are.

Then the TV announces that the ceremony will be on the Seine and the torch is taken over by Zinedine Zidane.

Then, in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron , the white, red and blue fireworks lit up the Austerlitz bridge, from where the ceremony started. Immediately the parade of the Olympic teams, with the Greek boat which traditionally opens, followed by the Refugee Team team.

The public's enthusiasm was great as the boat with the refugee team passed by, all dressed in white. Surprisingly, Lady Gaga greets everyone with a «Bonsoir et bienvenue» among fans of pink feathers and then sings a great hit from the French music hall, “Mon truc en plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire.

Then the French can can is unleashed, with dancers in pink and fuchsia, on the quays of the Seine, near the Ile Saint-Louis, while the spectators follow the rhythm by clapping their hands in time with the most famous French cabaret dance.

A moment of great emotion follows for a dance to surreal music, defined as "Sinchronicity", with the dancers moving in time with a hammer, to symbolize the reconstruction work of Notre-Dame, the cathedral damaged by fire on 15 April 2019.

Before 9pm it's time for the boat with the Italian athletes, in the company of those from Israel, Iceland and Jamaica. Someone, among the public crowded on the Pont d'Austerlitz and the Pont de Sully, gives a few whistles to the delegation of the Jewish State, but the boos are immediately covered by the cheering of the Italian delegation, shouting ''Italy! Italy!". Holding the tricolor flag on the roof of the boat are Gianmarco Tamberi and Arianna Errigo.

President Mattarella also greeted the Azzurri, but - immediately after the passage - due to the increasingly insistent rain, he decided to leave the stage.

In the big party there is also space for a tribute to the small Palestinian delegation (8 athletes who will compete in six different disciplines) , for a Mona Lisa resurfacing live on the Seine, for a black Marianne singing the Marseillaise.

And then the tribute to the Parisian fashion shows, with not only top models but also singers, dancers and the Italian Paralympic athlete Bebe Vio on the catwalk.

There was a roar from the public in the stands when the boat with the home athletes passed by, amidst a wave of flags with the French tricolour. And so on, until the end, between music, dance and lights, under and despite the rain.

«It was wonderful to share it with everyone. Despite the rain. Despite the makeup and hair. It was unique. How unique this team is", the words of the Italian standard-bearer, Arianna Errigo .

«It was crazy cool and then the ending was beautiful with the Eiffel Tower and the five circles», echoes the other Italian standard-bearer Tamberi (who lost his faith in the river during the parade). «A unique enthusiasm».

(Unioneonline)